By Nick Creely
The Dandenong District Cricket Association (DDCA) will adopt an eight teams per grade model from the 2018/19 season, after clubs voted in favour of the proposal at a Board of Management meeting on 4 October.
Currently, the DDCA is a 12 teams per grade competition, but after a review from the association, put forward its thoughts of proposed changes identical to that of neighbouring competitions such as the MPCA and the WGCA for the first time on 11 September.
“We’ve been backwards and forwards on this (change) for some time, but at the end of the day, it had to happen – there was little to achieve by delaying it,” DDCA secretary Ray Nicholls said.
“We think it was the right time to make these changes, (and) it will make for a more even, balanced competition in the future.”
Here are the changes that will be implemented from the 2018/19 season:
-In a normal 21 week season, each team would play the other seven sides in their grade twice, once in a two-day game and once in a one-day match.
-The reduction in teams per grade is considered a fairer and more balanced model and affords teams a greater opportunity to play in finals.
-To achieve the model, the bottom four sides at the conclusion of the 2017/2018 season will be removed from Turf 1 and placed with the top four teams in Turf 2 to form the Turf 2 grade. The bottom eight sides in Turf 2 would move into Turf 3 and so on until all turf grades had eight teams.
-If a shortfall in teams existed in the bottom turf grade, then consideration will be given to creating a composite turf grade by including the required number of synthetic sides.
-The Match Committee will have discretion to adjust teams throughout the grades as is seen necessary (e.g. new sides being entered).
-The advent of eight teams per grade will also flow through to the senior synthetic and junior grades. The only difference will be that clubs will nominate their preferred grades as usual and the Match Committee will adjust as necessary, based on history.
In other news around the DDCA, the annual Dandenong Club Twenty20 competition will kick off on Wednesday evening, with 23 teams set to take part.
Last year’s premiers – Buckley Ridges – will play Beaconsfield at Park Oval on Wednesday night in the round’s marquee match, while a clash between Berwick and Hallam Kalora Park at Arch Brown will attract significant interest.
