Multiple clubs caught in COVID chaos on eve of Ballarat Cricket Association's return | BCA firsts teams

The BCA board has confirmed this weekend's firsts and seconds games will go ahead, stating "when we can and where we can, we will continue to play and that impacted clubs must endeavor to field as many teams as possible based on the number of eligible players available".

Third grade through to fifth grade will return as scheduled next week.

To allow clubs to field sides this weekend, the board will grant extra leniency for player movement between lower grades.

RELATED: BCA outlines plans for testing return

Under BCA administration rules, no player is able to demoted by any more than one grade below what they played in the preceding round without the approval of the Pennant committee.

Nearly half of Wendouree's regular firsts team will miss this weekend's top-of-the-table showdown with reigning premier Darley due to isolation requirements.

Opening bowler Jackson Sleep, wicketkeeper Oliver Mahncke, and young all-rounders Tristan Maple and Lucas Argall are among the players unavailable for the undefeated Red Caps.

Compounding the club's woes, "four or five" seconds players are also in self isolation.

"It's going to be a different looking team, that's for sure," Wendouree captain Ryan Simmonds told The Courier.

"Across the two grades we're probably missing eight to 10 players."

"I think (COVID) is going to affect everybody. I think everyone is going to be in the same sort of boat at some stage and it's probably our turn this week.

"It's a challenge but we're very confident with the players and team we can field that we'll be competitive."

With seven wins to its name, Wendouree has been the season's early pacesetter and sits 12 points clear of Darley.

In Sleep (11 wickets at 17.45), the Red Caps lose one of the competition's top 10 wickettakers.

Maple and Argall have also proved valuable in the middle overs, picking up eight wickets apiece.

Simmonds was ready for the test that lay ahead of his side.

"We just need to be ready for the contest and have a high intensity and good intent with everything we try and do," he said.

"If we can do that we'll give ourselves the best chance.

"Obviously, Darley has been the benchmark the past two-and-a-half seasons. It's a good test for us to see where we're at. It's always good to play the best teams."

NORTH BALLARAT:

BROWN HILL: Ryan Knowles(c), Reece Wynd, Jason Knowles, Tom Bourke-Finn, Darcy Waller, James Waller, Noah Steenhuis, Prabath Priyankara, Lincoln Koliba, Nathan Porter, Dean Romeril, Mitchell McLaughlin, Samuel Leith, Tynan Haintz

WENDOUREE: Ryan Simmonds(c), Heath Pyke, Tom Batters, Sam Miller, Oliver Mahncke, Zack Maple, Cole Roscholler, Lakpriya Appuhamy, Mathew Begbie, Noah Ryan, Brock Reid, Fraser Dix

DARLEY: Bradley Barnes(c), Rahmatullah Khwaja, Andrew Pickett, Drew Locke, Brodie Ward, Dilan Chandima, Hasitha Wickramasinghe, Madushanka Ekanayaka, Danza Hyatt, Ben Longhurst, Mitchell Ward

EAST BALLARAT: no team provided

BALLARAT-REDAN: Chris Egan(c), Billy Jones, Jayden Hayes, Matthew Aikman, Riley Fisher, Max Riding, Jack Landwehr, Jack Harwood, Bailey Hosemans, Thevanireshan Rajendran, Brendan Thomson

MT CLEAR: Jarrod Burns(c), Thomas Le Lievre, Ashley George, Matt Goonan, John Butler, Lachlan Payne, David Carton, Jack Jeffrey, Isaac Hucker, Adrian Beer, Nathan Yates

NAPS-SEBAS: Daniel Scott(c), Stuart Calder, Luke Corden, Nathan Doonan, Jacob Ramsey, Nicholas Pantzidis, Sajith Dissanayaka, Viraj Pushpakumara, Lachlan Storey, Seamus Dunne, Janath Tissera

BUNINYONG: David Ellis(c), Travis Parsons, Harrison Bond, Robert Hind, Kendrick Hatton, Liam Mason, Liam Brady, Liam Rigby, Geordie McLeod, Rupinder Singh

GOLDEN POINT: Andrew Warrick(c), Joshua White, Lachlan Herring, Daniel White, Andrew Falkner, Simon Ogilvie, Daniel McDonald, Jack Bambury, Tyler Mason, Joshua Pegg, Manjula De Zoysa