The Bedge wrote:Interested in peoples thoughts..
Was having a chat Sat night about people playing in certain grades, or players who feel they've 'earned' their chance to play lower, also that youth should be promoted where possible so you dont have washed up old blokes holding up the higher grades.
Question is, do you think there comes an age when players should begin moving down grades, or purely when ability stops them from doing so? Is there such thing as players "paying their dues" and earning the right to play in a lower grade?
I reckon you can have a couple of 'senior players' in each of your lower grade teams. Captain and vice captain. Guys that don't want to play higher anymore, whose role becomes leading and organising that team.
However all the other players must move between teams as their ability, performance and player availability dictates.
You can't have a collection of mates in a lower grade team who are only going to play Bs for instance.
When that happens there are no players for your As to draw on when needed. Makes it harder for players to move through the grades at your club. Typically those older guys won't miss out on a bat/bowl too often so it's the kids who do.
When the 'group of mates' teams occur it ceases to be a cricket club. It's just a standalone team that happens to wear the same shirt and cap as the teams in other grades. Really they could play under another name. They are a separate entity. Club culture poison.
The 'stay down to win a flag' mindset is another club culture killer. Great fun for those guys and plenty of gas drunk, especially if they do win one, but destroys the team(s) above. The epitome of selfishness.
Just my two cents