The Victorian Turf Cricket Association will only be a north west competition from next season, following the decision of teams from Melbourne’s southern suburbs to leave the association.
At a meeting on Tuesday night, between the southern clubs, the VTCA and Cricket Victoria, the southern clubs voted to leave the association and pursue a Cricket Victoria model which would see them form their own competition.
The competition based in the Southern Bayside area, would be a pilot competition formed as part of the larger Melbourne Metropolitan Turf Cricket Taskforce recommendations.
The recommendations found that Melbourne’s turf competitions should be rejigged and based on locations.
VTCA president Steve McNamara said while it was disappointing to lose the southern clubs, it was ultimately the right decision for both the clubs and competition moving forward.
“The pilot area being at South Bayside is a good opportunity,” he said. “It was always been a good fit.
“The south has been in decline for the last 15 years and they’ve been finding it harder to compete against the north-west. There’s about 20 southern clubs compared to more than 50 north-west clubs.
“We were getting smaller [in the south] and we have lost clubs.”
The decision means the association’s top grade, senior division, will look completely different next season.
“Given we have been working to this since September we’ve had discussions with the key stakeholders about what divisions may look like,” McNamara said.
“Ultimately the top division may be weakened originally, but will get stronger in the mid to long term.
“Some clubs stepping up to the top division will have to push themselves to compare with Yarraville Club, Doutta Stars and Greenvale Kangaroos.”
McNamara said the association would continue to look to expand in the north-west.
“We’re strongly committed to move into the Melton and Sunbury areas. These two areas have huge growth and not a lot of turf cricket out there.
“The Hoppers Crossing and Werribee area is another one that has huge potential.”
In a statement, Cricket Victoria CEO Tony Dodemaide said it was an exciting time for cricket in Victoria.
“Our primary goal is to better support grassroots cricket in Melbourne, and looking for new and better ways to do that,” Dodemaide said.
“Direct support from Cricket Victoria for grassroots cricket competition management is a critical component of the new model and we are pleased to be able to set this up in the first area of Melbourne. We thank our colleagues at the VTCA for their ongoing engagement and cooperation in the process.
“While the South East Bayside competition will build towards a 2016-17 launch, Cricket Victoria will continue to work with all associations and clubs in other areas of Melbourne on a transitional plan for metropolitan turf cricket.”
The next step is the establishment of a working party within the south east bayside area that will determine the competition structure for the 2016-17 season.
