The Western Suburbs Churches and Community Cricket Association’s T20 competition is generating plenty of excitement.
Having bought back the competition last season, it has grown to 10 teams this season with more sides already expressing interest for next season.
Association administrator David Kip said they had tried to do something a bit different this year to attract teams and players to the competition.
He said there had been some really good cricket played in the competition.
“We changed things with the guest player arrangements and clubs could have two guest players,” he said.
“We’ve seen some turf cricketers come down and play. Some of those are past players that have gone on to play at a higher grade.
“It helps the cultural side of things.”
Netherlands captain Scott Edwards is the biggest name to have played, playing for Altona Sports.
There have also been players from the Victorian Sub-District and Victorian Turf cricket associations.
On Tuesday night, the association held a community round with matches being played at the same venues.
“It was a good way to get all the clubs together,” Kip said. “It went really well and it was good for two matches at the same venue.
“We’ve started live streaming some of those games and there’s been some positivity with the live streaming.”
One of the highlights on Tuesday night was the two Tarneit United sides facing off against each other.
Kip said they’d been able to get umpires for all the matches as well with it being well supported all ound.
After three rounds of the competition, Altona Sports and Tarneit United are both undefeated.
The competition will have one more pool round before Christmas before resuming in the new year.
Kip said across the competition things had been going really well.
“We are up to 119 teams,” he said. “We had 105 last year.
“We are growing, which is good for the association. We had to knock back teams from existing teams that were looking to grow numbers.
“We couldn’t find enough ovals.”
Meanwhile on Saturday in the A.E Lowe Shield two-day competition, Altona Sports had a day out against Werribee.
Sports bowled the Tigers out for just 31 in 13.5 overs.
Zachary Zammit took 4-8 for Sports, while Matthew Lidyard and Prashant Krishna took two wickets each.
Sports got the job done easily, finishing 1-35.
After seven rounds, Altona Sports sits on top of the ladder undefeated.
