Grade Cricket Is The Problem

[SOTTERS]

South Australian cricket needs re-developing at grade level for any chance of the Redbacks becoming a consistent force in the first class arena. Too many teams at grade level equals poor qualitity of cricket played. Sure there is some great crickiters getting around at grade level but there is no depth. Gentle medium pacers opening the bowling, young talented batsmen finding it easy, playing extravagent shots looking a millon dollars. Its too easy for the young batsmen, there not learning how to graft a innings. When they step up to Pura Cup were the bowling is of a obviously a high standard they look completly out of place and there technique dosn't hold up especially when the ball is doing a little. The grade comp is making average batsmen look like future stars.

2007 - 2008 Grade Competition
Six Teams

Adelaide
Glenelg
Sturt
Kensington
Southern Districts
Northern Districts

[stan]

Yes there are to many teams, much like the problem English county cricket has, too many teams. But reducing the number of teams would seem like a difficult task. Perhaps an option such as a 2 divsion A grade comp.

By difficult i mean SACA would need to get there shite together and made some tough decisions which is as likely as the redbacks batting for more than a day.

[mal]

SOOTERS have to agree with your post.

The gap between p/cup and tests is slight at this stage, batsman in
particular find an International attack easier in some instances.
The best and most competitive domestic comp in the universe produces ready made
test standard cricketers.

The gap between grade cricket + pura/cup is miles apart and SOOTERS you are right
when the young batsman get the promotion they face INTERNATIONAL class bowlers.

QLD-BICHEL/KASPER/JOHNSON
NSW- BRACKEN/CLARK/MACGILL/BOLLINGER and sometimes LEE/MCGRATH
VIC- DENTON/HARWOOD/LEWIS/WISE/SIDDELL
TAS-HILFENHAUS/GRIFFITH/WRIGHT/DREW
SA-TAIT/GILLESPIE
WA-DOREY/MAGOFFIN

A lot of very good bowlers who have played for OZ + most would be frontline
bowlers in International attacks for other nations.

Keep the all the clubs at district level and make it a smaller comp
and have 2 divisions with a relegation system applicable.
With less teams the bowling depth would improve markedly in each team, and
instead of up and coming batsman facing military meduim pacers after 20 overs
they would be facing better quality after the new ball.

Perhaps import UK and other country players to improve depth
MUNDAY from the UK was a spinner who took stacks of wickets at a low average until
he left recently

There must be a cordinated effort to produce good pitches.

I am absolutely sure ADELADE HAWK will give a similar report to SOOTERS+ MAL
and he will cover this topic very well.

PS: Just spotted the STAN post we all agree with a change in infrastructure at grade level

[heater31]

No, Its not that Grade cricket is the problem it is how the First class cricketers apply themsleves at Grade level. They need to treat it like its a first class match. Seriously if Greg Blewett wants to play First class cricket he should be consistently making runs so the selectors cant leave him out not having a whinge about not being selected. Greg Let the bat do the talking my friend

Adelaide has probably the least amount of district teams in the country behind Hobart who only have 8. Perth has 16 FFS. The currnet playing group need to take a very long hard look at themselves and realise that they are embarassing themselves and their state. The U17's have just won the national championships this week and I hope that the coaching staff dont make the same mistakes as they have with this current First class group.


In all seriousness I think that their are too many players taking the easy option by playing turf cricket. Also a two division comp wouldnt be a bad idea either

[Adelaide Hawk]

South Australian cricket needs re-developing at grade level for any chance of the Redbacks becoming a consistent force in the first class arena. Too many teams at grade level equals poor qualitity of cricket played. Sure there is some great crickiters getting around at grade level but there is no depth. Gentle medium pacers opening the bowling, young talented batsmen finding it easy, playing extravagent shots looking a millon dollars. Its too easy for the young batsmen, there not learning how to graft a innings. When they step up to Pura Cup were the bowling is of a obviously a high standard they look completly out of place and there technique dosn't hold up especially when the ball is doing a little. The grade comp is making average batsmen look like future stars.

2007 - 2008 Grade Competition
Six Teams

Adelaide
Glenelg
Sturt
Kensington
Southern Districts
Northern Districts

It works for me .... and every coach the Redbacks have ever had. However, there are too many people behind the scenes pushing their own agendas, and they will ensure it won't happen.

I have spoken with every Redbacks coach since Peter Philpott in the early 1990s, and they all lament the lack of a workable grade system. Most of them have pushed for a more competitive 6 team competition, whether it be 6 existing clubs, compositie clubs, or whatever. It HAS to happen. The step up from Grade to Pura Cup is simply too high.

[mal]

Excellent summation AH.

