Grade Cricket

[Aeropti]

To rehash an old post and to limit the need to go through the whole scenario of choosing teams to merge or cull - let performance dictate as below.

Keeping in the October-March time-frame, I reckon you could do something like:

Premier Grade - 8 Teams - Three Trophies
- 3-day comp (Sat + Sat/Sun) 7 Rounds plus 4-day Final (Sat/Sun + Sat/Sun) to finish season
- 1-day comp 7 Rounds (Saturdays) plus Final done by January
- T20 comp 7 Rounds (mid week evenings) Final done by February
- All senior state level players or players aspiring to play state level for that season or the next would play for Premier Grade clubs

A combination of the three competitions above to determine who would have a possibility of being relegated by finishing bottom.

Players playing Premier Grade would play 7 Sunday's, plus Sunday Finals for all 3 competitions over the course of a season.

District Grade - 14 Teams - One Trophy
- Combination of 1-day and 2-day games, 13 Rounds, all played on Saturday's, except for Sat/Sun Semi Final and Final.
- I would add a new team at Mt Barker with the new facilities being currently built - servicing the Hills/Strathalbyn/Murray Bridge etc.
- The 8 Premier Grade teams to field their 2nd Grade in this competition.
- If a 1st Grade team won the premiership, they would be promoted to Premier Grade to replace the bottom team.

Reserve Grade A - Optional Entry to be determined before start of season by each club
- Essentially 3rd Grade/2nd Grade teams, up to clubs if they want to submit a team or their Reserve Grade players play for local clubs.

Reserve Grade B - Optional Entry to be determined before start of season by each club
- Essentially 4th/3rd Grade teams, up to clubs if they want to submit a team or their Reserve Grade players play for local clubs.

Every club to also have a Womens team in a similar set-up.

Juniors, just one U17, U15 and U13 team playing each weekend with fluid player movement between local clubs and grade clubs to ensure everyone is getting a game and the most committed and talented are playing in the Grade teams.

Unnecessarily complicated imo. Cricket Australia would also never let it happen as they wont even let 'premier' cricket be called something different in each state. Also creates a situation where any player with state aspirations has to leave a club if the club has one bad season and gets relegated. Becomes a bit silly if there is a merry go round of players for that reason.

They probably are too many teams but I think the Redbacks would still struggle compared to other states. Simplistic to think it will solve everything by simply removing three teams from the grade competition.

[the smokey]

That is way to complicated -

10 teams in the premier cricket comp - each side has an A grade, B grade & C grade - 1 under 17's, 1 under 15's and 1 under 13's - if you cant field all 6 sides you are not wanted in the comp.

SACA & ATCA to work closely together so that scheduling is the same - Anyone who is not playing in the grade comp can play at an ATCA club - which will assist with the strength of all turf cricket comps in metro Adelaide! Dual rego is no longer required for the main comp as they will be played on the same days and no premier cricket bye which means sides cant be stacked.

For the benefit of all cricket in SA make it happen!

[Gosaints]

To rehash an old post and to limit the need to go through the whole scenario of choosing teams to merge or cull - let performance dictate as below.

Keeping in the October-March time-frame, I reckon you could do something like:

Premier Grade - 8 Teams - Three Trophies
- 3-day comp (Sat + Sat/Sun) 7 Rounds plus 4-day Final (Sat/Sun + Sat/Sun) to finish season
- 1-day comp 7 Rounds (Saturdays) plus Final done by January
- T20 comp 7 Rounds (mid week evenings) Final done by February
- All senior state level players or players aspiring to play state level for that season or the next would play for Premier Grade clubs

A combination of the three competitions above to determine who would have a possibility of being relegated by finishing bottom.

Players playing Premier Grade would play 7 Sunday's, plus Sunday Finals for all 3 competitions over the course of a season.

District Grade - 14 Teams - One Trophy
- Combination of 1-day and 2-day games, 13 Rounds, all played on Saturday's, except for Sat/Sun Semi Final and Final.
- I would add a new team at Mt Barker with the new facilities being currently built - servicing the Hills/Strathalbyn/Murray Bridge etc.
- The 8 Premier Grade teams to field their 2nd Grade in this competition.
- If a 1st Grade team won the premiership, they would be promoted to Premier Grade to replace the bottom team.

Reserve Grade A - Optional Entry to be determined before start of season by each club
- Essentially 3rd Grade/2nd Grade teams, up to clubs if they want to submit a team or their Reserve Grade players play for local clubs.

Reserve Grade B - Optional Entry to be determined before start of season by each club
- Essentially 4th/3rd Grade teams, up to clubs if they want to submit a team or their Reserve Grade players play for local clubs.

