Claxton Shield Finals Series - Effect on Competition Matches Update

MEMORANDUM

To: All Summer Clubs
From: Rob Sadler, President & Dale Lewis, Pennant Committee Chair
Date: 27th January 2010
Regarding: Claxton Shield Finals Series - Effect on Competition Matches

The ABL have confirmed that the Victorian ACES have finished the Claxton Shield season on top of the ladder and will host the 2010 Claxton Shield Grand Finals Series in Melbourne. The series will be held at Latrobe University on Friday 5th, Saturday 6th and, if required, Sunday 7th February 2010.

Despite discussions between Baseball Victoria and the ABL, the ABL require that the start times for the Friday and Saturday matches will be 7.35pm, and the Sunday match will start at 2.05pm (if required). This of course causes a conflict with Baseball Victoria scheduled games and a particular difficulty with Sunday games as these are a direct clash with the Claxton Shield game which of course may or may not proceed depending upon the outcome of the earlier games. It may be that Victoria’s success depends on the game on Sunday.

Baseball Victoria seeks to maximise the opportunity for people to attend these games and has therefore taken steps to remove clashes of games which would prevent people attending the Claxton Shield. Baseball Victoria also believes that we should provide as much notice of changes as possible and it is impracticable to leave the Sunday games as scheduled, to be cancelled or postponed, depending upon the ACES on Saturday.

Baseball Victoria matches will therefore not be played at the same time as the Claxton Shield matches. However, to maintain the integrity of our competition, the Pennant Committee has decided that the following will occur.

Friday 5th February

• No junior centres and leagues matches will be played on this day. All matches will be moved to Friday 5th March. The Finals dates will be changed as a result, with the semi finals to be played on Friday 12th March and the Grand Finals on Friday 19th March.

Saturday 6th February

• Division 1 & 2 Firsts matches will be moved from Sunday 7 February and played on Saturday, meaning the following changes to the women’s fixtures:
• Springvale/Berwick v Port Melbourne – Division 1 Women to move to the Springvale ground. Same time at 3.30pm
• Berwick/Springvale v Port Melbourne – Division 2 Women to move to the Springvale ground. Same time at 1.00pm
• Moorabbin v Melbourne B – Division 3 Women to start at 11.30am and play until 1.30pm to allow for the Moorabbin v Waverley Wildcats Division 2 Men game to be played at 2.00pm
• St Kilda v Sandringham – Division 3 Women to start at 11.30am and play until 1.30pm to allow for the St Kilda v Preston game to commence at 2.00pm.
• Waverley v Melbourne – Division 3 Women to play on the Waverley outer ground. Same time at 2.00pm
• All games listed as Round 16 for Division 1 and Division 2 Men First Nine ONLY to be played on Saturday 6 February commencing at 2.00pm.

Sunday 7th February

• All Junior State Metro matches will be played as scheduled
• No games will be played on this day for Men’s Divisions including Division 1 & 2 Reserves, Thirds and Fourths, Division 3 & 4. The games scheduled for Round 16 will be moved to be played on Sunday 28th February.
• The Finals dates will be changed as a result, with the semi finals to be played on Sunday 7th March, Preliminary Finals on Sunday 14th March and the Grand Finals on Sunday 21st March.

We look forward to your cooperation in these changes and urge all to get along and support our ACES as they head onward for their quest to take out the Claxton Shield.

Regards 

Rob Sadler, President, and Dale Lewis, Pennant Committee Chairman