By Jim Timberlake
With the AFL season done and dusted, cricket returns to local playing fields this weekend. However, with a record amount of rain in September, many clubs will struggle to get a wicket prepared in time.
The Geelong Cricket Club was scheduled to start their campaign last Friday at home against Monash Tigers, but the entire round was cancelled two days prior due to the soggy condition of most grounds.
While the First and Second XI’s will make up that round on 6 November, all four teams will look to start their season tomorrow against Melbourne University.
In terms of personnel, Eamonn Vines has once again been named captain. He will no doubt continue to grow into the role, but will still look to the likes of Liam Buchanan and Dom Mcglinchey for support.
With such a young and inexperienced squad, a good start tomorrow will be crucial to the Cats chances this season.
The Geelong Cricket Association has gone through a tumultous off season, and only time will tell whether the new structures they have implemented will work.
In an attempt to cut division one from 12 teams to 10, Bell Post Hill were controversially dumped back in May. But on appeal, they successfully pleaded their case and were promptly reinstated.
That meant that with 12 teams still needed, Geelong West went down to division two after years of struggling to remain competitive in the top flight, with St Peters to come up to test themselves against the big boys.
With a host of player movements around town throughout winter, it’s hard to pick who the teams to beat are, although with Grovedale adding Glen Talarico to their premiership winning line-up, they will rightly go in favourites to win it again.
Murgheboluc v GEELONG CITY, ST JOSEPHS v Lara, Leopold v EAST BELMONT, BELL POST HILL v Newtown and Chilwell, NORTH GEELONG v St Peters, South Barwon v Grovedale.
Division two has seen Waurn Ponds relegated, while Guild St Marys come back up. The big talking point in division two has been the sheer number of talented players that clubs have managed to attract. Joel Davies will play for Torquay, Chris Bambury is at Manifold Heights, while Andrew Fergusson head to St Albans Breakwater. Add to that the likes of Ben Knight, Michael Lymer, Sean Bogan, Ben Spencer and Simon Anderson, this season will be one of the best seen in division two for many years.
HIGHTON v Thomson, NEWCOMB & DISTRICT v Modewarre, GEELONG West v Alexander Thomson, ST ALBANS BREAKWATER v Bell Park, TORQUAY v Marshall, MANIFOLD HEIGHTS v Guild St Marys
Division three looks slightly different, with eight teams chasing the premiership cup this year. Waurn Ponds/Deakin will look to rebuild in the lower division after struggling in division two for the past few seasons. Shelford have somehow moved from the old division three, to the second division of the One Day competition, after losing a host of players. Meanwhile, Corio Bay drops back also, their First XI will compete in a mixed lower division.
It remains to be seen how all these changes will play out, but be that as it may, all teams start on zero points, and all will be eyeing off the trophy at the end of March.
BANNOCKBURN v Little River, TEESDALE v Lethbridge, INVERLEIGH v Winchelsea, Waurn Ponds Deakin v CORIO
