Cricket Victoria welcomes news on restrictions in regional Victoria

Outdoor contact and non-contact sport will be permitted for regional Victorians aged 18 and under, as well as outdoor non-contact sport for adults. Cricket Victoria will continue to liaise with the Victorian Government, the DHHS and other agencies to finalise return to training and play protocols to support the move to the third step.

Cricket Victoria recommends clubs and associations in regional areas consider a start date of Saturday 17 October which will allow time for COVID-safe plans to be in place, grounds to be prepared and teams to complete a shortened program of pre-season training.

That four-week period will also allow clubs and associations to liaise with local councils, prepare their facilities and provide relevant education to players, coaches and volunteers.

Cricket Victoria’s Head of Member Services Paul Milo said cricket was in the process of finalising the plans to return with authorities.

“We’re still working through the finer points around training, number of groups on-field and turf wicket preparation but we expect we’ll have more information to share there in the coming days. We’ll also be hosting webinars for clubs and associations over the next week to provide support and guidance as we make our way through this process,” Milo said.

Cricket Victoria CEO Andrew Ingleton welcomed the news.

“We’re really pleased to see regional Victoria in a position to take this next step and start their preparations for a COVID-safe cricket season. I know how much people will be looking forward to getting out on the field and around their clubs which also provides a boost to the local economy,” Ingleton said.

Victorian Country Cricket League President Kelvin White encouraged clubs and associations to be thorough in their preparations.

“We’ve got a great opportunity to set an example in being COVID-safe and a blueprint for when metropolitan Melbourne may be able to return to play cricket. It’s exciting news for communities across regional Victoria where cricket is such a mainstay of their summers,” White said.