General News
25 September, 2023
Cricket slump - Redbacks don't want to be caught out
ARNOLD is weighing up its options as Upper Loddon Cricket Association is reduced to a four-team competition this season. The 125-year-old Redbacks are canvassing a move to Emu Valley or Maryborough competitions if the local competitions falters...
ARNOLD is weighing up its options as Upper Loddon Cricket Association is reduced to a four-team competition this season.
The 125-year-old Redbacks are canvassing a move to Emu Valley or Maryborough competitions if the local competitions falters.
Secretary Ryan Metelmann said the Redbacks were committed to playing in Upper Loddon for 2023-2024.
“But we don’t want to be caught out if another team suddenly drops out next season,” he said.
“Five years or so ago there were eight teams playing in Upper Loddon.”
However, Bridgewater has pulled out of the senior competition expected to start on October 14 after challenges fielding a team last season.
Metelmann said the Redbacks had discussed the state of the association at its annual meeting.
“We haven’t made a decision (to leave) but we don’t want to get to a stage where at the last minute there are only three senior clubs and we have nowhere to go,” he said. “Our preference is to see one or two clubs come back in Upper Loddon.
“We have a whole season to discuss what happens.”
Metelmann said the Arnold club would prefer to see a mix of one-day, two-day and even 20-20 matches for Upper Loddon.
However, association president Wendy Murphy said clubs had recently voted to retain the one-day format in senior competition this season that will also include Kingower, Wedderburn Band and Boort Yando.
She said the juniors would be strengthened with the return of Boort Yando, making a five-team competition playing a mixture of one and two-day matches,
Murphy said there had been informal talk of teams reforming at Newbridge and Moliagul but nothing had eventuated.
The association would continue to discuss ways to attract new clubs, Murphy said, acknowledging that a lower level of commitment had emerged for summer sport players in the region.