A LONG hot summer of cricket is upon us with clubs working around the clock to put the finishing touches on preparations for the 2012-13 season.
Footscray Edgewater will be on the road in the Premier Cricket season opener but doesn’t have to travel too far with a fierce contest with rivals Essendon on the cards at Windy Hill in a one-dayer on Saturday.
Barry Neivandt will again be at the helm of the Bulldogs, but top-order batsman Dean Russ has taken over from Travis Gloury as captain.
In the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association, the south and the west groups will collide to form the south-west group this season.
The curtain will rise on Saturday with a cracking local derby between Williamstown and Altona at the new-look Williamstown Cricket Ground.
Sunshine and Werribee will go at it in another all-western suburbs affair at Dempster Park, while Yarraville will play host to Moorabbin in their first cross-group game of the season at the Yarraville Oval.
In the Victorian Turf Cricket Association, Yarraville Club begins its senior division premiership defence when it hosts Hoppers Crossing at the Walker Oval.
The two sides met in a thrilling semi-final at the same venue last season.
Keilor will return to the top flight in a clash with long-time foe St Bernard’s Old Collegians at Keilor Recreation Reserve.
Spotswood has to venture over the West Gate Bridge to face off with McKinnon at McKinnon Reserve.
WHO IS YOUR CLUB PLAYING IN THIS SEASON’S OPENER?
Premier Cricket: Essendon v Footscray Edgewater (Windy Hill)
VSDCA: Williamstown v Altona (Williamstown Cricket Ground), Sunshine v Werribee (Dempster Park), Yarraville v Moorabbin (Yarraville Oval)
VTCA: Senior division: Keilor v St Bernard’s Old Collegians (Keilor Recreation Reserve), Yarraville Club v Hoppers Crossing (Walker Oval), McKinnon v Spotswood (McKinnon Reserve).
North division: Altona North v Youlden Parkville (Crofts Reserve), Laverton v Williamstown CYMS (Laverton Park), Footscray United v Royal Park-Brunswick (Scovell Reserve), Keilor Park v Sunshine Druids (Keilor Park Reserve).
North A1: St Francis de Sales v Seddon (JP Fawkner Reserve), Aberfeldie Park v Altona Roosters (Aberfeldie Park), Sunshine United v Taylors Lakes (Selwyn Park), Aberfeldie v St Albans (Clifton Park).
West B1: Seabrook v Footscray ANA (Bruce Comben Reserve), Point Cook v Barkly Street Uniting (Saltwater Reserve), Sunshine Heights v St Andrews (Ainsworth Reserve), Werribee Centrals v Sunshine YCW (Galvin Park), Avondale Heights v Kingsville Baptists (Canning Street Reserve).
