Bears run out

By Jarrod Potter
BERWICK Springs Cricket Club will play at the Grices Road Recreation Reserve in the 2012-13 season, but the City of Casey Council remains deeply divided over the decision.
In a six to five council decision, Berwick Springs was awarded the summer cricket tenancy of the new venue over the Berwick Cricket Club, known as the Bears, due to participation rate growth and proximity of the club and a recommendation from the Dandenong and District Cricket Association (DDCA).
Councillors Geoff Ablett, Steve Halsall, Amanda Stapledon and Sam Aziz voted for the motion while Simon Curtis, Judy Owen, Kevin Bradford, Lynette Keleher and Wayne Smith opposed it. Councillor Bev Hastie was not present.
Mayor Shar Balmes used her casting vote to award the tenancy to Berwick Springs.
Springfield Ward councillor Sam Aziz said the decision was made in conjunction with the DDCA and key facts were used as the basis for giving Berwick Springs the tenancy.
“The five key factors behind the decision were that Berwick Springs has a growing juniors population, the new grounds are in close proximity to their current clubrooms, the DDCA made the recommendation for Berwick Springs over Berwick, the officer’s assessment is the same as the recommendation and the Berwick Cricket Club has access to the alternative grounds that are being built,” Cr Aziz said.
“The Berwick club has the option to utilise a new cricket ground which is under construction (Timbarra P-12 School), but Berwick Springs has no option other than the Grices Road Reserve.
“This decision was done in consultation with the DDCA and they said for the good of the game it was better for the Berwick Springs Cricket Club to get it.
“Berwick Springs has been lobbying and advocating with me for use of that ground for over a year now, and I haven’t had any representation from the Berwick Cricket Club in regards to this matter.”
Edrington Ward Councillor Simon Curtis said the decision didn’t take into account the problems Berwick Cricket Club faced by its lack of available playing grounds.
“This is an ill-considered decision by council officers to choose Berwick Springs as the tenant for that ground,” Cr Curtis said.
“It’s very disappointing that there’s a club that’s running for 148 years, in the Berwick Cricket Club, who have been growing at such a massive rate that they’ve had to turn players away.
“Even though Berwick Cricket Club has been crying out for extra grounds to play at for many, many years, they haven’t been successful at getting them and this was something the club was looking forward to getting.
“Berwick Cricket Club junior teams have had to use grounds at places like Doveton and Endeavour Hills and where there’s any spare capacity.”
Cr Curtis said while Berwick Springs could require the use of Grices Road Reserve with potential expansion, the current need should have been to aid Berwick.
“It is about the immediate need being with the Berwick Cricket Club,” Cr Curtis said.
“No doubt in the future Berwick Springs might show a trend of meeting that.
“Berwick Springs are only a couple of years old, but Berwick Cricket Club has been waiting for new grounds for many years.”
Curtis said the availability of the Timbarra P-12 School oval in future seasons didn’t solve the immediate problems faced by Berwick.
“That ground (Timbarra P-12 oval) hasn’t been completed yet and certainly isn’t available for next season,” Cr Curtis said.
“It’s no good saying that ground is available when it’s not in condition to be used yet.”
Matt Osborne, president of the Berwick Springs Sport Club, which oversees the cricket team at Berwick Springs, is excited for the club to get the extra venue for their expanding list of teams.
“We’re overjoyed as we already have a shortage of grounds for summer fixturing for this year and with our planned growth by next season we would’ve had serious issues,” Osborne said.
“We’ll predominantly use it as a seniors ground but we can also use it as a junior ground.
“Sam Aziz, our ward councillor, was instrumental in getting us the tenancy in that respect. It’s a great reward for our hard working committee who have already been stretched to fixture our matches.”
Berwick Cricket Club president Matt Crosby said while club members were disappointed at the decision, they were not going to dwell on it.
“We’re disappointed that it didn’t get allocated to us,” Matt Crosby said.
“We’re trying to do the best thing by our members that we can just like any club but that’s the ruling that’s happened so we’ll apply for the next round of grounds that become available.”