Adelaide Hills Cricket (HCA, TVCA & A&EH)

[inside word]

If any clubs at the northern end of the hills would like to take their cricket more seriously and join a competition that is growing and going ahead with a focus on two day cricket feel free to PM me and ill put you in contact with the right people.

Not sure which Comp you're from days of our lives but I believe you have a real chance to recruit proper cricketers provided you are offering 2 day cricket, if I were you I'd definitely target certain players as there are some people very upset with the association..

[Roxy the Rat Girl]

since you're on the committee Roxy, what rules are on the agenda?

There was an extensive consultation process where all clubs got to provide feedback on the proposed rules for the A Grade comp. I'm surprised you didn't take the opportunity to make comment officially given your obvious passion on this issue.

Well considering I am happily retired, I didn't get that memo unfortunately. If I was still involved I would've been quite honest about the current committee ruining cricket for young kids up here!

So you are not a player, not involved in a club committee, and not involved in a cricket association. May I ask how you would therefore know what is best for current day players? how you would understand the challenges and difficulties that many country clubs and associations are facing in the current day? and importantly, how you would propose to reverse the trend of declining player numbers due to increased work and family commitments, fewer junior players going on to play senior cricket, centralisation of population to larger regional centres and capital cities, the ease of transportation to be able to play in Adelaide, and the lure of a wider range of alternative sports including surfing, skating, basketball, and indoor cricket to name a few?
I'm genuinely interested to hear how you would tackle these issues and please don't say 'I would keep 2 day cricket' because it is under the 2 day cricket format that player numbers have progressively dwindled in hills and other country associations.

[daysofourlives]

I dont think your issues are any different to the B&L. Similar location etc.
Strong leadership from the association helps.
There is no way a bye should be allowed in the top grade. Force clubs to play there. I imagine byes in two day cricket contribute to clubs wanting to play all one dayers. I f they dont like it what are they going to do? I guess they threaten to leave?
Dont pander to the whingers that just want to play one day cricket.
The B&L has been steadily increasing the number of two day teams adding an extra 4 this year to take it to 34 two day teams. one day teams has declined from 18 to 16. We play a combination which i assume the Hills used to, 7 two dayers, 7 one dayers.
We dont let any clubs play solely one day cricket with the aim for every club to have their A grade in the top 2 grades, There is some exceptions to this for varying reasons, i would say they are extenuating circumstances. Anyone with an even chance of competing higher is placed there.

[inside word]

Days of our lives, that is summed up beautifully! The association has changed this Comp for whingers!!!!

[Roxy the Rat Girl]

I dont think your issues are any different to the B&L. Similar location etc.
Strong leadership from the association helps.
There is no way a bye should be allowed in the top grade. Force clubs to play there. I imagine byes in two day cricket contribute to clubs wanting to play all one dayers. I f they dont like it what are they going to do? I guess they threaten to leave?
Dont pander to the whingers that just want to play one day cricket.
The B&L has been steadily increasing the number of two day teams adding an extra 4 this year to take it to 34 two day teams. one day teams has declined from 18 to 16. We play a combination which i assume the Hills used to, 7 two dayers, 7 one dayers.
We dont let any clubs play solely one day cricket with the aim for every club to have their A grade in the top 2 grades, There is some exceptions to this for varying reasons, i would say they are extenuating circumstances. Anyone with an even chance of competing higher is placed there.

Thanks Days of our Lives, it sounds like the B&L Association is travelling very well with a strong desire to play two day cricket from the Association and member clubs. The Association must put in a huge effort to maintain and strengthen your two day comp and you should all be congratulated on this.
In our situation the AEHCA didn't pander to the wants of a few whingers. What happened was that one of the member clubs put forward a motion (under the provisions of the Association Constitution) to play all one day cricket in A Grade. This motion was supported by a 2/3rds majority, which saw the motion upheld. Regardless of what the association thought, it was the member clubs that voted to deliver this change, not just a few whingers.

[Roxy the Rat Girl]

Days of our lives, that is summed up beautifully! The association has changed this Comp for whingers!!!!

