By RUSSELL BENNETT
West Gippsland Cricket Association
THE official launch of the new West Gippsland Cricket Association season at Officer on Monday night revolved largely around the future direction of the sport for juniors at the local level.
Player retention was highlighted as a significant focus from almost every WGCA club represented at the launch, with Cricket Victoria junior participation specialist Kirsty Clark emphasising the need to increase player retention from the new Milo T20 Blast format into the local junior grades.
Currently, there is the belief that ‘boredom’ has become a factor preventing youngsters from taking up or continuing in the sport and the T20 Blast is set to provide a way of counteracting that. But the real challenge lies in keeping kids playing cricket through the grades in clubland, as Clark explained.
A former coordinator of the netball ‘Net Set Go’ program, Clark comes to cricket with no background in the sport but is in the unique – and valuable – position to give a real outsider’s perspective on the future direction of the game, specifically ways to keep youngsters interested.
As for the WGCA’s own Twenty-20 games in the senior grades this season – every grade from B Grade through to G Grade will play two of the shorter format clashes this season and will be able to wear full coloured playing kits.
Some Twenty-20 games even have the potential to have curtain-raisers earlier in the day at the same venue – providing there are enough umpires available.
Though there will be a restriction on the amount of day-night cricket played due to a lack of venues meeting the minimum safe standard in regards to artificial lighting.
As for some of the rules of the shortened format this season – there will no longer be free hits from wides bowled.
The 12-player rule, meanwhile, will still be in effect for longer-format two-day games but won’t be permitted in the finals.
In addition to in-depth discussion involving WGCA committee members and club representatives about the best way forward for the league, a variety of pre-season news from a number of clubs was also uncovered.
Reigning Premier division champions Kooweerup have lost star all-rounder Shane Dole and big man Scott Clark but are still aiming to go back-to-back in the top tier this season.
Sean Gramc has returned to action at Pakenham, which has lost Dom Paynter and Harley Hulme to long-term injuries. Jason Williams has taken over from Paynter as captain-coach for the new season.
Merinda Park has lost speedster Jarrod Armitage, Dylan Cuthbertson, Matt Grayson and Shannon Mathers with the club’s depth to be tested this year.
Upper Beaconsfield has added Heinz Southern Districts Turf 3 opening batsman Robert North to its list, in addition to new player-coach Chris Savage and assistant Jake Serong from Warragul and District clubs Bunyip and Buln Buln.
Officer has added Bob Wilkinson from the Seaford Tigers and has kept its Sub-District premiership-winning side from last season.
Gembrook has signed its first two overseas players – from England and New Zealand – to help boost its B-Grade batting stocks, while its pace bowling arsenal has also been strengthened.
Heath Straughair at this stage will not be suiting up for Lyndhurst in 2014-15 but Dave Nutting from DDCA Turf side Coomoora will be.
Shane and Lee Murdoch won’t be lining up for Cranbourne Meadows this season but their brother Brent will captain-coach the Rebels.
Former Ellinbank pair Jeremy Gray and Paul Black, along with Dylan Serong from Longwarry, will lead a somewhat depleted Lang Lang squad this season. The Tigers are also looking forward to the development of a new recreation reserve locally which will enable them to leave the showgrounds.
Finally – in somewhat of a warning from the WCGA executive – complaints of online abuse from anyone involved in clubland will be followed up under a new social media policy. Those found to have inappropriately used social media, such as Facebook, face suspensions from the league.
