RAMIFICATIONS from last year’s Wodonga and District cricket grand final are still being felt with association officials approving a switch to neutral venues for the major play-offs in all grades this year.
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Association vice-president Mark Portelli said it was the consensus of the committee to make the decision following last year’s controversial grand final between Mt Beauty and Belvoir.
In the match at Kelly Park, two wet patches were discovered on the pitch before the start of play on day two with Mt Beauty resuming at 1/20 in reply to Belvoir’s 157.
Mt Beauty lost a wicket with the first ball of the day and was bowled out for 57.
Belvoir and the association held inquiries into the event and Eagles player Shane Broes was suspended for 18 months and the club later agreed to hand back the premiership cup for it to be recorded as “not awarded”.
“In my opinion Kelly Park is the best ground in the competition and the grand final still might be there this year, but the good thing is we’ve got a couple of other options there like Kiewa and Yackandandah, which are really good grounds at the moment,” Portelli said.
Wodonga and District begins its finals this week with a new top six system in A and B grades.
In the opening week of the finals, the No.1 ranked team plays No.6, No.2 faces No.5 and No.3 clashes with No.4.
The three winners and the highest ranked loser will advance to the second week of finals from where the two winners advance to the grand final.
First week finals venues: A grade: Kiewa v Howlong (Kelly Park), Yackandandah v Belvoir (Howlong), Mt Beauty v Baranduda (Yackandandah).
B grade: Baranduda v Dederang (Bethanga), Mt Beauty v Yackandandah (Baranduda 1), Belvoir v Barnawartha/Chiltern (Kiewa 1).
C Grade: Belvoir Blue v Mt Beauty (Baranduda 2), Belvoir Gold v Kiewa Gold (Emerald Oval).
