SURGING COVID-19 infections have forced the Warrnambool and District Cricket Association to postpone its Twenty20 grand final as a lack of player availability hits clubs.
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The Twenty20 decider was scheduled for Sunday at Avery's Paddock but with several players isolating as either close contacts or confirmed cases, the game has been put on ice.
The semi-finals will still be played on Saturday at Merrivale Oval under COVID-safe conditions to cement the league's two Sungold Cup representatives.
Warrnambool and District Cricket Association chairman Gordon McLeod said the new date and location of the final was yet to be confirmed.
"It's to ensure the teams playing in the final have their best possible players available for selection," he said.
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"That's key to it. We want to play the semi-finals on Saturday because we need to know who the two finalists are going to be for the Sungold Cup on Australia Day.
"It doesn't matter when the grand final is played. That can happen any time. Because of the numbers of players out, we want to play the grand final with everyone in."
He said playing the grand final under lights at the newly-refurbished Reid Oval in February was an option.
McLeod said qualification rules would be amended due to the coronavirus situation.
"As long as the player has played four games for the club, even if he hasn't played a T20 match, he's still eligible to play (in the semi-final)," he said.
"Clubs will have enough players that way. (Players will) also qualify if they've played one Twenty20 game.
"Everyone is probably going to have someone missing."
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It's unclear if the regular season will resume as planned on January 15. McLeod said the association would consult clubs early next week to determine a plan of attack.
Several competitions around the state, including Cricket Shepparton and the Bendigo District Cricket Association, have already postponed their season restarts due to COVID-19.
"We'll talk to clubs and see what the affected numbers are looking like," he said.
McLeod said the semi-final games were proceeding in line with state government rules and encouraged spectators to watch the matches in a COVID-safe way.
"It's very safe in that it's outdoors and people can watch from their cars," he said.
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