SA Footy

Cricket Blast costs exactly the same as Auskick I just think alot of people don't know about it.
Auskick is pretty well known whereas when I mention to people that Cricket Blast exists and alot haven't even heard of it.

Cricket Blast is great value, and a great introduction.. unfortunately they’ve scraped the Master Blasters format so there is no program between entry level Blast and U10’s.

Participation numbers from SACA and CA are skewed coz they count kids they engage with in school programs, they couldn’t give a stuff about community cricket.

A shake up is needed, but at the moment T20 comps and tennis ball cricket is taking over.

Yeah Blast is great value especially if you use that school sports voucher. I was told they scrapped the Master Blasters because they felt there wasn't a need for something between Blast and Under 10s and as a parent of kids in both Blast and Under 10s I kind of agree with that to be honest. Maybe it works in metro areas with more kids but I don't think many clubs up here in the Hills at least ever ran a Master Blasters.

I was told it was scrapped because there was too much confusion between Junior Blasters and Master Blasters.

Perhaps it’s just our club, but I get a lot of kids 4/5/6 sign up to Blast cricket - and I’ve seen some roll into U10 but the gap in ability is massive - half the kids can’t even bowl or bat yet.

I can’t keep making these kids do Blast until they’re ready though they get bored.

Anyway, could be worse

We find kids finish with junior blasters and want to jump straight into Under 10 club cricket rather than play master blasters.

Lightning McQueen wrote:I wouldn’t mind seeing a knockout cup like you have suggested instead of just the T20
SAMCA Cup thingy

Would be good really.. allocated a few Saturdays during the year for an FA Cup Knockout style competition.. play the final at Karen Rolton or something. Cash prize.

Don't set it up as KO inter-association first though, just stick everyone in a pool and draw opponents - would be a little exciting if 1st round you're drawn somewhere completely foreign. Each club one side only - whether your one side is in the lowest division of the poorest competition or the highest division of the best competition.

Make it 40 over game instead of T20 so there is a modicum of cricket and team ability required, not just one bloke having a day out off his 30 balls.

Hard wicket clubs only, stuff the ATCA snobs.

The Bedge wrote:

Lightning McQueen wrote:I wouldn’t mind seeing a knockout cup like you have suggested instead of just the T20
SAMCA Cup thingy

Would be good really.. allocated a few Saturdays during the year for an FA Cup Knockout style competition.. play the final at Karen Rolton or something. Cash prize.

Don't set it up as KO inter-association first though, just stick everyone in a pool and draw opponents - would be a little exciting if 1st round you're drawn somewhere completely foreign. Each club one side only - whether your one side is in the lowest division of the poorest competition or the highest division of the best competition.

Make it 40 over game instead of T20 so there is a modicum of cricket and team ability required, not just one bloke having a day out off his 30 balls.

Hard wicket clubs only, stuff the ATCA snobs.

Love the idea but you would need a few Saturdays hey????

If you had 32 teams in a knockout you're already talking 5 weekends and I'm sure there would be far more than 32 teams, unless you just did winners/top 2 from all the different comps around

The Bedge wrote:

Lightning McQueen wrote:I wouldn’t mind seeing a knockout cup like you have suggested instead of just the T20
SAMCA Cup thingy

Would be good really.. allocated a few Saturdays during the year for an FA Cup Knockout style competition.. play the final at Karen Rolton or something. Cash prize.

Don't set it up as KO inter-association first though, just stick everyone in a pool and draw opponents - would be a little exciting if 1st round you're drawn somewhere completely foreign. Each club one side only - whether your one side is in the lowest division of the poorest competition or the highest division of the best competition.

Make it 40 over game instead of T20 so there is a modicum of cricket and team ability required, not just one bloke having a day out off his 30 balls.

Hard wicket clubs only, stuff the ATCA snobs.

40 overs is the magic number IMO.

Imagine Smithfield drawing Sutton Derby

whufc wrote:unless you just did winners/top 2 from all the different comps around

Shit idea you stuck up elitist

The Bedge wrote:

whufc wrote:unless you just did winners/top 2 from all the different comps around

Shit idea you stuck up elitist

You could do what they do in european soccer with the Champions League, Europa, Europa Conference.

Top 2/3 or whatever of each comp go into one knockout tournament. All the 4/5/6 teams go into like a div 2 knockout tournament etc etc.

Unless you can find 10 weekends to fit the 150 a grade one day sides that would want to play in it.

Cap at 128 sides - that's potentially 7 matches / weeks required.

Be creative with the scheduling - associations provide two free Saturdays to allow, utilise public holiday / long weekends.. maybe the odd Sunday game or Friday night under lights.

Or leave 7x weeks free in associations through out the year, and when teams are knocked out, they play another eliminated side.. take seedings for the following season.

Means for a 3rd of the year you play some random side haha

Ah who knows, it's all too hard, but interesting chat.

Like it

Would add a lot of fun into the season.

Played a lot of soccer in my time and ‘cup games’ and ‘cup runs’ were often the highlight of a season

The Bedge wrote:Cap at 128 sides - that's potentially 7 matches / weeks required.

Be creative with the scheduling - associations provide two free Saturdays to allow, utilise public holiday / long weekends.. maybe the odd Sunday game or Friday night under lights.

Or leave 7x weeks free in associations through out the year, and when teams are knocked out, they play another eliminated side.. take seedings for the following season.

Means for a 3rd of the year you play some random side haha

Ah who knows, it's all too hard, but interesting chat.

I like the idea. Would be fun to play "new" teams. And the novelty of the hard wicket/turf ovals. But it would have to be a Sunday competition. I can't see associations giving up Saturdays. Especially as we already lose some to rain/heat every season anyway.