Chloe Saltau reports in The Age how a Victorian country association has resorted to expensive measures to save their turf competition.

At a meeting this week of the Bendigo and District Cricket Association, in the part of Victoria most severely affected by drought, clubs voted unanimously to invest in a recycled watering system worth about $60,000. The alternative was to cancel the turf league, a breeding ground for elite Premier Cricket in Melbourne, or move their gun players onto hard, synthetic wickets, far from ideal for cricketers aspiring to play for their state or country.

"It's going to be hard," said association president Darren Lewis. "We had a meeting last night with the clubs, and we spelt out the financial possibilities and said, 'Either we put our hand in our pocket to guarantee our future, or we don't,' and the clubs unanimously said, 'We've got to do it.' "