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

[Roxy the Rat Girl]

I see strath are putting in turf training pitches. It always amazed me that clubs with turf decks don't have turf to train on. Defies logic really.

Agreed, but I think the cost of installation and ongoing management are big reasons why they don't or can't. Strath must be doing OK financially.

[Ramrod]

I see strath are putting in turf training pitches. It always amazed me that clubs with turf decks don't have turf to train on. Defies logic really.

Agreed, but I think the cost of installation and ongoing management are big reasons why they don't or can't. Strath must be doing OK financially.

Great work by Strath, With there new Clubrooms going up this summer, i feel it will be the best facilities in the comp. Will be a pleasure heading down and playing a game

[Roxy the Rat Girl]

Strath have done very well indeed and have set up exceptional infrastructure. It will be a pleasure to kick their red and white arses on it!!!

[Ramrod]

Just Over a week to the season starts, Thought I'd do some Premiership Odds for the A's
Nairne $1.75
Strath $2.20
Woodside $5
Ashbourne $15
Lobethal $23
Wistow $50
Lanhorne Creek $72

Anyone else got some thoughts?

[jackpot jim]

I see strath are putting in turf training pitches. It always amazed me that clubs with turf decks don't have turf to train on. Defies logic really.

Agreed, but I think the cost of installation and ongoing management are big reasons why they don't or can't. Strath must be doing OK financially.

Amazed ? Seriously Newkid?
Yes, in an ideal world turf practice pitches would be great BUT do you have any idea of the cost and time involved in the upkeep of a center square for small country clubs? It's a luxury for country clubs to have turf pitches to start with let alone have turf practice pitches.
With some good management, Club can organize center wicket practice from time to time anyway.
In regards to Strath putting in turf practice pitches, it certainly helps that one of their players is a fully qualified curator who has the expertise, time and desire to install and maintain them. Would still be a significant cost involved id imagine?

[jackpot jim]

So what's everyone thoughts on how clubs will perform this Year?

Expect Nairne to be good, Strath to also be very competitive after a solid year last year. Woodside should also a field strong team as always. I think the rest might be pretty even behind the top three. Shame it looks like it will be a seven team comp - Step up you non A grade playing pussy clubs and field an A grade team

Yeah agree with your comment, really struggling to see anything other than a Nairne, Strath GF. Stranger things have happened though. I think it is fairly poor a town the size of Mount Barker cant get an A grade side together, Says something about the quality of people playing there. Also Dissapointing Hahndorf wont be filling an A grade either. Any other notable people changing clubs?

Thinking it could be quite open for the flag with 42.85714 % of the clubs in with a genuine chance.
Strath, Nairne and Woodside Top 3
Lobethal and Ashbourne battling out 4th spot
Creeks and Wistow bottom 2

Strath similar to last year with Matt Hein an addition ?
Nairne picked up Mitch Hein but have lost a couple of players to Woodside. S. Collins and Matt Melvin ? Shaun Tait back to Redbacks. Jarrad Tait struggling to even walk atm?
Woodside picked up Wimberly, Melvin and S. Collins along with Galvin and others makes for a reasonable bowling attack
Lobey i have NFI ?
Ashbourne ? Pommie recruits ability will determine if they can rise to the Finals.
Wistow losing the Hein boys a massive blow. Picked up a few Pommie recruits themselves?
Creeks should be much more competitive than last few years as have a few players returning to the club.

[jackpot jim]

Just Over a week to the season starts, Thought I'd do some Premiership Odds for the A's
Nairne $1.75
Strath $2.20
Woodside $5
Ashbourne $15
Lobethal $23
Wistow $50
Lanhorne Creek $72

Anyone else got some thoughts?

