One-day cricket set to fill Victorian club fixtures in 2020-21
As cricket officials play a waiting game for the start of the season, they’re planning on the short formats to get in as many matches as possible, from Premier Cricket down.
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One-day cricket is set to be a staple of the summer as officials scramble to plan season fixtures around COVID-19.
Competitions from Premier Cricket down are expecting 2020-21 to start at least six weeks late as the state moves towards an easing of restrictions.
Victoria must be at stage two for cricket to get underway.
Faced with an abbreviated season, Cricket Victoria is urging associations to adopt the short formats.
“We’re thoroughly encouraging them to go down that path,’’ CV competitions manager Darren Anderson said.
“There are a few issues around it, and one of the big ones is trying to avoid competitions having to adjudicate should a player or players have to isolate due to coming into contact with or testing positive (to the virus).
“If we can get games done in one day, it will make it a lot easier.’’
Anderson said one-day cricket would also give players continuity with their cricket in a shortened season, allowing batsmen to bat and bowlers to bowl every week, and have results decided in a day.
He said it was up to associations to plan their own fixtures but Cricket Victoria had given them options based on potential starting dates.
Cricket Southern Bayside is assessing a model of 14 one-dayers.
With eight-team grades, clubs would play each other twice.
Premier Cricket has adopted its own schedule, setting out seven scenarios.
If it gets a start by November 21 the season will consistent only of T20 and one-day matches.
The latest it could get away would be January 30, allowing for seven limited-overs affairs.
Anderson said CV had also floated with associations the idea of mini Twenty20 seasons, potentially attracting footballers eager to play team sport after a winter off.
He said a short T20 schedule meant they would have to commit to only a few games.
“Competitions are going to have to be fairly agile,’’ Anderson.
“Hopefully we’ll get a bit of an indication on Sunday (of the easing of restrictions), otherwise it’s like trying to play darts blindfolded.’’
Gisborne District Cricket Association president Rob McIntyre said it made sense to go with one-dayers.
“We’ve got to be very careful about infections because if someone picks it up it could affect the whole team and quarantine for 14 days,’’ McIntryre said.
“With that in mind, most cricket competitions will go to all one-day games this season.
“If we get a start in October we’re looking at possibly two-day games after the Christmas break with the hope restrictions ease to allow it.
“The issue is, if there’s an infection on the first day of the match it could knock out half a team or both teams for the second day. The advice is to basically play all one-day matches this year.’’
The Gisborne association also has seven scenarios for its season, each allowing for three weeks of training.
The neighbouring Victorian Turf Cricket Association is also considering playing T20 for competition points in 2020-21.
“We’ve put out a couple of different scenarios, which are dependent on when we get an actually start date,” VTCA president Steve McNamara said.
“The closer we get to Christmas the more likely it will be more one-day than two-day cricket and there’s certainly provisions for T20 matches for points as well.
“Once we get a decision on start dates we’ll have a meeting with clubs to see what they’re preferred option is.”
The South East Cricket Association is also thinking of a season of one-dayers.
“It depends on when we start,’’ SECA president Phil Cox said. “If we’re not going to start until a bit later on, like around Christmas, it will be a definite. We’ll be deciding in two weeks.’’
Cox said he couldn’t see cricket starting until at least November.
He said clubs would have four weeks’ notice before the first round.
As cricket heads towards white-ball cricket, the Victorian Sub-District association is keen to use only a red ball and white clothing in 2020-21.
VSDCA secretary Ken Hilton said clubs would save money if they didn’t have to order new coloured gear.
Hilton said the prospect of a season of one-dayers was “very much on the agenda’’.
“If the only option to get 13 rounds in is to play one-day games, then that’s what we’ll do,’’ he said.
“It’s a common-sense approach.’’
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