Simply saying don't pander to whingers does not address the range of often complex issues I outlined previously. Do you have any ideas to address these issues or are you simply seeking to preserve a yesteryear that no longer exists?

[daysofourlives]

I dont think your issues are any different to the B&L. Similar location etc.
Strong leadership from the association helps.
There is no way a bye should be allowed in the top grade. Force clubs to play there. I imagine byes in two day cricket contribute to clubs wanting to play all one dayers. I f they dont like it what are they going to do? I guess they threaten to leave?
Dont pander to the whingers that just want to play one day cricket.
The B&L has been steadily increasing the number of two day teams adding an extra 4 this year to take it to 34 two day teams. one day teams has declined from 18 to 16. We play a combination which i assume the Hills used to, 7 two dayers, 7 one dayers.
We dont let any clubs play solely one day cricket with the aim for every club to have their A grade in the top 2 grades, There is some exceptions to this for varying reasons, i would say they are extenuating circumstances. Anyone with an even chance of competing higher is placed there.

Thanks Days of our Lives, it sounds like the B&L Association is travelling very well with a strong desire to play two day cricket from the Association and member clubs. The Association must put in a huge effort to maintain and strengthen your two day comp and you should all be congratulated on this.
In our situation the AEHCA didn't pander to the wants of a few whingers. What happened was that one of the member clubs put forward a motion (under the provisions of the Association Constitution) to play all one day cricket in A Grade. This motion was supported by a 2/3rds majority, which saw the motion upheld. Regardless of what the association thought, it was the member clubs that voted to deliver this change, not just a few whingers.

Im not so much saying the association panders to the whingers, i guess it maybe more of a case that the squeaky wheel gets the oil at all levels.
Its a shame, you will never get 2 day cricket back now as i assume it will need 2/3rds majority.
The next thing they will want is no cricket in January. The ones that dont commit to two day cricket still wont commit to one day cricket on a weekly basis.
What are junior numbers like?

[Roxy the Rat Girl]

Im not so much saying the association panders to the whingers, i guess it maybe more of a case that the squeaky wheel gets the oil at all levels.
Its a shame, you will never get 2 day cricket back now as i assume it will need 2/3rds majority.
The next thing they will want is no cricket in January. The ones that dont commit to two day cricket still wont commit to one day cricket on a weekly basis.
What are junior numbers like?

It would require a 2/3rds majority to change back to 2 day cricket but that is certainly not out of the question, It changed once, it can be changed back.
I think 2/3rd is a bit more than a squeeky wheel, it is a clear majority of the 13 member clubs. My club plays in the A Grade comp and in fact voted against the motion, but we have moved on and accept the vote, happy to give the one day format a go and if it is crap, then we will propose a motion to change it back.

Im not really involved with juniors so am not the best person to ask. I believe numbers are pretty good from U10s to U14s but they off in the16s. Probably too many other things to do at that age

[saintal]

Out of curiosity did the 1v2, 3v4 finals structure get voted in?

[Roxy the Rat Girl]

Out of curiosity did the 1v2, 3v4 finals structure get voted in?

No. There is a vote on a range of match conditions and rules etc. on Monday night. Proposed is the following re: finals

1v2 (winner advance to grand final, loser to play preliminary final) and 3v4 (winner to advance to preliminary final, loser eliminated),
Prelim final with winner advancing to GF and looser out

Effectively this gives teams finishing 1 or 2 a second chance if they loose their first final

[saintal]

Ok. I think it makes good sense.

[inside word]

Days of our lives, that is summed up beautifully! The association has changed this Comp for whingers!!!!

Simply saying don't pander to whingers does not address the range of often complex issues I outlined previously. Do you have any ideas to address these issues or are you simply seeking to preserve a yesteryear that no longer exists?

Roxy, what I'm interested in is, what issues are there currently in the comp? If you think players will be lining up to play A's now is delusional. The main issue was the bye, if the association has some you know what they'd force a team to play A's. However will the fearless leader this comp has they won't ever Be tough enough to do that...

