General News
28 September, 2022
Round one delayed
MORTLAKE Cricket Club’s debut in the Warrnambool and District Cricket Association (WDCA) has been delayed.
MORTLAKE Cricket Club’s debut in the Warrnambool and District Cricket Association (WDCA) has been delayed.
Round one division one matches, due to be played this Saturday, have been abandoned – with the league citing inclement weather, unplayable ground conditions and player safety as key factors behind the decision.
Significant rainfall across the district over the past few months has resulted in grounds scheduled to host division one matches reportedly being “too soft” and therefore unplayable at this stage – with more rain expected this week.
According to statements from the WDCA executive earlier this week, the season is still on track to begin on Saturday, October 8 – if conditions improve in time for the division one and remaining divisions to begin.
The league sought advice from clubs, with general feedback being that clubs had been unable to get grounds ready in time and therefore potentially jeopardising player safety if games went ahead.
The wet conditions had left several clubs being unable to get on their grounds.
WDCA chairman Gordon McLeod confirmed the division one games won’t be replayed and will simply be abandoned matches, with no points awarded for each team.
He was confident that Saturday, October 8 would see the season kick-off, provided the weather conditions “turned the corner.”
Mortlake Cricket Club president Simon Ritchie said the club was fixtured to host Port Fairy at Mortlake College this Saturday but fully supported the league’s decision to abandon round one.
“We had a lot of rain this previous week, and with more forecast it was highly unlikely our ground at the college would have been playable,” Ritchie said.
“It is unfortunate because we are really excited for the start of the new season in a new league but you can’t control the weather.
“It’s certainly been a long off-season but we’re ready for the challenges ahead. Hopefully we can get some dry weather soon and round two will kick off.”
Round two, scheduled for Saturday, October 8, will see Mortlake host Dennington at the college oval.
“We will play at the college until our turf wicket is ready, which we expect to be possibly the weekend of October 29 when we host Wesley Yambuk.”
Ritchie said the club was looking forward to its first match on a home turf wicket, saying it had been many years in the making.
“I think we last had a turf wicket (at the college) more than 10 years ago, so this season will certainly be an exciting one for us. We’ve put a lot of time and money into the ground at Farran Oval over the past couple of years.
“A new league, a new turf wicket at Wilsons DC Farran Oval and our juniors, after several seasons dominating in the south west under 16 competition, will enter the under 17 competition in Warrnambool District.”