Gisborne District Cricket Association has cancelled all cricket games this weekend due to the COVID-19 exposure sites in Sunbury.
In consultation with the Department of Health and Cricket Victoria, the association board made the decision to abandon all cricket scheduled for this weekend.
In a Facebook post yesterday, the association indicated there was no intention to replay the round.
In a statement to media last night, association president Rob McIntyre said the outbreak was not just a Sunbury issue.
“Many people from Kyneton, Woodend, Gisborne, Riddell, Romsey and the wider area work, shop or go to school in Sunbury,” he said.
“We don’t know how many of these people have visited the exposure sites and we certainly don’t know how many have been tested and have self-isolated waiting for their results.”
Mr McIntyre said pop-up testing sites had been established at Sunbury’s Clarke Oval and McMahon Reserve and the association had been told the site would probably be there until the weekend.
“There are many Sunbury residents who play for cricket clubs outside of Sunbury including Riddell, Romsey, Lancefield, Macedon, Gisborne, Woodend, Kyneton and Malmsbury,” he said.
“The potential is there to shut the whole area down for weeks again should the virus spread into these communities.
“We’ve taken the approach that it is better to lose one week of cricket than risk losing the rest of the season. DHS and Cricket Victoria have supported the decision as the right thing to do.
“We are not prepared to put the health and safety of our cricket participants and members of the wider community at risk. We will review the advice from health authorities after this weekend to consider if we can resume cricket matches the following weekend.”
