REPRESENTATIVE cricket and bowls matches are early victims of this weekend’s forecast heatwave across the state.
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Ballarat Cricket Association’s hosting of the annual Turner-Hollioake Shi-
eld challenge against Bendigo has been called off, as has the bowls Provincial Championships, which were to be played in Bendigo.
Both were scheduled for tomorrow, but with temperatures tipped to reach 40 degrees in Ballarat and 43 in Bendigo, early decisions have been made to abandon the fixtures.
The heat has been a hot topic of conversation for sporting clubs around the region this week, with clubs and associations monitoring how they will tackle the soaring temperatures.
A decision on Ballarat Cricket Association club and district fixtures will be made at 10am this morning, with play to be abandoned if the forecast is 40 degrees or above.
Clubs will keep a close eye on the thermometer during today’s Ballarat District Bowls Division weekend pennant matches.
Games will be delayed should the mercury reach 38 degrees and then cancelled if the temperature hasn’t dipped below that benchmark after 30 minutes.
Play in the Buninyong and District Tennis Association will be guided by rulings from the Country Fire Authority.
Senior competition will be called off in the event of a Total Fire Ban and juniors also cancelled in the event of conditions being classified as Code Red.
Mt Prospect District Tennis Association will use a combination of heat and humidity measurements before making a decision on today’s competition.
Meanwhile, Ballarat Regional Tennis Centre manager Rob Benoit expects all junior competition to go ahead as planned.
Senior pennant was played from 6pm last night, with junior grades beating the heat by playing this morning.
Ballarat and District Golf Association president Wayne Hines said cancelling or suspending play due to heat was discretionary for clubs over the weekend.
“38 tends to be the temperature they use as something needs to be spoken about or thought about,” Hines said.
Some junior pennant golf matches set down for tomorrow afternoon have also been brought forward to the morning to avoid the forecast 40-degree heat.
Round eight of the Athletics Victoria Shield today will be pushed back into the evening, with competition to start at 6pm.
Ballarat Regional Athletic Centre president Sarah Davis reminded athletes to amend their start times four hours back from when they were originally scheduled.
tim.oconnor@fairfaxmedia.com.au
