By Nick Creely
The West Gippsland Cricket Association Board of Management has endorsed a return to a pre-pandemic, or a “normal“ cricket season, with the 2021/22 season moving closer by the day.
The 2021/22 season will see a return of seven one-dayers and seven two-dayers, with players agreeing to resume what has been the normal practice of the past.
Association president Rob Hansen said that it was important for a variety of reasons that this season is uncompromised despite the lingering impacts of Covid-19.
“I think there are many within the association, participants and administrators, who felt like we had to compromise last year to keep cricket up and going,“ he told the Gazette.
“And the overwhelming feedback we have received would indicate it is a real positive to revert to a combination of one and two-day cricket for this upcoming season, and for many more seasons to come.
“Two-day cricket has always been synonymous with West Gippsland cricket and we’re certainly keen to keep it that way.”
The WGCA has also reiterated that if “Covid interrupts we will take on each challenge if it arises“, with the potential for outbreaks during the season to be taken into consideration if, or when they occur.
Hansen said that the WGCA is exploring the return of a one-day competition for the 2020/21 season, and is hoping to explore some other avenues for lower grades to help participation rates.
“We are still working through the process of ascertaining interest levels in a one-day competition for this season, and we will also be trialling – in one lower grade – a split-innings format where teams will swap batting with bowling after 35 overs of play,“ he said.
“Some of the demographic in the lower grades struggle to stay in the field for 70 overs, so it makes sense to trial a new format and assess the impact from there.”
