THE Bendigo District Cricket Association expects to know in a fortnight how many junior teams each club will be fielding under this coming season’s revamped format.
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The BDCA is one of just three associations in Victoria, and 17 across the country, that will trial Cricket Australia’s revised junior format.
The new format reduces the number of players on the field and has shorter pitch lengths and boundary sizes, as well as changes to more appropriately-sized equipment.
The trial will impact on the BDCA’s under-12 and under-14 grades, while the newly-created under-11 competition will also be part of the format.
With reduced numbers to nine per team in under-12 and under-14s, plus the under-11s only playing seven-a-side, BDCA president Wayne Walsh expects clubs will be fielding extra junior sides to cater to the new format.
“We’ll know more in a couple of weeks as a lot of clubs are still getting their junior numbers together,” Walsh said on Friday.
“If there’s cases of some kids that are missing out then we’d hope to see that a couple of clubs could get together to field a joint team because this concept is all about kids playing cricket and enjoying it with the right gear and on the right-sized pitches for their age.”
The expected extra teams, along with the new under-11 competition, will provide logistical challenges for the BDCA, with junior competition likely to be spread over three days – Friday nights, Saturday mornings and Sunday mornings.
At this stage it’s likely T20 Blast and under-11 will be played on Friday nights, under-14 and under-16 will be played on a Saturday morning and under-12s on a Sunday morning.
And the girls under-13 and under-16 competitions will be played on a Monday night.
Cricket Australia and Cricket Victoria will meet with BDCA clubs on Wednesday, September 7, to discuss the junior pilot program and answer any questions.
“I don’t forsee there being any major headaches with it, but things will bob up along the way because it’s a new process,” Walsh said.
Cricket Australia’s aim for the new format is to ensure every young player can experience the game in a way that works with their age and physical development.
Under-11s:
Overs per team – 20.
Pitch length – 15m.
Number of players – 7.
Boundary – 30-35m.
Ball size – Modified.
Under-12s:
Overs per team – 20 or 30.
Pitch length – 16m.
Number of players – 9.
Boundary – 35-40m.
Ball size – 142 gms.
Under-14s:
Overs per team – 20 or 40.
Pitch length – 17.7m.
Number of players – 9.
Boundary – 40-45m.
Ball size – 142 gms.
