Cricket update - Mercantile

Advice from Mercantile – our Thirds and Fourths

Mercantile Cricket Association advises:

It is now clear that we have no chance of starting the season on October 3. We will not be starting until October 24 at the earliest ... probably later.

Victoria must get out of Stage Four on Sept 13, get through a Stage Three where a few people can get together, then in Stage Two there will be a "Return to Train" period of several weeks of training in groups of maybe ten, followed by a "Return to Play" for non-contact sports like cricket. As a result, Premier cricket has put back its start to Oct 24 at the earliest, more likely Nov 7 or beyond.

With that in mind, the MCA's entry deadline has been put back to the Sunday four weekends before the season starts, whenever that may be. Both dates will be notified to clubs as soon as they become reasonably clear. This will give clubs a better chance to accurately assess their playing numbers.

Entry fees will be reduced in line with the shortening of the season. Clubs that have already lodged entries will be able to amend them. Clubs that have transferred $500 entry fees will be credited with the excess on their account.

SAFETY MEASURES LIKELY FOR PLAY

As recent Cricket Victoria webinars indicated, numerous Covid-19 safety measures for cricket are currently under consideration. MCA clubs should be prepared for many of the following:

. Ban on saliva, huddles, high-fives (definite)

. Each player to bring own tea and drinks (definite)

. No sharing of protective gear (definite)

. Ban on sweat to shine ball (likely)

. Sanitizing of hands by fielders (definite) and off-field players (likely) every 20 or 30 min

. Sanitizing of ball with quick-dry spray before innings and at drinks (likely)

. Face-masks for off-field players (likely)

. Face-masks for WKs when keeping up to stumps (possible)

. Naming of teams before toss on MyCricket, not team-sheet (definite)

. Payment of umpires at ground by smartphone EFT not cash (definite)

. Running line for non-striker 2m wide of pitch (likely)

. Bowler to place cap, folded jumper at top of run-up in line with stumps, no penalty for ball striking them (likely)

. Separate table for each scorer (definite)

. Distancing to be maintained when off the field (definite)

We hope to have info on economical sources of sanitizer in a future update.

SAFETY PLANS FOR TRAINING

Clubs hoping to train in the "Return to Train" period will generally be required to lodge a Covid safety plan with their council. A template can be downloaded at https://www.sportaus.gov.au/return-to-sport . It is advisable to have one ready to lodge as soon as a Stage Two date is announced, as plans can take time to get approval. Points to consider for inclusion are:

. training in groups of no more than ten

. each group to include a person who has done the Covid safety course

. groups to be separated by 15 minutes if staggered, or by 20 metres if training simultaneously (max two groups per field)

. No mingling between groups. Coaches to attend only one group each.

. Register of players and mobile numbers for each group to be kept, possibly with players booking in beforehand

. Each player to sanitize hands every 20 minutes

. Bowlers to use one ball each, and only handle their own

. Max 3 or 4 bowlers in a net, observing distancing

. Leave a vacant net between nets in use, if possible

. WKs and possibly spin bowlers to wear face-masks in nets