Scorcher: Weather threatens local cricket again

First it was rain. Now heat threatens to interrupt local cricket as competitions prepare to enact extreme heat policies.

Hot summer weather is forecast for Saturday’s round of cricket.

Rain, and lots of it, made for a frustrating start to the season in October.

Now local cricketers are bracing for a scorcher, with temperatures around Melbourne forecast to reach the high 30s on Saturday.

Some competitions have heat rules which halts play once a certain temperature is reached.

Cricket Southern Bayside’s heat policy states that, “should the current temperature reach 38 degrees for the Moorabbin district, play shall be suspended immediately”.

The rule adds: “The temperature shall be monitored and play shall not resume until the temperature falls below 37 degrees.”

Clayton Districts players celebrate a wicket in Cricket Southern Bayside. Picture: Valeriu Campan

The Victorian Turf Cricket Association, too, has a max temperature of 38 before play stops.

According to the competition’s extreme heat procedure teams must check the weather app 15 minutes before play and, “if the temperature in your designated zone is 38 degrees or more, then play shall not commence.”

Teams must continue to monitor the temperature every 20 minutes during play, which will cease if it reaches 38 and cannot recommence until it has dropped below 38.

The Mornington Peninsula Cricket Association’s extreme heat policy states: “By 10am on match day, should the Mornington forecast be 40 degrees or more, then all senior games for that day shall be abandoned.’’

Sub-District and Premier Cricket look set to go ahead without interruptions, with temperatures needing to hit 42 degrees or above for play to be suspended.

In Subbies’ thirds and fourths, however, if temperatures hit 38 degrees or above, play will be suspended and players will need to wait until the temperature drops below 38 degrees before resuming.

The Dandenong District Cricket Association has “trigger points’’, of 40 degrees for all turf and T20 matches and 38 degrees for all synthetic grades, when play shall cease.

Seaford’s Aaron Bardwell cuts in a Mornington Peninsula match. Picture: Hamish Blair

Australian Cricket’s ‘Playing in the Heat Guidelines’ include a Heat Stress Risk Index, which can be used to help determine a risk rating for playing cricket in the heat by inputting localised air temperature, relative humidity, sun radiation and wind speed from the BOM to observe heat stress.

Cricket Victoria’s Megan Pauwels urges all cricketers to take care in the heat on Saturday.

“While many association by-laws have specific cut-off temperatures for cancellation, please strongly consider these tools where possible as humidity and wind speed are often not factored which can dramatically increase heat stress,’’ she said.

“Ultimately, we want people playing cricket with the right safeguards in place - extra drinks breaks, appropriate clothing, altered playing times and readiness to respond with first aid if people are unwell.’’