Jeff Shanks feels it might be too soon to be talking about any restructure of the 2020/21 cricket season but the chance of the coronavirus pandemic affecting next summer is becoming more of a reality.
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Western Zone president Mark Frecklington confessed earlier this week the region's competitions could be modified if winter sports are pushed back amid the ongoing lockdown.
Most winter sports have pushed back their earliest resumption dates to the end of May, but it's increasingly looking likely it will need to be pushed back again, with governments expected to extend lockdown expiry dates.
In addition to later start dates, rugby league and union clubs - among others - will need preseason training before being able to take to the field, meaning some competitions might not begin before July, with shortened seasons potentially meaning finals may be held as late as October or November.
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"We'd prefer not to start late but we'll have to see what's happening down the track," Frecklington said.
"I guess we'd prefer to play a full season, we're already limited to six months because of the weather and it's the only window we can play it in."
Dubbo District Cricket Association (DDCA) president Shanks, who has had to postpone to 2019/20 presentation night indefinitely, said he hasn't given next season a lot of thought yet.
"Traditionally, footy and soccer would finish around August or September and we'd start in October so it's still too early," he said.
"But we want to try and accommodate people the best we can because we all want to play sport."
Like most regional towns and cities, Dubbo has a whole host of sportspeople who play sports like soccer and league or union on the winter and then cricket in the summer while the Dubbo Demons AFL club featured its own third grade side in the 2019/20 third grade competition.
"Things could happen depending on how long this [lockdown] goes on for," Shanks added.
"Maybe we wouldn't be allowed to start until after Christmas and just have to play 10 rounds of one-day games or something like that."
Shanks confirmed the DDCA presentation night was on hold for now, with the plan being to still hold some kind of awards ceremony involving all clubs and officials for the season's best performers once the lockdown comes to an end.
"Players have done well and excelled and they deserve to get the recognition," he said.
