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New Metropolitan Turf Structure in Melbourne Proposed

February 21, 2015
Category: Game Development,
New Metropolitan Turf Structure in Melbourne Proposed

A detailed report from the Melbourne Metropolitan Turf Cricket Taskforce was presented to Melbourne Turf Cricket Associations last week entitled "A Changing Game".

The proposal provides additional information based on the initial concept that was presented last year that proposed the establishment of five new metropolitan turf cricket leagues.

The Melbourne Metropolitan Turf Cricket Taskforce was established by Cricket Victoria two years ago to examine the purpose, role and organisation of Melbourne metropolitan turf cricket and to propose improvements and recommendations to the structure.

As a result, a series of nine key initiatives have been recommended by the turf taskforce in the most recent report. These are:

  • The establishment of five turf leagues;
  • New administrations with common overarching responsibilities;
  • An annual contribution of $500,000 from Cricket Victoria spread across the 5 leagues;
  • A modern governance structure;
  • The devolving of responsibilities of the Victorian Metropolitan Cricket Union to each league;
  • A connection to non-turf cricket competitions within its geographical area;
  • The decentralisation of Cricket Victoria’s Game Development personnel to be based within each league;
  • The devolving of existing region committee responsibilities to each league; and
  • A clearer communication and talent pathway structure.

“We see this model as setting the platform for the future organisation of cricket in Melbourne,”
Cricket Victoria Game & Market Development General Manager Rohan O’Neill said.

O’Neill also commented on the reasons why the Melbourne Metropolitan Turf Taskforce was created;

“Cricket has grown organically over 120 years and with the changing environment, we need to also adapt and evolve to best support the future of the game. 

“The vision is to establish clearly defined structures that oversee the running of competitions and the development of the game within a geographical area.”

The philosophy of sharing common goals with local solutions is a crucial component of the proposal as each league would be run by a localised board ultimately accountable to its member clubs. The opportunity to include non-elected board members to fulfil identified skill gaps on the board is an additional advantage of the proposed change.

As part of Cricket Victoria’s financial commitment to each of these leagues, an executive officer will also be employed by each league to oversee and drive operations as well as further develop clubs and the competition.

In addition, building stronger relationships with local government is critical and this is clearly an advantage of this model.

“We have a number of examples where a local council has to work with eight different cricket associations,” O’Neill said. 

“We also have cricket clubs that are members of up to four different cricket associations.  As a result the proposed model recommends a better coordinated structure that can take club cricket forward.”  

The process now is for associations to consider the detail within the report and to provide feedback. 

Turf clubs in particular are encouraged to consider the detailed report and provide feedback to their association.

A formal response and general position on the overall model will be submitted from each association by Monday, March 23. Cricket Victoria encourages clubs to review the report and discuss it with their association. If clubs have any questions, they are also welcome to contact Cricket Victoria.

Cricket Victoria will then consider the feedback and the position of each association with the aim of developing local working groups to begin the formation process of each league.

The report states that the aim is, for the model to be in operation from the 2016-17 season.

To read the full report, click here. 

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