- Jun 20, 2018
- 2,162
- 2,274
- AFL Club
- Sydney
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- Dragons, Blues, Tassie Tigers
All our Test players began their red ball cricket journey in weekend club or grade or as it is now known Premier Cricket. To my knowledge, outside of junior or underage level cricket almost all the rest is the white ball variety. . it is in my state of NSW .. from normal cricket to rep from under 16 to under 21 and nationally all u15/17/19 matches are soley white ball. In my state a junior is in a kind of limbo between 14 years to when he is chosen for PC at probably around 16/17 and for most that will be in the lower grades. The only two states, again to my knowledge, that are bucking this trend are Western Australia and Tasmania as they have incorporated a red ball component into their PC program for underage cricketers. The TCA plays an under 17 age group while the WACA plays an additional under 13 and 15 age group. Is it any wonder when special talents such as Cameron Green emerge, as he and hundreds of other West Aussie kids are honing their red ball skills from the age of 13 in a strong level of cricket. The boys in my state will also be playing against seasoned adult cricketers which can be rather daunting unless you are blessed with exceptional talent or mental capacity.. or both. Whereas those boys in WA and Tassie are playing against their own age group. All other four state cricket associations need to follow the system now adopted by the WACA and the TCA as a matter of priority in my view if we are to continue to produce elite red ball cricketers in an ocean of white ball cricket.