ELAINE has put out the call for two-day cricketers to join its ranks and stay competitive in a grading promotion.
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The club lost its appeal to an independent board less than a month out from the Ballarat Cricket Association opening round and, with two weeks now to prepare, Elaine wants to move forward.
Elaine claimed back-to-back division five premierships in its return to senior cricket after a 12-year recess.
Club secretary Murray Arnell said its players were the first to admit most
games had been huge, lopsided wins in the one-day competition.
A BCA pennant committee review moved Elaine up into district division two – a decision the club has twice appealed and lost.
Arnell said the club’s primary concern was its depth and the toll 80-over days in the field would take on the juniors and middle-age players that formed the bulk of the senior team.
But Arnell said the club had taken the BCA’s decision on board and refused to fold, especially after working so hard to get the club back on the field.
“One-day cricket is how we got a lot of people back to cricket at the club,” Arnell said.
“We believe we could lose them again if they can’t commit to two-day games and we’re concerned for the division two competition if we don’t field teams.”
“We’re happy to play one-day cricket at any level but our players aren’t in a position – for work, physically or family reasons – to play two-day.
“We are concerned the growth of our club is at risk. We want help to solve our problem and we are looking for players to help us make a game each week.”
BCA operations officer Brett Severino said the pennant committee had taken Elaine’s concerns into consideration of its decision and that ultimately, had to find the best grade to suit a team’s ability and what was best to try and keep play even in the competition.
“Elaine has done a very good job getting back up on its feet and running and building a strong junior program. We want to keep supporting that,” Severino said.
In district division two, Elaine will play five two-day games and five one-day games.
The BCA competition structure deems division five a stronger grade than the division three one-day competition because it is predominantly deemed a fifth XI for A-grade clubs, which must field teams in club firsts to fourths.
melanie.whelan@fairfaxmedia.com.au