Thats a pretty reasonable market.
Nairne far too short
My guess
Strath $2.40
Nairne $2.40
Woodside $4.20
Lobey $26
Ashbourne $31
Creeks $34
Wistow $41

[Roxy the Rat Girl]

Just Over a week to the season starts, Thought I'd do some Premiership Odds for the A's
Nairne $1.75
Strath $2.20
Woodside $5
Ashbourne $15
Lobethal $23
Wistow $50
Lanhorne Creek $72

Anyone else got some thoughts?

I'd have the last four pretty close together with regard to odds. I know Creeks were crapola last season but I reakon they will be a bit better than $72 with the blokes they have coming back - thats if the rumours are correct? Lobethal and Ashbourne seem to be the dark horses. I think Lobethal may have a young talented team and Ashbourne may recruit overseas again which in both cases you don't know how they will shape up until the season gets under way. I would have said Wistow to finish in the bottom two given the loss of the Heins but that was until you said they had pommie recruits which could go either way for them and puts them back in contention for 4th spot at the end of the minor round. Again we won't know until the season starts. I hadn't heard about the Woodside recruits you named so on the back of that I now rate them a fair chance for the premiership along with Strath and only just behind Nairne. Strath and Woodside should both be strong but I still place Nairne top as the loss of a couple of players just makes a bit of room for their other guns to get a game. Also I wouldn't be surprised if they have a few nice recruits themselves.

Nairne $1.50
Strath $2.50
Woodside $3.00
Lobethal $20
Ashbourne $20
Langhorne Creek $25
Wistow $25
Hahndorf - Oh thats right - they're pussies.
Callington - they're pussies too
Mount Barker - more pussies

[jackpot jim]

Hahndorf - Oh thats right - they're pussies.
Callington - they're pussies too
Mount Barker - more pussies

Havent you forgotten Milang ? Finniss ? Macclesfield ? Echunga ?

Think you're a bit harsh considering Ashbourne for many years stayed down in B grade.

I do agree tho that quite a few teams take the easy way out and nominate there teams in lower grades rather than accept the challenge to play at a higher level.

[Roxy the Rat Girl]

Ashbourne used to be pussies too. I think these are the three clubs with the potential that have chosen to take the easy way out.

[Ramrod]

Agree with your statements regarding Mount Barker & Hahndorf. For town's that size not to have an A grade is a disgrace. Sums up the Quality of People who play at the club. Mount barker paying Rhys Jordan to Play A2's is another disgrace. Unforunately there definetly will be a Bye. Can only hope ours fall's on the test weekend so i dont have to miss a game of cricket

[Dutchy]

Agree with your statements regarding Mount Barker & Hahndorf. For town's that size not to have an A grade is a disgrace. Sums up the Quality of People who play at the club. Mount barker paying Rhys Jordan to Play A2's is another disgrace. Unforunately there definetly will be a Bye. Can only hope ours fall's on the test weekend so i dont have to miss a game of cricket

In the HCA Onka's are now down to the B Grade along with Bridgewater from a couple of years ago, add them to Mt Barker and Hahndorf and thats a fair area/population they all cover with no A grade!

[Roxy the Rat Girl]

Agree with your statements regarding Mount Barker & Hahndorf. For town's that size not to have an A grade is a disgrace. Sums up the Quality of People who play at the club. Mount barker paying Rhys Jordan to Play A2's is another disgrace. Unforunately there definetly will be a Bye. Can only hope ours fall's on the test weekend so i dont have to miss a game of cricket

In the HCA Onka's are now down to the B Grade along with Bridgewater from a couple of years ago, add them to Mt Barker and Hahndorf and thats a fair area/population they all cover with no A grade!

PUSSIES!

[The Panther]

Hahndorf: What's going on . They had heaps of quality young players in the A grade a few years back. Where have they all gone ?

[The Panther]

Also , I believe Bridgewater nominated for A grade but was knocked back. Seems strange if true as A grade now have 9 teams and a bye

[saintal]

Agree with your statements regarding Mount Barker & Hahndorf. For town's that size not to have an A grade is a disgrace. Sums up the Quality of People who play at the club. Mount barker paying Rhys Jordan to Play A2's is another disgrace. Unforunately there definetly will be a Bye. Can only hope ours fall's on the test weekend so i dont have to miss a game of cricket

In the HCA Onka's are now down to the B Grade along with Bridgewater from a couple of years ago, add them to Mt Barker and Hahndorf and thats a fair area/population they all cover with no A grade!

