On Thursday Cricket Victoria confirmed start dates for the 2020-21 Premier Cricket season. The Women's Premier Cricket Competition will begin on Sunday November 22, while the men will start back on Saturday November 28.

This means BCA clubs might only have their premier players for another four matches.

A number of elite players had made temporary homes in the BCA after metropolitan competitions were put on ice due to COVID-19 restrictions. The biggest was former Victorian Bushranger Blake Thomson, who returned to his junior club after a standout 2019-20 campaign in the Melbourne first eleven.

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East Ballarat captain Josh Brown said Thomson, who is based in Ballarat, would probably only play another month with East, but would potentially train with the club throughout the season.

"We knew he was eventually going to go, but we knew if we could get five to seven weeks of him being at the club, it would be great exposure for our players," he said.

Thomson opened the batting for East, scoring 65 runs in a round one victory a fortnight ago. But Brown said his impact was felt just as keenly off the field.

"He's been taking a few training drills, taking blokes a side and that's probably the most valuable thing for us," he said.

"If he helps get us a couple of wins as well then perfect."

Meanwhile Ballarat-Redan president Paul Aikman said the club would say goodbye to talented youngsters Jack Riding, James Doherty and Daniel Lalor.

Riding, who made an opening round century for the Two Swords, will return to Geelong's second eleven, while Doherty and Lalor would return to Footscray and Northcote.

Aikman said all three would continue to play first grade with the Two Swords until their departure.

"We will have them for another three or four weeks," he said.

"We've got guys who are waiting for their opportunity who are good players as well, but our depth won't be as strong with them gone."

Napoleons-Sebastopol coach Dan Davies said they would lose the services of talented spin bowler Jacob Pawlowicz, who temporarily joined the club from Greenvale.

Davies said the Bacchus Marsh native had made big impact in his short time with the club.

"He's really come in with a fantastic attitude, he's been driving down from Bacchus Marsh and has set the standard which I would expect from a premier cricketer," he said.