With more teams, more games under lights, and a new-look T20 competition in the offing, there is plenty to look forward to about the 2021/22 Goulburn cricket season.
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As the NSW government's COVID-19 restrictions have begun to lift in recent weeks, the Goulburn District Cricket Association confirmed that its season will begin on October 30.
This start date, said GDCA president Shane Munroe, is sooner than the association had expected.
"A lot of the stuff was already done, in place and we were waiting for the all-clear from the government," Munroe said.
"We were ready to go, we just needed the government to say we're allowed to play community sport. The goal always was to get it started as soon as possible, which is what's happened. I think everybody's pretty happy."
To compensate for the two-week delay to the start of the season, the annual T20 competition has been condensed into just a single weekend, while the one-day finals will be played later in March than usual.
With 12 teams registered, two more than last season, the First Grade draw will have five sides playing and the combined Second and Third Grade competition will have seven.
This year, the GDCA has decided to take full advantage of the amenities at Seiffert Oval, with all games at Goulburn's premier cricket oval to be played under lights.
"Every game at Seiffert will be a day-night game," Munroe said.
"We've got the facilities there, and I saw the mayor down at the golf club one night and he said 'You may as well use it'."
With more games held under lights, along with a bigger pool of teams, many of the goals Munroe set himself and the association at the start of his tenure in 2020/21 are starting to come to fruition.
"I've made it very clear that I want to keep building teams into the competition each year and making it better," he said.
"It looks like we're on track, we'll just see what happens."
Arguably the most exciting addition to the season will take place in mid-January, when the T20 competition is held.
Due to the slightly truncated season, it will take place over one weekend instead of two. However, for what Munroe believes will be the first time, the competition will be sponsored and there will be prize money up for grabs.
The details have not yet been finalised, as there is currently one major sponsor but more may yet come on board, so the GDCA cannot announce the tournament's name or exactly how much prize money is up for grabs. These details will, however, be announced as soon as they are available.
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