Fairly big/quick fall from grace for Onkas, given it wasn't that long ago they were winning A Grade flags. At least they have a u17s side, so have some youth coming through.

Also on the HCA..I noticed the A Grade fixture is all 2 day games this year.

[saintal]

Not much news around the TVCA, as is the norm. Nobody else here seems to post about the league anymore, so I’ll just chat amongst myself and create a distraction from work occasionally.

Hardly going out on a limb, but here’s my stab at a ladder prediction:

Gumeracha- Hard to see them declining any time soon.
Palmer- Good mix of youth and experience. Will be keen to atone for poor GF.
Paracombe- Lack the depth of Gum, but will win enough games for a finals spot.
Eden Valley- Feel this will be the year they jump into the 4. A few recruits apparently.

Cambrai- Will be battling EV for 4th spot. Always competitive
Mt Torrens- Results fluctuated through 13/14. Hard to say where they’ll finish
Springton- Promoted on the back of B grade flag. Will carry momentum into this season
Birdwood- Rumours of a few player losses, but youngsters should improve again
Lenswood- Shaping like being another difficult year but happy to be proven wrong

Gum to win the B’s ahead of Paracombe or EV. Hopefully a much more competitive Lenswood to climb off the bottom.

No U16s or 14s comps, with 4 clubs nominating U12s.

[FlyingHigh]

I still enjoy reading your updates saintal.

On the juniors, have they considered combining into perhaps four teams until cricket regains some ground? Cambrai/Springton/EV, Paracombe/Kersbrook, Gum/Bridwood, Lenswood/Mt Torrens/any Lobey spillovers?

Are they still playing two-dayers with nine teams in the A-Grade?

Obviously a problem with juniors in the Torrens Valley based footy sides too? Are there just not the kids there any more?

[saintal]

Thanks FH!

Seniors: Yes, mix of two dayers and one dayers for this season in the A’s. Was a close 5-4 vote in support of keeping two dayers.

Juniors: Currently Palmer play their U15s in the MTCA, Birdwood have U16s and U14s playing in the AEHCA, while I believe Gum will also have an U14s this year in the AEHCA. So there are a small number of U14s/U16s teams around, but obviously not enough for a TVCA comp.

Lenswood, Paracombe, Birdwood and Springton have U12s. I’m unsure whether or not Cambrai will be having a side, while Mt Torrens and EV won’t be.

Talk of amalgamating/combining resources has been raised at a few delegates meetings, but obviously hasn’t happened as yet. Put in the too hard basket? I get the impression that Birdwood attract a few from towns without U14/16s, whilst from a Lenswood point of view we have a number of local 12-15yos playing at Lobethal as most play footy there also. Frustrating.

It’s a fair point re: the footy. Although Kersbrook had both SCs and JCs with footy this year, yet cannot muster 11 cricketers at any grade which is disappointing.

Quality cricketers between the ages of 18 and 25 are few in the comp, so for longevity it needs another generation coming through.

[Roxy the Rat Girl]

AEHCA are having the same discussions / votes on motions regarding the playing of 1 and 2 day matches. A motion has been moved for the A2 grade to move to all 1 dayers. If the motion is not passed it appears the A 2 comp will have but 5 teams whilst the next grade down (B Grade, who already play all 1 dayers) will have about 12 teams. This is being voted on for Tuesday night. The A1 grade will remain a mix of 1 and 2 day matches for now but I don't think it will be long until A1 grade also drops the 2 day format, in fact a motion in that vein was defeated a year or two ago. Many people just can't or don't want to play 2 day cricket anymore and clubs are simply responding to their players needs.