THE start of the 2021-22 Sunraysia Cricket Association (SCA) cricket season may be forced back until the end of October, says SCA president Mick Thomson after the SCA board met on Monday evening.
While the SCA board decided to stick with the current season dates for now, with round one scheduled for Saturday, October 2, Thomson said until community sport was permitted on both sides of the NSW/Vic border, and players were able to move between border communities, the SCA would ultimately be forced to delay the start of the season.
“We’re hoping by the end of October we’ll be able to make a start,” he said.
“(We’re waiting) on New South Wales and Victoria (governments), because we have sides based in New South Wales and Victoria, and we won’t start the competition proper until all clubs can compete.
“The border has to be open.”
Despite the easing of restrictions in regional NSW and Victoria, public health orders do not allow for organised competitive sport in either state.
Thomson said the SCA board was “open to making alterations to the draw”, and changes would depend on the length of delay from here on.
“At the moment, we would just drop off games that have been scheduled. And they would not be rescheduled.”
Thomson flagged that any delay longer than four weeks could lead to a restructuring of the season schedule.
“If we (don’t) start until mid-November, we’ll have to reassess things again.”
While clubs are able to train, Thomson said SCA were still waiting on clarification from Cricket Australia and Cricket Victoria about if and when the two-week compulsory training period would commence.
“We’ve had no clarification at this point as to how much training is going to be required before (sides) can play.”
He said uncertainty about the start of the season had been “a little bit frustrating” for clubs who had completed their recruiting in preparation for the start of the season.
“You can train, but how long can you train before you can actually play a match? Before (you) lose a little bit of interest and don’t want to play?
“Everyone’s concern is actually being able to start.”
