COVID-19 restrictions could sway the Warrnambool and District Cricket Association to postpone its traditional October start date.
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Warrnambool and District Cricket Association chairman Gordon McLeod said while October was still pencilled in, the reintroduction of stage three restrictions in regional Victoria meant clubs were facing a reduced pre-season.
He said the association would consult clubs and take a "wait and see" approach before confirming a start date.
We may need that extension to a slightly later time but we'll talk to the clubs about that as soon as we can.
- Gordon McLeod
Stage three restrictions prevent clubs from training en masse indoors or outdoors. People can only exercise with one other person from outside their household.
The Department of Health and Human Services is also urging people to exercise close to home.
"At the moment clubs can't train indoors which poses problems due to weather," McLeod said.
"We may need that extension to a slightly later time but we'll talk to the clubs about that as soon as we can.
"We should have an indication after the six-week period of whether the curve is turning or not and we'll have a better idea in early September if we can proceed as planned in October."
McLeod was expecting a hotly-contested season.
"I think the standard of competition in division one is always to a high standard," he said.
"Each season we see different clubs rise and go down and it could be any different mix of teams come the end of the season. As far as we know all the clubs are concentrating on getting their best division one side on the park.
"I can't see any reason why this season wouldn't be equally as competitive as the last."
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