This did not warrant a new posting but here is some interesting news

FIRST O/DAY INT. FORFIET IN HISTORY
----------------------------------------------

Canada forfieted to Kenya 20/1/07.
5 players had a stomach virus and the team advised referee Javagal Srinath
that they had not enough players in the touring party.
It is thought that Canada came from freezing temperatures to the heat of Kenya
and this was the problem.

Relevance....they come from backyard cricket domestic comps to International level
and find that gap insurmountable.

[SOTTERS]

No, Its not that Grade cricket is the problem it is how the First class cricketers apply themsleves at Grade level. They need to treat it like its a first class match. Seriously if Greg Blewett wants to play First class cricket he should be consistently making runs so the selectors cant leave him out not having a whinge about not being selected. Greg Let the bat do the talking my friend

Adelaide has probably the least amount of district teams in the country behind Hobart who only have 8. Perth has 16 FFS. The currnet playing group need to take a very long hard look at themselves and realise that they are embarassing themselves and their state. The U17's have just won the national championships this week and I hope that the coaching staff dont make the same mistakes as they have with this current First class group.


In all seriousness I think that their are too many players taking the easy option by playing turf cricket. Also a two division comp wouldnt be a bad idea either

It's a bit hard to treat it like a first class game when your opening the batting against Southern Districts and there opening bowler S.Hatji is bowling at about 115kph, the keeper up to the stumps, one slip, ring field hoping that the batsman makes a mistake because thats the only way the bowler will get him out. Perth have 16 teams thats proably why thay have underachieved like the Redbacks the last ten years. Population of the state must come into it, Victoria 18 teams population 4.5 million. South Australia 13 teams 1.5 million people.Western Australia 16 teams 2 million people. Tasmania 8 teams 500,000 people.

[heater31]

Perth have 16 teams thats proably why thay have underachieved like the Redbacks the last ten years.

But have WA been bowled out for 29 and regularly bowled out for low scores?

[dinglinga]

i know of someone that was asked to do his theisis on SA District Cricket and like us doesnt agree on Uni being in the comp

but cos the SACA and Uni were funding the project he declind


my idea in changing the current situation

cos no club will want to fold or megre the SACA must make the decisions for them

firstly create a new competion
NORTH
EAST
SOUTH
WEST
COUNTRY-NORTH
COUNTRY-SOUTH

all current districts clubs will be able to compete in a lower division ( NO promotion/relegation system)

The super league i shall call it .... will be selected by the SACA....and play every week SAT/SUN

to play State Cricket u MUST be playing in the super league..

[MightyEagles]

Let's make it a 9 team comp, with each club matched with a football club by name.
eg, the WWTCC, the CDCC, SACC and so on.

[Magpiespower]

Let's make it a 9 team comp, with each club matched with a football club by name.
eg, the WWTCC, the CDCC, SACC and so on.

Yep - that's what the SACA needs.

A cancer like Port Adelaide DCC anywhere near the comp.

In any form.

[FlyingHigh]

MightyEagles - I was going to suggest what you did, merging some teams, with Uni being the 10th team to eliminate the bye. Obviously not having a bye is more important in cricket, with two-day games, so with Test, Christmas and Aust day, players could go 4-5 weeks without having a hit.

However it seems like we have been shot down in flames - dingaling, why do you not agree with uni being in the comp?
MP - I know their results haven't been great, but why do the are they such a scourge?

The cricket clubs wouldn't have to change their names, but could align as such:
Glenelg, Port, Sturt - obvious
Northern Districts - Centrals
Southern Districts - South Adelaide
TTG + East Torrens (merge) - Norwood
Woodville + WT (merge) - Eagles
Kensington + Prospect (merge) - North Adelaide
Adelaide - West
Keep Uni.

Or align Kensington with West, keep Adelaide and drop Uni.

This would obviously take a lot of guts from administrators as some of those clubs have proud histories.
They could be linked to the same country zones as the SANFL clubs. There could be greater cross-sharing of resources between the cricket and footy clubs. The only real tricky one would be the Norwood team.

I think 6 teams would not give enough opportunities.

IMHO country cricket is struggling more than country footy - taking the best players out to play in Adelaide each week could make it even worse.

[Aerie]

The Grade competition is fine. Perhaps just a few clubs to be merged or axed that aren't up to scratch or don't offer a pathway for juniors. 12 or 10 clubs would be ideal to eliminate the bye.

To ease the step from grade level to first class there should be more 3 or 4 day cricket at 2nd XI level.

[Bunce]

Merge:
* Woodville + Port
* Prospect + East Torrens

Drop:
* University

= 10 teams.

