Geelong local cricket extreme heat rules questioned after all BPCA, some GCA matches abandoned

Geelong local cricket heat policies have been questioned - including by a prominent broadcaster - after all BPCA matches and some GCA clashes were abandoned.

Matches in the GCA and BPCA were abandoned over the weekend. Picture: Mark Wilson

Extreme heat rules in Geelong local cricket have come under question after a host of matches, including some finals-shaping clashes, were abandoned on Saturday.

The forecast top temperature of 39 meant that all Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association fixtures and Geelong Cricket Association contests in lower grades – OD1, GCA1 5ths, GCA1 6ths, GCA2 3rds, GCA2 4ths, GCA3 3rds, GCA3 4ths – were called off.

The GCA heat policy allows teams in higher grades to play until the mercury reaches 40.

The BPCA’s heat rule, voted in by the 16 clubs at least five years ago, states that matches in all grades will be abandoned on the morning of game day if the Bureau of Meterology’s forecast top temperature in Geelong is above 38 degrees.

GCA higher grade matches went ahead — like Bell Park’s clash with Geelong City. Picture: Mark Wilson

It is understood BPCA clubs voted to reduce the heat rule from 40 to 38 degrees when it was last changed. Clubs are able to put forward a further change at the competition’s next annual general meeting.

Prominent sports broadcaster Mark Howard, who plays with Barwon Heads’ C-grade side, questioned the current rules on social media on Saturday, while others were critical of the BPCA and GCA’s regulation on Facebook.

Local cricket called off down my way as the league thinks it’s too hot to play a summer sport.

What world are we actually living in?

Maybe a few extra drinks breaks? A little more zinc perhaps?

Thoughts?

— Mark Howard (@MarkHoward03) February 21, 2025

Mark Howard questioned the heat rules in the BPCA. Picture: Mark Wilson

“Local cricket called off down my way as the league thinks it’s too hot to play a summer sport. What world are we actually living in? Maybe a few extra drinks breaks? A little more zinc perhaps?” Howard said on X.

The cancelled matches had ramifications for the hotly contested BPCA A1 and A2 competitions, which were on the second weekend of two-day matches in the penultimate round of the home-and-away season.

Drysdale – who made a strong total of 5-257 against Barwon Heads last weekend – Queenscliff and Ocean Grove now require an outright win in the final round to have a chance of making finals.

Meanwhile in A2, Portarlington (set 189 against Winchelsea) and Surf Coast (set 213 against Inverleigh) now have a must-win clash for fourth spot in their last home-and-away game.

Portarlington playing coach Matthew Long says there is frustration from his side about their abandoned game but feels A-grade BPCA teams should be able to play in up to 40 degree heat in future.

“We are completely focused on the process and what we need to do going into each game, so there is no point worrying about what happened (on Saturday) because we know what we need to do next week,” Long said.

“I think if we look at the GCA how they have the higher grades playing, I think that is a better scenario.

“I would have liked to have at least seen the A-grade play (on Saturday) – particularly that most of the grounds are coastal, although we were in Winchelsea. I think there is probably some leeway there.

“Fundamentally the rule (to have their match abandoned) is right because the rule is there, it wasn’t a surprise to anyone what the rule is. But I think A grade probably should have played.

“A lot of people will say things like, ‘At this time of the year, there is more riding on the games in terms of ladder position’. But if we miss a game in round two or three, that still impacts your ladder position.”

Portarlington need to win next week to make finals. Picture: Mark Wilson

Long pointed to the lack of shaded facilities for teams playing in lower grades and the make-up of those sides – generally filled juniors and older cricketers – as reasons why the 38 degrees maximum should remain for those competitions.

“If someone does have issues with the heat – particularly older and younger people – you have got kids that are playing from eight o’clock in the morning and are going to play seniors. That’s a bloody long day in the heat,” Long said.

“I’m 41 and I feel the heat more now than I used to when I was younger, so it has to be that way.

“But for the guys who are playing in the higher grades, typically they are going to be fitter and be able to handle that heat better.”

BPCA secretary Paul Madden said rules can be added or changed if they receive a majority vote from at least nine of the 16 clubs.

“All of our rules are voted on by the clubs and it is a majority vote and the rules go into the book,” Madden said.

“In order for the rules to change next year, somebody would have to nominate a new rule – whether they nominate 36 degrees, 40 degrees, whatever. They’d have to nominate that, there’d have to be a seconder to it and then if there is a nominator and a seconder, the rule will be put up for a vote at the AGM.”

GCA president Rob Vines says that extreme heat regulations are an important health and safety measure but feels that their own policy should be open for review.

The Geelong women’s grand finals were abandoned last season due to high temperatures and the higher placed North Geelong and Barrabool were crowned as A and B premiers with no reserve day in place.

Vines said the lack of clubroom and shelter facilities and the higher number of older and younger cricketers in lower grade cricket were the reasons for the 38 degree threshold. .

Rob Vines (left) feels the heat rule should be open for change. Picture: Supplied

“I think there is a growing recognition that it is an important thing to have,” Vines said.

“In the lower grades there is a higher proportion of older and younger players, so there is a differentiation. But it is probably worth a discussion at some point as to whether the settings are appropriate.

“It is one of those things that needs to be considered and reviewed every now and then just to make sure the settings are okay.

“I can’t put my hand on my heart and say that everybody loves it, but I think there is a realisation and acknowledgment now that it is just part of the local scene – and there is good reason for it.”

While some have criticised the heat policies of the GCA and BPCA being based on forecast rather than actual temperature, Vines said that the alternative opens up a can of worms.

“You’ve got to have some trigger point and that’s where it can be a little bit interesting because down here we have a big region. We find with the wet weather policy that the weather condition aren’t always exactly the same right across the whole region,” Vines said.

“The heat tends to be a little bit more consistent, but you have got to have trigger point because if you wait until the matches are scheduled to start and then you say, ‘Well, we’ll call it off based on the temperature reaching a threshold’, then of course people have already gone to grounds, committed, you are leaving it pretty late.”

Originally published as Geelong local cricket extreme heat rules questioned after all BPCA, some GCA matches abandoned