By Nick Creely
Cricket Victoria (CV) is hoping for the Victorian Premier Cricket season to begin on Saturday 2 October, but have released a breakdown of the season which is based around nine different scenarios.
In a document seen by Star News Group, CV has confirmed that the plans are in place for the season to begin on the first weekend of October, provided that lockdown ends on or before 10 September, which would give clubs ample time to complete at least three weeks of pre-season training.
“Due to the current Covid situation, we again find ourselves in a position of uncertainty about the commencement of the 2021/22 Premier Cricket season,” CV told clubs.
“To ensure the clubs, players, coaches and officials have some clarity about what the season will look like, CV Management in collaboration with the Premier Cricket Operations Advisory Group have developed a number of different scenarios which will be implemented based on when the lockdown ends and outdoor community sport can resume.”
In the best case scenario, CV is planning on 15 rounds, with eight one-dayers and seven two-dayers, with five Twenty20 mid-week rounds and finals to also be played in exciting news.
The one-dayers in the first scenario would conclude before the red-ball cricket starts, which is slated for Saturday 27 November.
This would mean that the men’s grand final would be played on Friday 8 April-Sunday 10 April.
However, with a number of scenarios in place to cater to Victorian restrictions, the season will convert to purely one-dayers once again if the season can’t begin until at least 30 October.
There is also a Premier Cricket v Vic State Squad exhibition match locked in for Sunday 16 January, which generated plenty of interest last season.
If the lockdown ends by 10 September, the Women’s season is set to begin on Sunday 3 October, in what will be a 14-round white-ball campaign.
The Women’s grand final will be played on Sunday 13 March.
The latest the Women’s season can start is Sunday 28 November, with the grand final to be pushed back to the latest date of Sunday 20 March
Also included in the fixture is seven Twenty20s, with the grand final for the Twenty20s to be played on Wednesday 26 January (Australia Day).
