Warrnambool cricket leaders reveal their favourite turf pitch in the region, and why

The Standard asked nine of 10 Warrnambool and District Cricket Association captains and coaches to rate their favourite turf surface.

Four skippers - Wesley-CBC's Mitch Bowman, Russells Creek's Cam Williams, Allansford's Luke Ryan and Woodford's Nick Butters - rated Jones Oval as one of Warrnambool's finest.

Bowman and Butters said it was their outright favourite while Williams and Ryan described it as a second option.

The East Warrnambool surface was mentioned more times than any other pitch.

"There's a lot of good ones but I don't think I've played on a bad one at Jones Oval," Butters, who doubles as the association's Melbourne Country Week skipper, said.

"It think it's often where you get runs that you favour a bit as a batsman."

Bowman, a first-year co-coach at Wesley-CBC, said the Jones Oval pitch balanced bat and ball equally.

"It's just so flat," he told The Standard.

"It's easy to bat on but it also has a flat run up as a bowler."

Reid Oval and Port Fairy's Avery's Paddock also received praise.

Brothers Cam and Geoff Williams - who captain Russells Creek and Nestles respectively - both favoured Reid Oval as the association's best.

"It's always been the Reid for me, even growing up," Geoff said.

"I think it's fair for both teams and the work that gets put into it is second to none.

"When you see off the new ball it's a batter's paradise and the large outfield means you work for your runs."

Cam said Reid Oval - the traditional grand final pitch - peaked in March and was a "road".

West Warrnambool captain-coach Alastair Templeton said Merrivale's wicket was among the best in the region.

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He said the Merrivale surface shared similarities with his club's Davidson Oval.

"It and 'the Davo' play very similar," Templeton said.

"They're often really good wickets for batting and I like how they're really consistent.

"They always have a bit of pace and bounce in them."

Templeton also praised Port Fairy's Avery's Paddock for its "character".

Merrivale co-coach Jeremy Burgess echoed Templeton, and reserved plaudits for Allansford's Uebergang Oval.

Dennington leader Zeb McCarthy also said Uebergang Oval offered players a complete cricket experience.

"I've always liked it because it's generally good for batting and it feels really traditional with the picket fence," he said.

"They put on a great arvo tea as well."

Allansford co-captain Luke Ryan pointed to Wesley-CBC's Walter Oval as a "good bowling deck".

"I enjoy it because there's a bit of life in the wicket," he said.

"It's not just a road."

Jason Mungean, a first-year coach Brierly-Christ Church and veteran of the association, mentioned Avery's Paddock and Russells Creek's Jetty Flat as his favourite pitches.

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