The mergers are reasonably appropriate based on location and also match the underperforming clubs of recent years (+ poor depth). Uni obviously goes for failing to satisfy the club charter (no juniors). Bye is removed.

[Adelaide Hawk]

Just take a look at the article in the Advertiser (23/1) titled "Phillips fall guy as Redbacks crash". An unfortunate article that was 50% accurate and 50% fantasy.

I especially loved the bit where Richard Earle implied that Cosgrove's weight was tolerated by Phillips. This is simply untrue. I am also amused by the statement that Phillips was "gifted one of the best sides assembled by this state". He backs it up by saying Cameron White expected SA to win the Pura Cup.

So, because Cameron White (and who is he anyway?) had unrealistic expectations of the Redbacks, that means Phillips has done a poor job? Interesting point of view. As for "one of the best ever teams", you have to be joking.

The squad is littered by former Test players past their prime, young players who aren't yet ready for the rigours of 1st class cricket, and a captain who has seemingly lost interest in the job he is being paid to do.

The only part he was really spot on about was the bloated weak grade system that doesn't expose player weaknesses. This is the greater part of the problem. I have seen some things that disgust me in Grade cricket. Things such as state players (and even former Test players) turning up so drunk from the night before they had to sleep in the clubrooms for the entire first session.

You hear players talking about the night they had the night before, some claiming they hadn't even been to bed. I heard one former state player (in the team at the time) declaring he couldn't care less if he made runs for his club side or not. I really feel sorry for the handfull of dedicated young men trying to forge successful careers for themselves, they must be as disillusioned as the rest of us.

Some clubs are very good at imposing discipline on players, MOST are not. The state of SA cricket is in a very ordinary condition at present. And what will the SACA do about it? Probably sack the coach, and that will be it.

I've pretty much had a gutful of the whole caper. If the cricketers themselves can't have some pride in themselves and their performances, if they can't be interested, then maybe I shouldn't be either.

[Magpiespower]

This is cricket not footy.

My team is SALISBURY (although some of you might call them Northern Districts ).

Central Districts already play in the Para Districts comp - they can stay there.

Can't see any benefit whatsoever in rebranding the cricket clubs.

MP - I know their results haven't been great, but why do the are they such a scourge?

FH, they've been a joke for as long as I can remember.

And if you're looking at culling teams, they'd have to be one of the first to go.

There's plenty of teams out west as it is.

Richard Earle

Few butcher the Queen's english as impressively as this clown.

He obviously has photos of someone at the 'Tiser.

Either that or it's nepotism at its worst.

[Dutchy]

Perth have 16 teams thats proably why thay have underachieved like the Redbacks the last ten years.

But have WA been bowled out for 29 and regularly bowled out for low scores?

I dont give a flying F*** what other states are doing with grade cricket, just becuase WA have 16 teams it makes it OK for us to have 13???

Why not lead the way and cut it down to 8 and have the best grade comp in Australia becuase it is bloody hard to get a game in it...this will make the Grade cricket as close as possible to 1st class cricket...its miles away at the moment and thats simply where all the problems eminate from...

[ca]

The Two divisions won't work mainly because you have to ensure the best players are always in Div 1. That means a lot of changing of clubs for Redback players.

Personally the best way would be to have a 6 team superleage or some form of that as discussed above. That way all the District clubs can remain.

[Max]

I agree ca - the two divisions wouldn't work, because the teams in div 2 would always try to poach the best players to get back into the top division...

I think an 8-team competition is the best option. However, this needs to be from existing clubs. The infrastructure and volunteer base that makes a club successful can't simply be 'created' from scratch and expected to work. Look at the great club infrastructure at places like Glenelg, Sturt, Kensington and (dare I say it) Tea Tree Plaza. We shouldn't throw the baby out with the bath-water.

Clubs are also expensive to run, and I am sure most sponsors are tied to a club for historical reasons, and wouldn't simply switch their money to a super-league club because of some arbitrary 'zoning'.

[Dutchy]

I agree ca - the two divisions wouldn't work, because the teams in div 2 would always try to poach the best players to get back into the top division...

I think an 8-team competition is the best option. However, this needs to be from existing clubs. The infrastructure and volunteer base that makes a club successful can't simply be 'created' from scratch and expected to work. Look at the great club infrastructure at places like Glenelg, Sturt, Kensington and (dare I say it) Tea Tree Plaza. We shouldn't throw the baby out with the bath-water.

Clubs are also expensive to run, and I am sure most sponsors are tied to a club for historical reasons, and wouldn't simply switch their money to a super-league club because of some arbitrary 'zoning'.

LMAO!!!!

On the contary I think a sleeker higher quality competition with clubs that covered greater area would attract more/bigger sposorships...