Yarra Valley Cricket Association and Ringwood District Cricket Association talking about joining forces
With declining participation and an exodus of clubs, cricket in the Yarra Valley has battled along in recent years. But officials “don’t want to shut the door” altogether, and it could see them join forces with a neighbouring association.
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The cricketing landscape of Melbourne’s east and beyond is set for a major change with the Yarra Valley Cricket Association and Ringwood and District Cricket Association flagging the possibility of joining forces as soon as next summer.
Last week, the two associations entered into negotiations to explore the possibility of integrating the YVCA into the existing RDCA structure ahead of the 2020/21 season.
In announcing the talks, the two associations said in a statement: “The initial discussion points will centre around the forming of a zone, within the existing RDCA structure, for the existing Yarra Valley competition. A handful of teams would most likely move into existing RDCA competitions to provide them with a higher level of competition and lower grade teams from all YVCA clubs would remain playing in a revised, and RDCA supported, local zone”.
“The YVCA has a long and proud history and an integral part of this process is to ensure as much of this as possible is preserved,” the statement continued. “The RDCA is keen to work towards an outcome where this is achieved, as well as providing stability and certainty for the current RDCA and YVCA clubs with minimal disruption.”
YVCA president David Peel said it had been a difficult but necessary decision.
“For the greater part of the past four or five years we’ve seen a significant decline in cricket participation in the Yarra Valley,” he said.
“Not so much the juniors, more so senior players dropping off. The quality players that dominate our league are looking for new homes.”
Peel said the association had spoken to its member clubs about the possibility of approaching the Ferntree Gully and District Cricket Association or the RDCA.
A strong indication followed that Ringwood was the preferred option.
“So I picked up the phone and talked to (RDCA president) Michael (Finn).
“It’s a difficult time but I think all the clubs realise (it’s necessary).
“We said to them, you have to take the pride out of it. It's about making sure your Gruyeres, your Yarra Glens and your Woori Yallocks survive for years to come.”
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Peel said a big part of the process would be to ensure the Yarra Valley’s long and proud history was retained in any new structure.
“We didn't want to shut the door on Yarra Valley cricket,” he said. “We have a significant number of life members and we don't want to shut the door on their contributions.”
RDCA president Michael Finn said the aim of the talks was to come up with a structure that would help country cricket and country clubs meet the challenges of the day.
“I think from our perspective, we are in our 100th year; we are a strong, thriving, financial competition that is growing,” he said.
“But we haven’t proactively gone out of our way to speak in other people’s areas.
“Our position has always been that we would rather a thriving YVCA to co-exist with a thriving RDCA.
“But it’s common knowledge that there’s been some challenges in Yarra Valley cricket.”
In recent seasons there has been a steady flow of players from country to suburban cricket, including from the Yarra Valley to the RDCA.
Prior to the summer, the YVCA’s 2018/19 grand finalists, Mount Evelyn and Seville, switched to the RDCA and it is understood another club is planning to do so this summer.
“If this is the trend, where does that play out over the next four or five years,” Finn said. “The question becomes ‘What’s the best thing to do for the betterment of cricket?’.”
Finn said the overriding message from his association is that, in no way, should this be viewed as a takeover of a neighbouring organisation.
“We are acutely sensitive to the machinations of country sport,” he said. “We’re certainly not in the business of dismantling country sport.
“But this is high level stuff because the stakes are so high.”