[Luigianna]

You need to read up on the constitution IW rather than just ranting and raving about processes you know nothing about.
The association simply does not have the power to "force" teams up and down. Whether you like it or not the association is governed by the constitution and bylaws and this needs to be followed. Check it out, it is on the association website for all to see.

You're clearly having a crack at the president again, and are full of insightful expert opinions on how a comp should be run. Make sure you put your hand up to be President next year so clubs have an alternative to vote for, and if you get voted in you can show everyone how to be a 'tough' leader. I bet this would be a lot more work involved than sitting behind your keyboard taking pot shots at volunteers. In fact, Jackpot stated in a previous post that not all Exec positions this season were filled at the AGM - why don't you put your hand up for this?

I must say though, and i hate to say this but i do agree with you IW..... now all grades are one day games the power should be given to the Executive Committee to put clubs where they see fit.

Interesting vote coming up on Monday night with Torrens Valley. If that goes to one dayers, 4 out of the 6 Meyer Shield associations will be one day comps, and lets not forget that Southern Association folded a couple of seasons back as well. 6 years ago, there were 7 Meyer Shield associations and 6 of them were 2 dayers. Worrying trend IMO

That being said, full credit to B&L for maintaining a strong competition and i sincery hope that this trend continues for you.

[Roxy the Rat Girl]

Days of our lives, that is summed up beautifully! The association has changed this Comp for whingers!!!!

Simply saying don't pander to whingers does not address the range of often complex issues I outlined previously. Do you have any ideas to address these issues or are you simply seeking to preserve a yesteryear that no longer exists?

Roxy, what I'm interested in is, what issues are there currently in the comp? If you think players will be lining up to play A's now is delusional. The main issue was the bye, if the association has some you know what they'd force a team to play A's. However will the fearless leader this comp has they won't ever Be tough enough to do that...

As tempting as it is, I'm not sure pushing a club up to A Grade helps the situation. sure, you even out the number of teams and so eliminate the bye, but at what cost. Push a team up from A2 or B grade so they can get flogged each week and just for sport, get outrighted by Strath, Nairne and Woodside. Forcing players to compete outside of their ability level is not the answer. Sure, the onus should be on the clubs to strive for the highest level of competition they can achieve, but you can only work with the cattle youv'e got which brings me back to the core issues which I raised in a previous post relating to the better players being concentrated in fewer clubs, increased work and family commitments, increased opportunity to play in Adelaide, population centralisation etc. These are the issues that need addressing if you wish to address the number of A Grade Teams for the long term. Simply pushing an A2 or B grade team up is a short term and short sighted fix that does more damage than good.

[daysofourlives]

seems to me the best solution would be to combine some or all of the associations.
In my experience travel isnt a factor as we all love a good road trip home

[Roxy the Rat Girl]

seems to me the best solution would be to combine some or all of the associations.
In my experience travel isnt a factor as we all love a good road trip home

its a fair road trip from Strath to Eudunda, could get messy.

[inside word]

seems to me the best solution would be to combine some or all of the associations.
In my experience travel isnt a factor as we all love a good road trip home

its a fair road trip from Strath to Eudunda, could get messy.

Here's a great suggestion, the players who to much of sooks to play 2 day cricket go play A'2s?

[daysofourlives]

seems to me the best solution would be to combine some or all of the associations.
In my experience travel isnt a factor as we all love a good road trip home

its a fair road trip from Strath to Eudunda, could get messy.

Didnt really mean yours and ours, I meant the Hills associations.
The more teams and grades you have the more chance of everybody finding a level they are happy and competitive in

[cracka]

seems to me the best solution would be to combine some or all of the associations.
In my experience travel isnt a factor as we all love a good road trip home

its a fair road trip from Strath to Eudunda, could get messy.

Here's a great suggestion, the players who to much of sooks to play 2 day cricket go play A'2s?

And end up with a 4 team A grade comp. At least teams would make the finals every year.

[inside word]

One of the greatest things will be this year is sitting back reading the courier and seeing games finishing at 3 cause the gap will be massive between the top teams and the bottom teams, then realising it was a poor decision to change the format, then having to change it back due to no improvement and less quality players playing. At Least, the hacks who don't train will have a hit every week and still look ordinary....