Camberwell score 9-297 against Geelong in Round 3 of Victorian Premier cricket

It remains unclear when Geelong will start playing home games at Kardinia Park again as the Cats enduring a grinding day against Camberwell.

Geelong appeal for a wicket against Camberwell. Picture: Carey Neate.

It remains unclear when Geelong will return to its Kardinia Park home base for games following problematic wicket table works.

The Cats will be stuck on the road during the Victorian Premier season for the foreseeable future after the City of Greater Geelong hired specialist contractors to carry out turf wicket table renewal works in April this year.

They are required every 20 years to keep the ground at regional level standard for Premier Cricket.

However, following the works, the wicket levels appeared higher than the recommended levels for play, effectively keeping the Cats off the ground until after Christmas.

Geelong skipper Josh Larkin, who took 3-68 off 23 overs against Camberwell on Saturday, was unsure when cricket would return to Kardinia Park.

Lachie Neate bowls for Geelong against Camberwell. Picture: Carey Neate.

“I haven’t heard anything, I know they’ve laid some grass ... but I don’t have an exact date,” Larkin said.

“It’s a bit of a guessing game at the minute.

“It something that we can’t really control, you’ve just got to bite the bullet sometimes and move on.”

However, it appears the weekend travel may have galvanised the group somewhat with Geelong starting the season 2-0, on top of the ladder and reasonably poised to make it three after day one against Camberwell.

The Magpies posted 9-297 in Round 3 of Victorian Premier cricket, anchored by an unbeaten 100 from Liam Fitzpatrick and 57 from opener Tom Scott.

Geelong celebrate a wicket against Camberwell. Picture: Carey Neate.

“He batted well, he just picked off the gaps and hit the bad balls for four, it was pretty riskless cricket, just accumulated his runs,” Larkin said of Camberwell’s centurion.

“It was a pretty big grind.

“Losing the toss on a pretty flat wicket with a pretty fast outfield, we were in for a long haul.

“There wasn’t a whole lot on offer for our bowlers.

“I’m pretty confident we can get the job done (next Saturday).”

Larkin enjoyed support from Lachlan Neate (2-27) and Callum Stow (2-84) on a pretty flat deck.

Meanwhile, Lachie Field, who has made two hundreds on the trot coming into the game, snared a wicket with his first appearance at the bowling crease (1-17 off four overs) this summer with his revived off spinners.

“He bowls offies, last year he gave seam up a bit of a crack with a few injuries,” he said.

“They’re pretty handy as well.

“Joshy Garner (1-47 off 17) bowled fantastically on a wicket that wasn’t doing a lot, he put his absolute heart into it.

“He gave it his all for a little bit of reward, just that willingness to stay in the contest for the whole day was exceptional.”

Originally published as Camberwell score 9-297 against Geelong in Round 3 of Victorian Premier cricket