A Better Cricket Pathway

[BGman]

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.

 

[t_94]

Red ball junior cricket in SA with underage grade clubs as well. 1sts and 2nds at u/14 level and u/16 level.

I actually prefer the NSW way. Adds prestige to making a grade club at Green Shield level. Have to earn it. Play for your local club and rep / state carnivals if you’re good enough until then.

 

[Teen Wolf]

unless you are blessed with exceptional talent or mental capacity.. or both.

Certainly not the kind of players we want to be identifying as Test prospects and catering our pathway programs to!

But ok, if the broader point is more consideration needs to be given to the notion that everybody develops at a different rate, then fine. It still seems like such a small drop in what is a sea of problems with the domestic structure. For instance, can we at least have the Sheffield Shield season run into December alongside the home Test schedule? No, don't be silly, next question.

 

[BGman]

Red ball junior cricket in SA with underage grade clubs as well. 1sts and 2nds at u/14 level and u/16 level.

I actually prefer the NSW way. Adds prestige to making a grade club at Green Shield level. Have to earn it. Play for your local club and rep / state carnivals if you’re good enough until then.

Yes but you are playing white ball cricket in Green Shield.. so where is the honing of skills to make a decent fist of red ball Premier Cricket. That is my point.

You saying that SACA is also hosting Premier Cricket underage clubs? Will check it out. Is this recent and can we expect to see some exceptional SAussie red ball cricketers emerge in the next decade? To be brutally honest there has not been many over the past 20 years as SACA seems to prefer importing players. This is not good for the future of SAussie cricket. TCA has done the same for many years. But I have seen signs that their PC underage system is working with the emergence of some special talent from their u17 ranks. A name to watch out for Louis Smith. You heard it here first. Another is Daniel Sartori. Both these teens posted double hundreds last season and dominated their clubs and the competition..

can we at least have the Sheffield Shield season run into December alongside the home Test schedule? No, don't be silly, next question.

Oh yes. I see your point as we will then have fresh in form guys ready to step up to the national level in case of form loss or injury. An equally pressing agenda to having the shield season run thru December is for the the comp to return to 10 consecutive rounds by starting it sooner... silly, next question.

Almost all junior cricket, community cricket and premier cricket

In my state too.. except junior rep which is white ball. But do you have any underage say u15/17 teams in Premier Cricket red ball. I am saying NSW does not while Tassie and WA do.

 

[toml]

Have to earn it.

Do they though? Pretty sure Jack Edwards had never scored a 100 at any level prior to his List A Shield debut for NSW

 

[idel one]

Almost all junior cricket, community cricket and premier cricket in Brisbane is predominantly with a red ball. Limited overs comps do use a white ball at the higher level I recall. Quality of ball varies a fair bit - some good, some barely last an innings - comes down to what level you are at and what deals have been struck with providers (ie Kookaburra, Gabba, Platypus etc).

 

[ScrappyCoCo]

The local comp (in Vic) my kid came through had 2 piece yellow kookaburra balls (Fri night)...that later moved to pink for games (mostly 40 overs games with some 24 over games, which towards the end changed to 20 overs). His rep cricket were white platypus ball, 45 to 50 over games...his final year under 18s was t20 though.

His only exposure to red in juniors was many years ago on a Sat morning juniors (which he didn't do a lot off) or he had to play seniors in his local sub district club (80 overs, 4 piece ball). I think he played his first 4th XI game when he was about 12 so got lots of exposure to it through there. Some of their games were one day games with white balls.

His last years senior cricket was all one dayers with a red ball due to covid...and I think it will be the same this year.

 

[BGman]

The local comp (in Vic) my kid came through had 2 piece yellow kookaburra balls (Fri night)...that later moved to pink for games (mostly 40 overs games with some 24 over games, which towards the end changed to 20 overs). His rep cricket were white platypus ball, 45 to 50 over games...his final year under 18s was t20 though.

His only exposure to red in juniors was many years ago on a Sat morning juniors (which he didn't do a lot off) or he had to play seniors in his local sub district club (80 overs, 4 piece ball). I think he played his first 4th XI game when he was about 12 so got lots of exposure to it through there. Some of their games were one day games with white balls.

His last years senior cricket was all one dayers with a red ball due to covid...and I think it will be the same this year.

My boy also played red ball community cricket on Sat mornings. The only road bump on the pathway to red ball state cricket that I can see is that all national level junior cricket (U17/19) is white ball. Catering solely for our 20 and 50 over comps. This too needs to change with a red ball component added to future national programs.

Do they though? Pretty sure Jack Edwards had never scored a 100 at any level prior to his List A Shield debut for NSW

In the national U19s he scored plenty.. unsure if a ton was among them .That was what tweaked the attention of the Blues selectors. Again this absurd policy of picking a promising cricketer for red ball cricket on his white ball performances. Is it any wonder he failed repeatedly at Shield level. Another that found red ball cricket too much after huge wraps from his national U19 exploits was Steve Waugh's boy. Perhaps he left the game due to the pressure of being the son of a great of the game rather a red ball talent issue.

 

[BGman]

Red ball junior cricket in SA with underage grade clubs as well. 1sts and 2nds at u/14 level and u/16 level.

Thanks for that info t 94. I confirmed your post on SACA website. In my state Premier goes down to grade level 5. Yours to level four. Offering your under 16 level players that will have gained good red ball nurturing and sufficient red ball match play to tackle the step up in intensity of senior cricket. Imho that shows excellent vision by SACA, TCA and WACA .

 

[ROOTA#6]

Under 17 country week in regional Vic is all T20 cricket…makes me sick

 

[ScrappyCoCo]

Under 17 country week in regional Vic is all T20 cricket…makes me sick

My kid did the Vic 18s a few years the first time it went to all games t20. The parents were all really upset about it. But after sitting through it and watching I thought it was pretty good as it was able to highlight every kids strengths and weaknesses very quickly. If you were a poor fielder it showed. If you couldn't think on your feet and adjust quickly it showed and so on. The better players rose to the top by the end. The stronger regions made the finals. It's probably not great for long form of cricket but was better than I thought it would be. At least they got to learn and try to execute new skills and lets face it there are more opportunities for a bigger number of players in these short forms going forward.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

My kid did the Vic 18s a few years the first time it went to all games t20. The parents were all really upset about it. But after sitting through it and watching I thought it was pretty good as it was able to highlight every kids strengths and weaknesses very quickly. If you were a poor fielder it showed. If you couldn't think on your feet and adjust quickly it showed and so on. The better players rose to the top by the end. The stronger regions made the finals. It's probably not great for long form of cricket but was better than I thought it would be. At least they got to learn and try to execute new skills and lets face it there are more opportunities for a bigger number of players in these short forms going forward.

Yep, they've become purely Talent ID carnivals rather than development carnivals.

See as many players as they can quickly to decide who to pick in their various squads.

Whether that's the right way to go...?

 

[ScrappyCoCo]

Yep, they've become purely Talent ID carnivals rather than development carnivals.

See as many players as they can quickly to decide who to pick in their various squads.

Whether that's the right way to go...?

From that carnival about 40 kids were selected for Vic Metro squads and another 40 odd for country. They trained at the g and Junction...maybe 20 times. My kid bats and is a leg spinner. He was helped mainly from Michael Beer for bowling, some premier coaches and Greg Shipperd for batting. I think the quicks worked with Clint Mckay and a few other former Vics. The development and practice they got there was very good (50 over focus) but lots of technical help and guidance. A few of the kids that made the state carnival worked their way into the BBL squads and some have made state teams and the u19 Aust team.