IT’S official, the Hamilton and District Cricket Association (HDCA) and Portland and District Cricket Association (PDCA) will unite under the HDCA banner for the 2023-24 season after it was confirmed at a meeting on Monday night.

HDCA president, Lloyd Ilett said he was “pleasantly surprised” with the meeting and was excited to welcome five Portland teams to the local competition as a result.

“They were wholeheartedly in favour of going forward with the amalgamation… it was a very quick meeting with only a couple of clarifications required,” Ilett said.

“The HDCA had only planned on accepting a proposal if all clubs came along … we didn’t want to wreck the game in Portland.

“We certainly never approached any of the PDCA clubs about leaving Portland … this was an initiative which was set in motion by Portland Tigers who approached the HDCA about joining the competition (late in May) and the rest of the clubs decided to do so as well.

While both associations will be under the HDCA banner for the 2023/24 season, Ilett said a name change would be on the cards as time progressed.

“For this season we’ll remain under the HDCA banner, but I think in the future the likelihood is that (the name) will change,” he said.

“This makes us one of the largest associations geographically, not just in country Victoria but also in Australia.”

The amalgamation will see significant changes to the local A grade competition with an additional five Portland teams to join the top grade, the now 12-team strong competition will have a slightly different format.

“The proposal is that the teams will be divided into two pools, with three Hamilton and three Portland teams in one pool, and two Portland and four Hamilton teams in the other,” Ilett said.

The main criteria for deciding which pool sides will be in will be the ladder position of all teams at the end of the home and away season last season, as well as the teams’ availability of turf wickets.

The B grade competitions of the respective associations will remain largely unchanged, with the main change set to be a “super grand final”.

“The clubs will play their normal B grade season within the home town competition, and the respective victors will be crowned as premiers in their own right, and from there we’ll have a match between the winners of the Portland and Hamilton comps,” Ilett said.

While travel concerns have been raised from people in both competitions, Ilett said locals wouldn’t have to travel any further than they already were.

He highlighted the fact that the distance from Hamilton to Portland was like that of Hamilton to Casterton or Pigeon Ponds.

“A similar thing popped up when Casterton clubs combined with us in 2015… at the end of the day some of our clubs are already travelling a decent distance to play cricket,” Ilett said.

“(Overall) it’s a great opportunity for teams and players from both associations to play against people they don’t know.

“You’re not going to show up every week knowing exactly how each guy plays and what you’re going to do, and I think that has to be exciting.”

PDCA president, James Cannon said the amalgamation was an exciting move for Portland teams and had the potential to create greater interest in cricket across the region.

“All clubs are on board… it’s fantastic to see everyone adapting to something new,” he said.

“I think most clubs would (say) it is beneficial… it gives the younger players who might have potentially left to a bigger league, the chance to stick around and perform.

“That’s something I’ve seen happen lately, is good players leaving which in turn is a negative to the league… this should give those players a league they can thrive in and develop into the best cricketers they can be.”

Cannon said that keeping the B grade competition as it was in Portland would be beneficial to reduce travel for younger players, adding that Portland would hope to have its own T20 competition this season.

“With B grade staying in Portland it gives clubs more chance of retaining players who just want to have a game on a Saturday and not have to drive too far to do that,” he said.

“It also gives our juniors a chance to play senior cricket (in B grade) and develop their skills.

“(A local T20 tournament) would help reduce travel… with HDCA playing (its T20 competition) on Thursday nights it would be too tough to get players to travel on a weeknight.”

Casterton District Cricket Club was also happy about the inclusion of new sides with spokesperson, Rick Killey saying travel “definitely won’t be a worry”.

“(I) personally think it’s fantastic that they’re joining, (it) freshens things up a bit and makes everyone more keen, because it’s a bit different,” he told The Spectator.

“I feel as though it could even the comp up with everyone having to now travel the same (distances).

“Travel won’t really change for us, it’s only about 10-15 minutes longer than going to Hamilton.”

The Maroons finished in fourth position last year breaking even with four wins and four losses, the side fell in the semi final against Grampians.

Killey felt that an even playing field in terms of travel, along with greater commitment from players could help the side go further.

“It definitely gives us a good chance for sure, as long as we have people commit this year as I believe that was our downfall last year,” he said.

As for the draw, Ilett said that while it remains in the “early stages,” it looks as though all teams will have to travel to either Portland or Hamilton for roughly six or seven days out of the season.

The format for the home and away season is expected to be 10 one-day matches and five two-day matches, with the A grade grand final to be played at Monivae College and the B grade super grand final to be hosted by Portland, on a turf wicket.

While both Cannon and Ilett hope to play as many matches on turf as possible, sides without turf wickets would not be disadvantaged or penalised within the draw.

Clubs in both Portland and Hamilton who don’t have a turf wicket will still have the right to host their fair share of matches at home.

Despite the amalgamation, Ilett said Portland would still retain the right to have its own representative side which it will be able to send to Melbourne Country Week and the Western Waves Festival of Cricket tournaments.