GCA set to review fixture with a sixth round set to be abandoned to start the season

Geelong Cricket Association officials have made more fixture changes, with yet another weekend of cricket abandoned.

GCA1: South Barwon v Grovedale. Covers come on for a rain break after the first 2 overs. Picture: Mike Dugdale

GEELONG Cricket Association officials have confirmed another fixture change after five consecutive abandoned rounds to start the season.

Matches have been abandoned again this upcoming weekend, instead with the new fixture to begin on November 12.

GCA1 and GCA2 have shifted to exclusively one-day matches with each team playing each other twice, making it a third-straight season without two-day cricket to be played.

GCA vice president Sam Hall said the revised fixture was built to offer clubs the fairest possible draw while also giving grounds a chance to recover after persistent rain.

“It has been a really difficult start to the season, with five rounds of men’s cricket already abandoned and advice from our grounds committee that play would also be unlikely this weekend due to the existing state of grounds across Geelong and further rain forecast,” he said.

“This leaves 15 available weekends to close out the home and away season, which would have allowed seven two-day matches and a single one-day match in GCA1 and 2.

“Further rain is forecast throughout November and it is the GCA Board’s belief that the ladder and finals series could be significantly compromised if, say only four or five results were actually achieved over the course of the season.

There will be no GCA cricket this weekend again. Picture: Mike Dugdale

“When we revised the fixture last weekend, the majority of GCA1 and 2 clubs had previously advised that two-day cricket was their preferred format.

“However, further discussions have revealed a shift and we are acting on feedback provided over the weekend that these clubs are now in favour of proceeding with a season of one-day games.

“The extraordinary weather events that have persisted have been incredibly frustrating for players, club administrators, curators, the Grounds Committee and the Men‘s Competition Management Committee,” Hall said.

“We hope that this reset gives us the best opportunity to get the season underway and play cricket.”

The structure of finals has also changed, with the top two teams to play each other for a spot in the grand final.

The loser of that match would play the winner of a game between third and fourth the following week, with the victor earning a spot in the grand final.

GCA3 and GCA4 face no new changes after initially agreeing to move to one-day cricket at the last fixture shuffle, but no games will be played on Saturday again.

Originally published as GCA set to review fixture with a sixth round set to be abandoned to start the season