The region's budding young cricketers will soon have a new chance to showcase their talent.
Victorian Premier Cricket clubs will drive two one-off tournaments to replace the Youth Premier League this summer.
The clubs, all of which are Melbourne-based except Geelong, will stage an underage series after COVID-19 and financial implications forced Cricket Victoria to scrap its annual carnivals.
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The new competition, for which Victorian Premier Cricket clubs will appoint coaches and source talent from across the state, will feature five rounds for under 16 boys and three rounds for under 18 girls.
The Youth Premier League competitions will return in the 2021-22 season.
Wimmera cricketers typically play for the Western Waves in the seven-round Youth Premier League which stretches across November, December and January.
Matches are played across the state, with the Waves hosting teams at Horsham and other grounds in the south-west.
No dates have been set for the revamped Premier Cricket-aligned tournaments yet, but they are expected to be held after Christmas.
The new tournaments come after a strategic review recommended a stronger connection between community cricket, Cricket Victoria-administered youth pathways and Premier Cricket.
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Cricket Victoria's high performance manager Dean Russ said the new model put Victoria on the right path for the future.
"Cricket is operating in a seriously competitive sporting environment in Victoria with all the other codes vying for talent," he said. "It's incumbent on us to ensure the pathway we provide is as clear and concise as it can possibly be. In doing so, we set ourselves up to find the next Meg Lanning or Aaron Finch of the future."
Cricket Victoria is also planning a four-match under-17 representative tournament in Hamilton and Dunkeld in January featuring Vic Metro, Vic Country and South Australian teams.
An under-16 female tournament, to be held in Wodonga on a similar timeline, is also in the pipeline.
The senior National Country Cricket Championships was the latest event to be postponed this week, due to travel restrictions and quarantine requirements.
Noradjuha-Toolondo tearaway Tony Caccaviello has represented Vic Country the past two seasons and won gold at the 2020 tournament.
Matt Currill
Matt covers the Ballarat Football Netball League and cricket. Get in touch at matt.currill@thecourier.com.au
Matt covers the Ballarat Football Netball League and cricket. Get in touch at matt.currill@thecourier.com.au
Nick Ansell
Nick Ansell is a sports journalist at the Warrnambool Standard.
Nick Ansell is a sports journalist at the Warrnambool Standard.