Every club to also have a Womens team in a similar set-up.

Juniors, just one U17, U15 and U13 team playing each weekend with fluid player movement between local clubs and grade clubs to ensure everyone is getting a game and the most committed and talented are playing in the Grade teams.

Unnecessarily complicated imo. Cricket Australia would also never let it happen as they wont even let 'premier' cricket be called something different in each state. Also creates a situation where any player with state aspirations has to leave a club if the club has one bad season and gets relegated. Becomes a bit silly if there is a merry go round of players for that reason.

They probably are too many teams but I think the Redbacks would still struggle compared to other states. Simplistic to think it will solve everything by simply removing three teams from the grade competition.

as I understand it the saca has stated they will have no forced mergers.

saca have essentially handed over the matter to cricket australia to facilitate with a line of reporting from the saca manager of premier cricket role to CA.

the division proposal above is the likely outcome with some tweaks and a new club or relocation of an existing club to a regional base.

contracted players will play where directed to play.

[Tony Clifton]

You'd think a merger is effectively a ticket into the top division

Clubs who have been struggling may see the writing on the wall and think they're no chance of surviving/thriving if they get put in a second division so a merger might be the lesser of two evils.

Previously mergers have fallen through because remaining as a stand alone club in the highest division has been an achievable option. Take that option away and it will be interesting to see whether perspectives change.

[Gosaints]

You'd think a merger is effectively a ticket into the top division

Clubs who have been struggling may see the writing on the wall and think they're no chance of surviving/thriving if they get put in a second division so a merger might be the lesser of two evils.

Previously mergers have fallen through because remaining as a stand alone club in the highest division has been an achievable option. Take that option away and it will be interesting to see whether perspectives change.

agreed.

probs already at least one club thinking along those lines.

[Gosaints]

how is the shot selection by the sa boys in the shield game?

perhaps leave the clubs alone and sort out the systemic problems within the saca organisation first.

[Minimum Chips]

how is the shot selection by the sa boys in the shield game?

perhaps leave the clubs alone and sort out the systemic problems within the saca organisation first.

The batting coach too busy playing golf and being on the radio?

[Aerie]

To simplify the concept I put forward:

1st Grade - 8 Clubs
2nd Grade - All clubs (1st Grade team of clubs not in 1st Grade)
3rd Grade - Optional
4th Grade - Optional
Under 17 - one team for every club
Under 15 - one team for every club
Under 13 - one team for every club

Every club should have a Women's/Girls set up too.

If a club wins 2nd Grade and are not already in 1st Grade, they are promoted in place of the team that finished bottom in 1st Grade. Otherwise, no change.

If teams think merging is a better option, then fine. They shouldn’t be forced to though. There is no guarantee that 10 years down the track the merged club would be better off and often it would be worse off.

Don’t destroy something that’s been around for 100 plus years because you can’t get that back. You can tweak the competition though.

The top end clearly needs to be stronger and the best players playing in fewer teams does this. It is also important though, to funnel as many talented kids through a good set up as possible, regardless of demographic, to find that future Test cricketer.

[bulldogproud]

Just watched a batting master class at Henley Oval from Ryan Gibson. Opened for the Western Eagles didn't open his account until the 19th ball he faced then proceeded to hit 205 off 118 balls, 20 x 4 and 10 x 6. Could be destined for higher honours, we will just have to wait and see.

Cricket has an uncanny ability of being a great leveller - Gibbo was out for 1, second ball today. Will succeed a lot more than he fails this year though.

[Minimum Chips]

Wow - Sturt chase 350+ last week and couldn't chase 217 today. Well done Prospect in what is probably their final year.

[Jetters]

That is way to complicated -

10 teams in the premier cricket comp - each side has an A grade, B grade & C grade - 1 under 17's, 1 under 15's and 1 under 13's - if you cant field all 6 sides you are not wanted in the comp.

SACA & ATCA to work closely together so that scheduling is the same - Anyone who is not playing in the grade comp can play at an ATCA club - which will assist with the strength of all turf cricket comps in metro Adelaide! Dual rego is no longer required for the main comp as they will be played on the same days and no premier cricket bye which means sides cant be stacked.

For the benefit of all cricket in SA make it happen!

Totally agree the multi div idea is unnessessarily complicated. No good for loyal state players who find their clubs out of top div.

I think a move to 10 clubs, without much further change is a strong solution. Strong clubs have talent in D grade and with 10 clubs they should all be 'strong'. By removing 3 clubs/12 teams you effectively remove all existing D grade level players. The bottom team in any sports club will have its issues and by removing D grade some of those issues will just move up to C grade, the new bottom grade.

