An initial draw was rejected by My Cricket last week which forced GMC officials to produce another draw.
GM president Jason Turner said the season would still comprise of eight one-day games and three two-day fixtures, which were in the original draw.
‘‘Each (A grade) club will play each other once and the home-and-away season will finish with three two-day games leading into the finals, which will also be two-day fixtures.
‘‘It will be pot luck on who meets who in the two-day games but it will be a rolling draw that extends into next season to even up the two-day games,’’ Turner said.
Turner said although Cricket Victoria and Cricket Australia were recommending all one-day games, as was the case last year, it was not a mandate and it was left to the associations to make a call on the format of their games.
‘‘The majority of our clubs wanted some two-day fixtures and we have gone with that with these games leading into the finals, which will also be two-day games,’’ he said.
Turner said the season would start on Saturday, November 13.
In a backdown, the state government and Cricket Victoria have relented on players having to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to be eligible to play.
Players who have not been vaccinated can still play in Victoria but must abide by COVID regulations, which would rule them out of socialising in clubrooms during and after games.
But COVID conditions for GMC’s two NSW-based clubs — Moama and Northern United — are different to Victoria.
Players from Victorian clubs making the trip over the Murray River to play at Moama or Bunnaloo must be double vaccinated until vaccinations reach 90 per cent in NSW to be able to play. When that target is achieved players who are not vaccinated will be eligible to play.
Cricket Shepparton will launch its season on November 6, a week earlier than GMC.
Kyabram Cricket Club hosts Nagambie in the opening round at the Kyabram Recreation Reserve.
Games in all grades will be one-day fixtures, with 13 games, which will mean each Haisman Shield team meeting each other once with a bye.
But if there are no interruptions to the 13 rounds an extra three will be played, with a repeat of the first three scheduled rounds.
But these extra three rounds could also entertain rounds that couldn’t be played due to washouts or COVID restrictions.
The season will have a break for the festive season between December 18 and January 8.
In this period the Twenty20 competition is expected to be played, with the clubs given flexibility to arrange games with their rivals on any day of the week.
Cricket Shepparton’s second GV Bush Bash series is due to get under way on January 9, with a final at Deakin Reserve on February 13.
The draft for this series will take place on November 12.
10°C