The BDCA season has been on an extended mid-season break as clubs deal with the impact of COVID cases in the region and player unavailability due to having either tested positive or being in isolation while awaiting test results.

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The season pause has meant all sanctioned BDCA training and games has been halted since January 5 when the decision was made.

However, the BDCA has confirmed clubs can get back into training from next week and the season will pick up from where it left off.

The senior men's season has now been cut from 18 to 16 rounds and will re-start on January 22 with the round seven games that had been scheduled for January 8.

Under the original fixture that was released by the BDCA, rounds 17 and 18 have been removed, keeping the finals dates to what had been scheduled.

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The same approach will also be taken for the women's competition.

"The feedback we received from some of the clubs is they are now getting players back from isolation off the back of that new year period," BDCA president Travis Harling said on Friday.

"We're obviously aware that COVID is still widespread in the community and it's something we have to manage the best we can."

If clubs face a situation over the remainder of the season where they have a severe shortage of players, they will have to forfeit from their lowest grade team, with such a scenario to be declared a "COVID-related drawn game".

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The BDCA has also pushed what would have been next week's resumption of the Twenty20 competition back a week.

"It's a bit unfair on clubs to come back to training on Tuesday night after a month or so off and then expect to play a Twenty20 the following night," Harling said.

"We'll now push the T20 grand final back a week.

"We're looking forward to clubs getting back next week, but it's hugely important all clubs do the right thing in terms of adhering to the COVID rules so we can move on."

January 22 games to resume first XI season - White Hills v Eaglehawk, Sandhurst v Golden Square, Bendigo United v Strathdale-Maristians, Kangaroo Flat v Huntly-North Epsom, Bendigo v Strathfieldsaye.

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Games that have now been removed from first XI fixture:

Round 17 - White Hills v Golden Square, Sandhurst v Strathfieldsaye, Eaglehawk v Strathdale-Maristians, Bendigo United v Huntly-North Epsom, Kangaroo Flat v Bendigo.

Round 18 - Sandhurst v White Hills, Strathdale-Maristians v Golden Square, Huntly-North Epsom v Eaglehawk, Bendigo v Bendigo United, Strathfieldsaye v Kangaroo Flat.

Meanwhile, the VCCL confirmed this week that next month's Melbourne Country Week carnival, which Bendigo had already withdrawn from, has been cancelled.

NORTHERN Rivers have finished fifth in their division of the Cricket Victoria Under-15 Female Youth Premier League.

The carnival began on January 5 and wrapped up this week, with the Northern Rivers team featuring four Bendigo District Cricket Association representatives - Zoe Ross (Bendigo), Natalie Flood (Marong), Rachael Flood (Marong) and Maddy Best (White Hills/Bendigo).

Between the quartet they combined for 277 runs, 13 wickets and three catches across Northern Rivers' seven games.

How the BDCA representatives performed:

Zoe Ross - 123 runs, 6 wickets, 2 catches.

Rachael Flood - 91 runs, 4 wickets, 1 catch.

Natalie Flood - 48 runs, 2 wickets.

Maddy Best - 15 runs, 1 wicket.

Competing in the Renegades League, Northern Rivers finished with three wins and four losses for the carnival, which featured a mix of Twenty20 and 40-over games.

Northern Rivers had one stage been 3-1 before losing their last three matches.

The Breakers and Spirit played off in Friday's final held at the Junction Oval.

Northern Rivers carnival results:

Game 1 - 2-187 def Highlanders 7-186.

Game 2 - 5-120 def Falcons 7-93.

Game 3 - 5-87 lt Waves 3-140.

Game 4 - 6-251 def Rockets 2-163.

Game 5 - 95 lt Suns 7-107.

Game 6 - 7-83 lt Spirit 5-84.

Game 7 - 90 lt Wizards 3-107.

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