The titles, which began yesterday and run until Tuesday next week, will take in the extreme heatwave that has hit the state.

Local liaison for the championships Shaun Boag said nightly meetings would be run with teams to determine playing conditions for the following day.

Extra drink breaks were used during the opening day of play yesterday and are likely to be offered throughout the week as temperatures are expected to hit the high 30s and low 40s.

Boag said tournament directors would reduce the overs in matches or schedule earlier starts if temperatures were forecast too high.

“(The heat) was the main talking point (at the pre-tournament briefing),” he said. 

“We went through what we are going to do and made sure teams were happy with that.

“The highest we’ve got scheduled is 41 degrees, and while we are at 41 we’re not looking at cancelling anything.

“But if it does get to extreme we will obviously re-evaluate.”

A special recovery station, including ice baths, has been set up at St Patrick’s College, where university students will aid players in post-match warm-downs.

Victoria even brought an inflatable pool to its opening-round match against NSW at Eastern Oval.

The Vics kick-started their campaign with a one-wicket win yesterday.

Chasing NSW’s 113 runs, Victoria passed the total nine wickets down to secure the victory.

Other round one matches were at Wendouree, Northern Oval and Napoleons, with the same venues to host games today.

The 2014 championships are the third in a row in Ballarat.

DAY ONE

New South Wales 113 (M Hinkley 28,  S Molineux 3-10, N Hancock 3-13) lost to Victoria 9-116  (TJ Heddo 4-17, A Horton 2-22)

South Australia 3-136 (TM McGrath 54, GA Weatherspoon 30)  d Western Australia 135 (H Graham 41,  AJ Wellington 4-33, SL Oates 3-13)

Queensland 94 (AM Smith 27, J Hicks 3-11, T Hamam 2-10) lost to ACT 9-151 (Z Cooke 56,  H Birkett 3-16, JL Barsby 2-35)

Tasmania 9-161 (D Rooke 30,  S Naidu 2-9, L Watts 2-22, K Patel 2-25) lost to Auckland Schoolgirls 4-162 (F Wilkinson 81)

TODAY’S DRAW

New South Wales v South Australia (Eastern Oval)

Victoria v Western Australia (Napoleons)

Queensland v Tasmania (Wendouree)

ACT v Auckland Schoolgirls (Northern Oval)

tim.oconnor@fairfaxmedia.com.au