By LIAM TWOMEY
DEER Park Ardeer and Wyndhamvale have informed the Williamstown District Cricket Association they will not compete in the competition’s turf grades this upcoming season.
Instead both clubs will enter their turf teams in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association.
They join Newport Digman in leaving the WDCA since the completion of last season.
Digman will also compete in the VTCA as of 2013/14.
Williamstown District Cricket Association chairman Mark Keating said it was disappointing to lose the clubs but he is still confident of a high standard turf competition.
“We still anticipate having an A-Turf competition with either eight or 10 teams competing,” he said.
“We think we will have a strong A-Turf competition again this season.”
The official make-up of the A-Turf competition is expected to be known in August.
In good news for the future of the competition, the WDCA will welcome two new clubs for the 2013/14 season with Manor Lakes and Williams Landing joining the league.
Keating expects to see even more growth for cricket throughout the West in the coming years.
“The areas we cover now, although it is called Williamstown and Districts, obviously we extend into the Melton area and particularly Wyndham,” Keating said.
“There is no doubt that cricket can grow in those areas. There will be a need for new cricket clubs in those areas and the councils in both those two locations are building some great facilities that will support the growth of cricket.”
Keating is confident both Manor Lakes and Williams Landing will strive to join the top ranks of the WDCA in the future.
“If you take Point Cook as an example, that is exactly what they did. They started off in our synthetic grades and then competed in our turf grades for many years.
“It is a similar story with Caroline Springs who are looking to push up into the turf grades.”
