No. Any players selected in multiple Dowling Shield Academy Squads will be required to select their preferred Club by 23 July 2026. We encourage players and parents to inform the clubs they are trialling at as soon as they know their preference. Premier Cricket Academies are planned environments, developing fundamental skills whilst supporting the athlete with focus on long term athletic development. Including yourself in multiple academies may cause an imbalance on physical performance, increase risk of workload/stress related injuries, as well as restricting time for other important factors such as school, family time and other sports participation. If you trial or participate in more than one Premier Cricket Academy, you should understand that each club has its own philosophy and delivery method making it important to choose the one that suits you best.

If you trailed in a Dowling Shield Academy last season, weren’t selected in the final squad, and wish to trial at a different Premier Club you don’t need to complete any formal process. ***Completing a cricket academy or playing in the Premier Cricket junior competition will have you registered with that club.

No. Players cannot participate in both the VMCU carnivals and Dowling Shield.

If you were selected in a Dowling Shield final squad in season 2025/26 and you wish to change clubs, then you would need to get a TRANSFER with justification to do so.

There are multiple avenues for higher selection in the future and playing Dowling Shield is not a pre-requisite for these selections. Metro-based players will have the ability to participate in the VMCU underage carnival. If still eligible, a player could be selected for a Dowling Shield team, or they could be selected in the Premier U18s Competition in the 2027/28 season.

Yes, players from the U16 Country Cup (December) can also play in the U16 Dowling Shield (January).

No, you can be involved in a Premier Cricket Academy and play in the Dowling Shield whilst still playing for your community club of a weekend. This gives players the flexibility to play at a Premier Club without having to commit for the whole season, creating an easier transition for the best underage talent in the state, providing optimal environments for player development and deliver increased match opportunities. Players need to be playing Premier cricket at a senior level to be selected for any senior Victorian team.

Whilst T20 cricket is the shortest format played across Australian Cricket, it plays an important role developing cricketers. The shorter format encourages players to identify ways to score and restrict runs.

Due to restrictions on days available and ground access, long format cricket isn’t a viable option for the competition.

To be eligible to play Premier Cricket, players must be 14 years of age as at September 1, 2026.