Heat stumps the Hills

By Stuart Teather
ENDEAVOUR Hills’ battle to make the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association (VSDCA) finals faced another hurdle on Saturday with the first day of a two-day game against Caulfield cancelled due to the extreme heat.
It was the second week in a row the Hills was not able to take the field, after a fire sparked from a car crash forced road closures and prevented the side from playing against Kingston the week before, with that game ending in a draw.
However the match against Caulfield will still go ahead as a one-dayer this Saturday, giving the side the opportunity to claim six vital points.
As the ladder stands, Endeavour Hills is in sixth position, three points out of the top four, but also behind on percentage.
VSDCA president Ken Fewster said he could not remember ever having to cancel a game due to heat.
“I’ve been with the Sub-Districts since about 1961 and we’ve played in heat, but never can I remember anything like 46 degrees,” he said.
“Our heat policy is basically trying to be logical with umpires and so-forth. If it got to the stage where it was too hot, there is a clause where the umpires can call it off.”
Games were also called off in the Dandenong District Cricket Association (DDCA) on Saturday, with Association president Michael Hawking citing player safety as his major concern.
“You’ve always got to have in the back of your mind that there’s a duty of care,” he said.
Like Fewster, Hawking said he could not recall ever having to cancel matches due to heat.
All games will be played as one-day clashes this weekend.