BALLARAT Cricket Association president Rob Florence is concerned as numbers fall in the region's top junior age division.
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Players in the two-tiered under-16 competition have dropped away on last season, with six less sides nominated to take the field in 2014-15.
Four teams which nominated last year were eventually pulled out to leave 17 active sides by season's end. In 2014-15,
just 15 teams have taken the field.
BCA operations manager Brett Severino said there were also 12 players within the under-16 grades with overage exemptions, which helps clubs fill teams.
Florence said the drop in under-16 cricketers was part of the focus for a working party currently undertaking the BCA's strategic plan.
"We are really happy with the under-13 and under-14 numbers so we are looking at it as just perhaps a cycle in population growth," Florence said.
"We are putting it down to other interests other sporting interests and scholastic interests and getting to higher grades of education.
"Something's got to give."
Florence said making the game more attractive for the under-16 age group would be a consideration.
"Be that Twenty20s, one-dayers as opposed to two-dayers," he said.
"I'm not saying that's going to happen, but that's what we need to look at."
Florence said just 20-30 per cent of under-16 cricketers continued on into BCA senior competitions.
"We have got to get that up higher," he said.
Buninyong is one club that has completely dropped its under-16 team this season.
Bunnies president Chris Gordon said the club had been forced to scrap the side because of a lack of numbers coming through from the lower under-14 division.
Gordon said a change in policy where junior cricket is now entirely free had failed to attract enough numbers for a team, but it had worked in lifting numbers in the under-13s and under-14s.
"I think we have got 22 players between the two (under-13 and under-14) grades, where last year we only had under-14s and it wasn't a full team each week," Gordon said.
Gordon said basketball commitments had been identified by his club as a reason for a lack of participation.
"With cricket it's a big commitment, I suppose. It's 8am-11.30am that you have to be there so it's three-and-a-half hours and also it clashes with basketball on a Saturday," he said.
tim.oconnor@fairfaxmedia.com.au
