Shark_Hunter wrote:Given some of the chat on the Premier Cricket thread, does anyone think an ATCA club would have any interest or ambition to try to join Div 2 at some point? It's been a fair while since I've seen any A1 cricket and despite some gun players throughout the teams, assume the depth would be the biggest challenge. When I last played I would say the top ATCA teams might have 1-2 players that could hold their own in Premier 1st grade, middle 5-6 would be fringe 1st graders/solid 2nd graders, last 2-3 picked probably 3rd graders. So with a couple of decent recruits, could any current clubs be competitive in SACA Div 2? Interested to hear any thoughts....
I think playing wise the top few in ATCA would certainly have competitive season in a div 2 grade comp, however, as others have mentioned, the players at ATCA aren't interested in Sat/Sun cricket, 11am starts and taking training overly seriously (some individuals might be but the generalisation that the wider group isn't; is true).
The biggest hurdle however will be aligning the promoted atca club's team structure to fit in with Grade cricket's 4 senior teams. EG: SPOC, Flinders Park and Trinity OS would have to find a 4th side, as they currently only have 3. Grange, PAOC and Marion all have 5 at the moment so would need to drop a side. Goodwood with 8 would be the biggest one impacted.
in saying this I think you will find that if this was to happen it may open up clubs to have more interest which in turn will bring that 4th side. Take TOS as an example- they have the barossa at their door step with 2 other leagues in the barossa and PDCA that would potentially have some guys looking to potentially play at a higher level without heading to Northerns or TTG
Grade cricket - where only the A-grade gets a T20 comp. ATCA - where every team in every club can play T20.
We saw it last year with Kensi and Adel Uni both putting teams into the lower ATCA T20 comps, and more grade clubs are looking to do the same for this coming season. We will continue to see more and more grade clubs making their way into the various ATCA comps, rather than teams heading the other way IMO.
Danny Southern telling Plugga he's fat, I'd like to see that!
First and foremost an A1 team would need a rock solid committee and rock solid finances. Don't have both of these you'd be toast. Would saca pay all curation fees? This would take some of the financial burden away.
Grade cricket is a big step up commitment wise so you'd really have to poll all of the playing group. You'd need healthy numbers of both seniors and juniors. Dragging blokes out of the pub to play d grade cricket every week would get rather stressful I'd think. But good on any club willing to have a crack at grade cricket. Blokes getting paid at atca level wouldn't continue if they went to grade cricket?
bloods08 wrote:SHOC, Panorama & Mercedes have all folded apparently.
Will Rostrevor stay in A2 or will the spot be offered to Golden Grove?
surprised that SHOC would have folded from ATCA
Is this legit? If so, wonder what happened. They've been in turf a long time.
SHOC decision surprises me given they were pretty competitive in A2 last year. Mind you it wasn't that long ago that Pembroke OS and Pulteney OS were in A1, so things can change pretty quickly. It will be hard work to start these teams back up again, but let's hope they return to ATCA soon.
bloods08 wrote:SHOC, Panorama & Mercedes have all folded apparently.
Will Rostrevor stay in A2 or will the spot be offered to Golden Grove?
surprised that SHOC would have folded from ATCA
Is this legit? If so, wonder what happened. They've been in turf a long time.
SHOC decision surprises me given they were pretty competitive in A2 last year. Mind you it wasn't that long ago that Pembroke OS and Pulteney OS were in A1, so things can change pretty quickly. It will be hard work to start these teams back up again, but let's hope they return to ATCA soon.
Available Ovals are becoming a real issue down South. Some Private schools are becoming very protective of their ovals. I don’t know, but it might have something to do with it.
bloods08 wrote:SHOC, Panorama & Mercedes have all folded apparently.
Will Rostrevor stay in A2 or will the spot be offered to Golden Grove?
surprised that SHOC would have folded from ATCA
Is this legit? If so, wonder what happened. They've been in turf a long time.
Yea there as rumours 12 months ago that they were going to pull out. ROCS were given the first choice to stay up and accepted that option as you would expect,
