A new turf cricket competition is set to be established in the bayside and southern region

Cricket Victoria officials involved in the turf taskforce will immediately begin work on developing a model for a 2016-17 start.

Chief executive Tony Dodemaide and chairman Russell Thomas were among a party of CV officials which met VTCA south clubs in Melbourne last night to discuss their options for next season.

The clubs effectively walked away from the VTCA.

Of the 20 at the meeting, 17 voted for Cricket Victoria to establish a working party to start formulating a new structure.

A survey will be sent out asking the clubs to indicate how they believe the competition should look.

It will be the first major move in the taskforce’s brief to overhaul turf cricket in the metropolitan area.

Dodemaide told Leader it was an “exciting’’ development for cricket in the bayside and southern region.

“We want a vibrant game, and from the people who we there last night, they were very positive about the future and about the possibilities and willing to look at options and take that journey with us,’’ he said.

In an email to north and west clubs today, VTCA president Steve McNamara said that while it was “sad that a portion of our constituent clubs will move in a different direction, the South has been in decline for some time while the North West has grown and prospered’’.

“It remains paramount on the VTCA Board to now provide the best possible cricket competition to those clubs residing in the North West region moving forward,’’ he said.

McNamara said speculation about the south clubs had become an “annual circus’’.

It remains to be seen if Cricket Victoria invites clubs not attached to the VTCA, such as Dandenong association affiliates Mordialloc and Dingley, to become involved.

There is also talk one or two Sub-District clubs will look to the new competition. But Subbies officials are adamant their clubs are “solid’’.

Leader understands that the VSDCA, which has staunchly opposed being broken up, has been told it can operate for another two seasons before falling into the regional models proposed by the turf taskforce.

In a statement this afternoon, Dodemaide said: “Direct support from Cricket Victoria for grassroots cricket competition management is a critical component of the new model and we are pleased to be able to set this up in the first area of Melbourne. We thank our colleagues at the VTCA for their ongoing engagement and cooperation in the process.

“While the South East Bayside competition will build towards a 2016-17 launch, Cricket Victoria will continue to work with all associations and clubs in other areas of Melbourne on a transitional plan for metropolitan turf cricket.

“We are very understanding this will take time, however, we are pleased to begin the implementation of the first new entity.’’