THE Sunraysia Cricket Association’s round 10 one-day games have been called off after the Bureau of Meteorology forecast a blistering 42 degrees for Saturday.
The bureau’s forecast at 4.30pm on Friday triggered the SCA’s extreme-heat rule.
If the temperature for Mildura is predicted to be 42 degrees or greater on a scheduled match day, then play will be cancelled the previous evening.
However, the Red Cliffs Cricket Association has decided to play games today, but in a modified format.
Clubs will have the option to start play earlier than the usual 1pm, while the number of overs for each grade will be reduced.
There will be 35 overs instead of 40 for A Grade, while B Grade will have 30 overs instead of 35, with a drinks break every 20 minutes.
SCA president Mick Thomson said the cancellation of today’s round should not affect how the season plays out.
“Things should be ok. Losing one day to heat is not going to impact anything,” he said.
“But should we lose another day or two, that will be a totally different scenario.
“We were lucky to have played as many games as we did early in the season when we had that run of wet weather (in October).
“We were reluctant to call games off then. In the end, we just said to the clubs, ‘if you play, you play’.”***** SCA boss rules out early start extreme heat, Page 43
