Kyneton and Malmsbury cricket clubs have applied to join Gisborne and District Cricket Association’s senior competition next season.
Both clubs’ senior teams currently play in the Castlemaine and District Cricket Association, while their junior sides are already part of the GDCA.
Existing GDCA clubs will vote at the association’s annual meeting next week on whether to accept the applications.
GDCA secretary Rob McIntyre said the clubs and the association had spoken regularly about the possible move and members of both clubs had voted overwhelmingly in support of the switch between associations.
“The Castlemaine and Maryborough cricket associations have been discussing the possibility of amalgamating in the next year or two,” McIntyre said. “Kyneton and Malmsbury cricket clubs feel that being on the southern end of the Castlemaine DCA wouldbe a disadvantage in travelling and may affect their playing numbers.
“These applications will be presented and voted on by the clubs at the annual general meeting on July 18 and will require a 75 per cent majority for the applications to be approved.
“The fact that the two clubs already have junior teams in the GDCA should provide a favourable outcome.”
McIntyre said if the two clubs did join the GDCA competition they would take five senior teams with them, bringing the number to 70 based on last season’s numbers.
Last season, Kyneton had teams in the A-reserve, B-grade, B-reserve and C-grade/under-16 competitions.
They won the B-grade competition.
Malmsbury had two senior sides which played in B-grade and B-reserve. The B-grade team finished on top of the ladder before being bundled out in the first week of finals.
“This will mean either adding an extra grade or the option of increasing the number of teams per grade from the current eight to 10,” McIntyre said.
“Whether this happens across all grades or just the lower grades will be up for discussion should the applications be granted.” McIntyre has previously said that clubs prefer an eight-team competition, each team playing a one-day and two-day match against the others. He said the restructuring of some of the lower grades to become all one-day fixtures was also an option, with the association to put the options to clubs at an affiliation meeting in August.
Last season, Kyneton had junior teams in the GDCA under-11, 12 and 14s, while Malmsbury has an under-14 team.
The only other Macedon Ranges club not playing seniors in the GDCA is Clarkefield.
