Cricket start facing delay

By Kath Gannaway
THE Yarra Valley Cricket Association will meet on Monday night to decide whether to shift its scheduled Saturday games to Sunday because of the drawn AFL grand final.
The YVCA 2010-11 season was set to kick off this Saturday, 2 October, for its top three grades – the D. J. Strachan Shield, R. A. Finger Trophy and C Grade, but in the interest of players and spectators, the association is likely to follow other associations in delaying the season start.
Whether Saturday or Sunday, all games start with a one-day, 40-overs-a-side game. The other grades begin on 9 October, along with the association’s junior grades, the under-12s, under-14s and under-16s.
This season there will be two one-day grades in the senior competition for the first time. E Grade will be a scheduled fixture of one-day 36-overs-a-side matches.
F Grade will operate to a similar format but with teams nominating from week to week to avoid no-play rounds when numbers may prove difficult.
While the season is about the get underway on the field, clubs and the association have been working hard behind the scenes for months, many since before last season ended, to ensure that the cricket is up and about come October.
The YVCA committee, elected at the annual general meeting in July, has only one change for the ensuing season after the retirement of long-serving assistant secretary Fiore DiPietro from Seville.
He felt that he needed to move along after nine years in the role and was replaced by Wandin Cricket Club stalwart Iain Johnson.
Johnson is also in his first season as president of the Wandin club. DiPietro remains as Seville’s secretary.
The association welcomed Johnson aboard and expressed its sincere thanks to DiPietro for his work over a long period.
YVCA president Mark Schliefert is entering his third season with long-serving vice-presidents Greg Mitchell and Adrian Hammond giving great stability at the top, along with Kevin Smith, Brent Watts and Jamie Cornford and long-time secretary Keith Thompson.
Chairman Brian Williams and secretary Leah Parker ably lead the junior section.
This team leads the cricket in the area and represents at various levels within the regions and the state.
First round matches for D. J. Strachan Shield, R. A. Finger Trophy and C Grade are:
D. J. Strachan Shield: Mount Evelyn v Hoddles Creek, Silvan v Coldstream, Healesville v Warburton Millgrove, Seville v Wandin and Yarra Junction v Woori Yallock.
R. A. Finger Trophy: Kinglake v Mount Evelyn, Gruyere District v Silvan, Warburton Mill v Healesville, Wandin v Seville and Woori Yallock v Yarra Junction.
C Grade: Launching PU v Seville, Marysville v Gruyere District, Healesville v Powelltown, Hoddles Creek v Yarra Glen, Coldstream v Woori Yallock.
Anyone wanting to contact a local club can contact the YVCA on 0408 353 076, or alternatively via email on yarravalley@asn.cricketvictoria.com.au or www.yarravalley.cricketvictoria.com.au