Clubs in the Gisborne District Cricket Association have had their 2020-21 season prospects thrown into doubt with the dramatic COVID-19 State of Disaster declared on Sunday.
Will there be a normal season? Perhaps not with the degree of uncertainty which has erupted.
Lancefield Cricket Club was one club keen and virtually ready to go, with plans for training to begin at the end of August.
Now community sport is in recess as a result of COVID-19. The battle is off the field, rather than on the field.
Lancefield, captained by Ryan Millar, won a premiership last season when GDCA grand finals did not take place because of the pandemic, and had hoped to make further improvement in 2020-2021. The club’s senior women’s side, inspired by Emily Consiglio, was runner-up in its first season in the North West Metro division 1 (north) competition.
At the recent annual meeting, president Shane Sankey congratulated the key office-bearers on their efforts last season.
He did not seek re-election due to work commitments, and was thanked for his positive contribution to the club’s success.
Office-bearers elected for 2020-2021 were:
President, Andrew Richardt.
Vice-president, Simon Donnellan.
Secretary, Pauline Goodes.
Assistant secretary, Luke Harrison.
Treasurer, Mark Caton.
Junior co-ordinator, Mark Mouser.
GDCA delegate, Peter Burns.
General committee: Shannon McElhinney, Emily Consiglio, Rita Vandervalk, Ryan Millar, Sam Taylor, Matthew Bowden.
The club recently invited applications for a senior coach, with plenty of optimism for further on and off-field progress.
The Tigers hope to field senior men and women’s teams, U17 and U13 girls’ teams, and U17, U15, U13, and U11 junior sides.
Woolworths Blast attracted nearly 30 very young players last season and is expected to continue.