Strong clubs also have talent across 4 junior teams. I think having 2 years between age groups with no whites will cause major talent ID issues as that format will heavily favour the selection of the physical early developers. If you're a talented, small kid with an unfortunate bday, making you also young for your 2 yr jnr grade block, you are in a very tough place. By going to 10 clubs, removing 8 jnr teams, nearly a whole grade, that should resolve a lot of issues.

Another vital consideration is You also need a critical mass of people at a club allow it to function as a sports club (need the revenue from subs, enough people to make it work socially etc).

I agree the overall comp is too large, but remove 3 clubs and see how the dominos fall. For strong clubs a D grade and 4x juniors is relevant. Perhaps you could remove D and U16 whites add an U18s and move to 7 teams per club from 8 teams. 10 clubs @ 7 teams would move the comp from a 100 team comp to a 70 team comp. Wouldn't go smaller that in first instance.

It would be nice for all clubs to have women and girls, but the talent pool is not large enough. There needs to be an opportunity for junior girls to play against other junior girls. Initially this may through a week long type carnival, like boys U18s, but to have young girls play against adults, and no opportunity against their peers, is no good for the players or sustainability of the game.

[ferret]

Just watched a batting master class at Henley Oval from Ryan Gibson. Opened for the Western Eagles didn't open his account until the 19th ball he faced then proceeded to hit 205 off 118 balls, 20 x 4 and 10 x 6. Could be destined for higher honours, we will just have to wait and see.

Cricket has an uncanny ability of being a great leveller - Gibbo was out for 1, second ball today. Will succeed a lot more than he fails this year though.

Would rather the win and Gibson make 1 than his 205 and a loss.
With last weeks two highest run scorers failing, it was good to see some lesser lights come to the fore and with Daniel Drew's brilliant century, a winning score was registered.
After a long lay off with injury it was exciting to see Spencer Johnson gradually getting back to his best.

[Tony Clifton]

Pirates!

[Aerie]

Anyone used the new match centre live scoring and video stream?

It is good to be able to view live video when available. In terms of finding the matches, looking at ladders etc, it’s a bit of a dogs breakfast. Also clicked on the highlights to view things like wickets - every wicket I went to view had the batsman walking off at the start of the video, so didn’t see the dismissal!

The idea of it is good - but functions poorly at the moment. MyCricket was better.

[billy]

The Grade Cricket restructure needs to happen quickly

Team 1 Tea Tree Gully (Pertaringa) Team 5 West Torrens - Adelaide University (Henley Beach)
Team 2 Northern Districts (Salisbury) Team 6 Kensington (Parkinson)
Team 3 Southern Districts - Glenelg. (Glenelg) Team 7 East Torrens - Prospect (Campbelltown)
Team 4 Port - Woodville (Woodville) Team 8 Sturt - Adelaide (Hawthorn)

Jason Gillespie needs a shift in off field culture.

Need a batting coach who can turn up to coach, is not from this failed culture and has a record of success.

In the short term all jobs are on the line.

[Gosaints]

The Grade Cricket restructure needs to happen quickly

Team 1 Tea Tree Gully (Pertaringa) Team 5 West Torrens - Adelaide University (Henley Beach)
Team 2 Northern Districts (Salisbury) Team 6 Kensington (Parkinson)
Team 3 Southern Districts - Glenelg. (Glenelg) Team 7 East Torrens - Prospect (Campbelltown)
Team 4 Port - Woodville (Woodville) Team 8 Sturt - Adelaide (Hawthorn)

Jason Gillespie needs a shift in off field culture.

Need a batting coach who can turn up to coach, is not from this failed culture and has a record of success.

In the short term all jobs are on the line.

so clearly not a priority to have competitive games under this model.

our state players play against better players every game and they don't seem to be getting better.

only 2 things need to happen today and that is 2 resignations in the saca

[Tony Clifton]

Two day cricket starts this week

Tea Tree Gully vs Northern Districts - the Bulls won't want to start 0-3. Long way back from there.
University vs East Torrens - Game of the Round. Is Lehmann in the SACA hub? Winter? Weatherald...?
Adelaide vs Sturt - Pretty ordinary start to the season for the Buffalos and Sturt would be disappointed losing to Prospect after a great Rnd 1 win. Big game here.
Prospect vs Port Adelaide - the winner here goes 2-1 and will feel like they're in contention.
West Torrens vs Woodville - as per above. 2-1 for the winner
Southern District vs Kensington - would expect Kensington to win here

[Gosaints]

movement with a coach?

[The Bedge]

Prospect vs Port Adelaide - the winner here goes 2-1 and will feel like they're in contention.

The great false hope.

[Tony Clifton]

movement with a coach?

Already? Surely not