Prepare to whip out the whites, throw on the spikes and roll the arm over — cricket is nearly here.
Cricket Shepparton recently announced its fixture for the 2024-25 Haisman Shield season, with October 5 circled as the opening day of a 13-round home-and-away campaign.
Like last year, the season will feature seven one-day matches and six two-dayers, while Cricket Shepparton’s top division will look slightly different in terms of personnel to 2023-24.
Tallygaroopna-based outfit Northerners has dropped down into B-grade, opening up a spot for Pine Lodge to stake its claim for Haisman Shield glory over the summer.
“The one versus two-dayers, that can be a bit reliant on public holidays etcetera, but more or less it’ll be much the same (as last season)” Cricket Shepparton president Narelle Claney said.
“It’s great for Pine Lodge and their young kids to have a crack; it gives them something to aspire to.
“And Northerners, they lost a few of their key players and for the betterment of their club, that’s why they’ve made that decision on that as well.”
The sliding door between A and B-grades mean both divisions will again feature 13 teams like last season.
Meanwhile, the schedule for the Higher and Lower grade T20 competition has not been released but the format is expected to return after Christmas as per usual.
And though the final details for C, D and E-grade and junior divisions are yet to be finalised due to last-minute administration wrinkles being ironed out, Claney said we’re not far from being all systems go.
She mentioned the rest of the scheduling is anticipated to be finished either later this week or early next week, and most importantly, numbers are healthy.
“We’ve got strong numbers in both juniors and seniors; we’re not concerned at all with our numbers. It’s looking quite good,” she said.
“Karramomus has put in an extra team this year so they’ve got five teams and are filling all grades this year.
“We see a few things like that, there’s still a few clubs working on their lower grades which happens.
“Sometimes the lower grades can be a bit more difficult to work out, some blokes aren’t as committed early on. But it’s looking quite good actually.”
A week after the blokes go for broke in round one, the girls will get to cut loose.
While there was some rumination and speculation Cricket Shepparton may unveil a female competition this season, Goulburn Murray Cricket will be the destination for the women’s competition once again.
The season kicks off on October 13 with a new challenger, as Echuca White and Green have merged to form one side while Moama has entered the fold.
Though the women’s game won’t be housed under the Cricket Shepparton umbrella just yet, Claney said the body has placed an onus on developing younger females in 2024-25.
“(There’s a) big focus this year on girls’ cricket, we’re really doing a big push on that,” she said.
“We just want people to keep their eyes out and look for those sorts of things. That’s where the future of the growth area will be — female cricket.
“Women’s will still be in the Goulburn Murray and we’re working on what we can do to support those clubs by our junior programs.
“That’s why we’re wanting to launch a junior girls program so it will actually enhance and it’ll grow. Because let’s face it; when they age, they’ll become senior female cricketers.”
Cricket Shepparton Haisman Shield 2024-25 season — round one
Katandra v Pine Lodge at Katandra Recreation Reserve
Waaia v Euroa at Waaia Recreation Reserve
Tatura v Shepparton United at Frank Howley Oval
Numurkah v Mooroopna at Numurkah Showgrounds
Kyabram v Nagambie at Kyabram Recreation Reserve
Old Students v Central Park-St Brendan’s at Kialla Park Reserve
Karramomus (bye)