English batsman Karl Turner will hope to make his debut for Endeavour Hills this weekend after the first round of the Victorian Sub District Cricket Association was abandoned last weekend.By Marc McGowan
THE Victorian Sub District Cricket Association (VSDCA) will attempt to kick off its centenary season again this weekend after abandoning last Saturday’s scheduled start.
Twenty-one of the league’s 56 grounds were ruled unplayable with another three in doubt, so the VSDCA decided to delay the season by a week.
The round one matches will be transferred to the competition’s reserve day on 2 December, while round two fixtures will be played this weekend.
VSDCA president Ken Fewster said the postponement was not unusual and believes the grounds will be in much better condition with the extra week’s break.
“The trouble with the first game is that if it even rains a little it can rip up the new virgin grass,” he said.
“A lot of the clubs haven’t been able to train, and with the lack of grounds we had no-one disappointed with our decision.
“They realised the position we were in and knew we couldn’t do much about it.
“We got no complaints – put it that way – and if we were out of order we’d be the first to hear about it.”
Fewster said it was the third time in the past six seasons that the start to the VSDCA season had been delayed.
He said local councils were keen to have a greater gap between the football and cricket seasons.
“It’s not so much at the end of cricket season because the grounds are in pristine, terrific condition then, but after football they are a bit messier,” Fewster said.
Endeavour Hills faces Altona at Sydney Pargeter Reserve on Saturday at 12.30pm.
“Let’s just pray that the weather is okay,” Fewster said.
