Despite being Bendigo’s premier sporting ground, the QEO won’t host any BDCA semi-finals or grand finals because of concerns over the wicket’s capacity to handle two consecutive days of cricket.

Plenty of runs have been scored on the new QEO wicket since it was first played on in December – Bendigo and Strathdale-Maristians scored 674 runs in their second XI match last round – however, the wicket has shown a tendency to dry out and crack.

With the wicket unable to be watered on the Saturday night of a semi-final or grand final, the BDCA board believes the deterioration of the wicket would be unfair to the side batting second on the Sunday.

The QEO’s wicket and outfield was recently assessed by the Australian Golf Course Superintendants Association.

The playing surface is progressing well and is lightning fast, but the wicket will undergo revamp works starting on March 5 – two days after the BDCA home and away season finishes.

“We’ve looked at the wicket, and we’ve also had the contractor who did the wicket look at it, too,” council’s parks and natural reserves manager Simon Harrison said yesterday.

“The contractor has admitted that the wicket just hasn’t taken the way they expected it too.

“Council has done as much in its power as it can to get it to settle, but the contractor understands there is a problem with it and is going to undertake the work to rectify the issues.

“From our understanding, the soil didn’t settle, so as soon as our maintenance regimes were put in place, which included irrigation, the wicket square was swollen, instead of contracted.

“And some of the turf just didn’t knit as well as they expected, so what will happen is we’ll take the top off the wicket, bring it down to the appropriate level and it will be resodded.

“I think we’ll get a good outcome out of it, and it’s a long-term view to make sure we have the QEO as the prime sporting facility in the City of Greater Bendigo.