Behind the stumps: Essendon footballer Zach Merrett returns to cricket pitch

MORE CRICKET: Father-and-son 'fairytale' on the cricket pitch

Warrnambool City Council says it will reprogram the start time for an automated watering system at Walter Oval after a Warrnambool and District Cricket Association division one game was abandoned when the sprinkler system sprang to life on Sunday. The Wesley-CBC versus Russells Creek match was in the balance when the water switched on at 6pm. A council spokesperson said the sprinklers had been programmed to come on at that time since they were installed in 2018. It was re-programmed after Sunday's issue.

Promising Brierly Christ-Church cricketer Hannah Rooke made her Victorian Premier Cricket debut for Essendon-Maribrynong Park on Saturday, lining up in the seconds. Rooke, 15, bowled two overs for 0-12 and contributed 11 with the bat from 35 balls, coming in at number six. Rooke had a familiar face alongside her, Western Waves coach Grace Lee, who hails from Terang. Lee, a school teacher, took 2-24 off her nine-over bowling spell and added two runs batting at number 11. Essendon-Maribyrnong Park lost its round one game to Melbourne by 64 runs. Victorian Premier Cricket men's competition, which features numerous Western District exports, starts this weekend.

MORE CRICKET: Nestles bowler on road to recovery

Western Waves under 21 coach Tim Bryce has picked a team to play at Wycheproof on December 6. Warrnambool and District association players Joe Nyikos, Alex Jennings, Jacob Hetherington, Damon Harrison and Nick Robertson will show their wares.

Masks are now not required on field for matches as the sport trends towards normality. Cricket Victoria updated participants on Monday following Sunday's state government announcement on the further easing of COVID-19 restrictions. It stated masks need to be in the pockets of players and umpires on field and when off field, are only required to be worn (by those over 12) when inside or when unable to maintain social distance. A range of other updates were made, including the ability to now train in groups of up to 50 people. Indoor centres can also open.

MORE CRICKET: Dog's day: Career-best haul sparks belief

Nathan Murphy (Brierly Christ-Church) 85; Ben Threlfall (West Warrnambool) 86; Luke Wines (Woodford) 67; Rukshan Weerasinghe (Russells Creek) 62*; Geoff Williams (Nestles) 59; Nick Butters (Woodford) 56; Max Green (Port Fairy) 47; Sam Worden (Dennington) 5-23; Tom Wright (Allansford-Panmure) 4-8; Blake Evans (Russells Creek) 4-24; Mark Pitt (Port Fairy) 4-27.

Gus Bourke (Noorat) 97; Tom Hunt (Heytesbury Rebels) 65; Darcy Leishman (Simpson) 63; Simon Harkness (Heytesbury Rebels) 56; Michael Pegg (Cobden) 64; Tom Place (Pomborneit) 49; Jack Lehmann (Mortlake) 45*; Matt Harkin (Cobden) 44; Todd Robertson (Mortlake) 3-20; Grant Place (Pomborneit) 4-46; Michael Vogels (Heytesbury Rebels) 3-15.

Chris Lenehan (Grassmere) 67, 4-20; Chamika Fernando (Wangoom) 69; David West (Hawkesdale) 59; Brent Fedley (Woolsthorpe-Mailors Flat) 5-35; Ben Julius (Hawkesdale) 3-6; Chris Wright (Killarney) 4-16; Louis Sharman (Hawkesdale) 3-18; Adam Chambers (Grassmere) 4-47; Connor Umbers (Yambuk) 3-8; Cam Cutler (Hawkesdale) 3-41.

Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.