The Ovens and Murray Football League’s decision to push forward two matches could force Cricket Albury-Wodonga’s third grand final to move.
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CAW provincial has moved to a three-game series, with the highest-ranked team to host game one on March 23 followed by the second seed's home the next day.
The third game, if required, would then revert back to the top side’s venue.
However, if minor premiers Lavington was the highest-ranked team it couldn’t host a game three because O and M outfit Lavington will be home to North Albury on March 30.
“We'd play at either Wodonga’s Les Cheesley Oval, Albury’s Billson Park or St Pat’s Xavier Oval,” chairman Michael Erdeljac said.
The three-match series has forced a move away from CAW’s traditional grand final scheduling.
In previous years, the grand final was just one 80-over clash, played over the one weekend.
The association would allocate it towards the end of the season with Tallangatta’s Rowen Park hosting last season’s Lavington-North Albury clash.
That match was washed out and given Lavington was the highest-ranked outfit, it claimed the premiership.
The decision to spread the grand final potentially over two weekends should lessen the probability of rain deciding the result.
However, if any of the three games are washed out, there’s a spare day on Sunday, March 31.
The decision to move from the one grand final, considered the Australian way, to the three-game series has attracted some private criticism.
“You don’t know whether you’re going to be right or wrong until you try,” Erdeljac said.
“A lot of people understand now that it’s probably the future of the competition.”
Provincial semi-finals will be held on Saturday with Lavington home to Tallangatta, North hosting Belvoir and Wodonga home to St Patrick’s.
The preliminary finals will then be held on Sunday.
Meanwhile, CAW will again host next January's junior Bradman and Kookaburra Cups.
“My North Coast counterpart said, ‘I’ve been to the other grounds and they’re unbelievable, where do you get them?’,” Riverina Cricket zone administrator David Nichols said.
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