State Redbacks

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The Hussey review rediscovers what we already know. Too many teams to dilute Premier club cricket.

People love trotting this line out and it has merit but they don’t really seem across the specifics of which teams should be merged. Apologies if you are making the below wall of text is irrelevant.

Its hard to get the right teams. Last time they tried it the team in the gun won the 2 day, 1 day and t20 flags in one season and should never been in the gun given their track record in all indicators over the last 20 years but were in the gun due to a small zone and vulnerable neighbours.

Two of the clubs that have really struggled in the last decade, Northern and Southern District will always be safe due to having large zones.

Also, logically , in an SA system of junior grade cricket (regardless of the merits of that considering most other states do not have week to week junior grade cricket), University should merge with prospect who have been horrendous for 20 years now. It will never happen as University board is full of influential types and the club gets a heap of money through the uni to poach some of the states best young players.

Just using these examples to demonstrate how the process in any grade merger discussions are compromised before it even begins.
 
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Really interested to see his approach

Some of our better players are older - Ferguson, Cooper, Mennie, Sayers. Will they still be integral parts of our first choice line up or are we at the stage where we need to usher in some new blood?

Jake Weatherald is someone who's really lost his way the last couple of seasons after starting to enter possible test prospect chat prior to that. Hopefully he can regain his mojo.

Do we know if we'll have a batting coach? I assume that Luke Butterworth will still be in charge of the quicks.
 
Mycricket have posted a 16 man squad for the Redbacks 1st game.

Suspect lineup something like this:


Hunt
Weatherald
Ferguson
Head
Cooper
Davis
Nielsen
Sayers
Winter
Agar
Pope

McInerney, Scott, Robins, Valente


Few players missing, apart from Richardson/Carey: Mennie, Worrall, Lehmann, Bosisto in addition to young players Drew & Grant
 
Without being too negative it's a fairly uninspiring lineup. Basically what we finished last season with.

I have to say none of the all-rounders in Scott, Valente or Robbins offer much. Scott will improve but none could really hold down number six and none of them could be a top four bowler.

Who would be the spinner for the Redbacks besides Pope? Who is the next keeper behind Neilsen?
 
Josh Barrett is the next keeper in line. Bloody good club cricketer, outstanding keeper. There were some critics who thought he should have been promoted ahead of Nielsen as the No 2. I'm not convinced on that - think there's a few who just have the knives out for Tim Nielsen. Harry is a good cricketer.

There is no other red ball spinner that I can see. Michael Cormack is an offie but would be a white ball option only. Same with Sam Kerber who is a left arm finger spinner. Darter. Both are in the 2nd XI squad or whatever it's called now. I can't see either of them playing a Shield game this season as a frontline spinner.

Outside of that there's a kid from Glenelg Will Bowering who has some wraps on him. Leg spinner. Goes ok but he's still a kid, 17 or 18. Same with Seb Young who is an offie similar age. Really good prospect (Brad Young's kid) but both miles off a Shield game.

I really think it'll be Pope or 4 quicks - maybe Bosisto gets a guernsey as a No 6 batter who can roll out some offies.
 
There just seems to be a certain element of deckchairs on the titanic about the whole thing, the grade talent pool is largely dry and has been for years
 
There just seems to be a certain element of deckchairs on the titanic about the whole thing, the grade talent pool is largely dry and has been for years
There's a guy playing at my current club who's played Grade Cricket in Victoria, NSW, Canberra and SA. Says SA is a LOT weaker than NSW and Victoria and that it should be much better than ACT than it was when he played there (8-10 years ago)
 

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I actually rate Bosisto's bowling, wouldn't mind him at 6 or 7 if Carey ever plays.

Don’t think he’s capable of getting top 7 bats out consistently in first class cricket but Could be okay in a holding role if they want to play 4 seamers.
 
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I don't really see how Ferguson can be that perplexed at his non selection. Personally I wouldn't of given him a contract just to get a fresh start.

I hope they give Scott a block of games. I know he is a seamer but we have bowled Head to much over the last couple of years.

I hope he proves me wrong today but I am a bit surprised at Davies selection. I know he has scored a heap of runs at the lower level but is not really the future.

I am heading in today. Hopefully we can have them out by lunch and get some runs on the board.
 
I don't really see how Ferguson can be that perplexed at his non selection. Personally I wouldn't of given him a contract just to get a fresh start.

Yeah was a pretty tone deaf response from Ferguson. Second oldest player in the Shield competition. And from his seven Shield games last season:

"However, it was his returns in the first innings of those seven matches – 115 at 16.43 with a highest score of 44 – that led SA's new chair of selectors James Pyke to instigate changes with inexperienced Brad Davis listed to bat at three against WA."


I hope they give Scott a block of games. I know he is a seamer but we have bowled Head to much over the last couple of years.
Couldn't agree more with this. Head averages 69.2 with the ball in Shield cricket. Should not bowl a single red ball over this summer.
 
I'd say it will be unfortunately but what were the alternatives?
In terms of curators? Trent Kelly is from his father-in-law's school of roads.

Prepares the pitches too early so there is absolutely no moisture in them by game time.
 
In terms of curators? Trent Kelly is from his father-in-law's school of roads.

Prepares the pitches too early so there is absolutely no moisture in them by game time.

In terms of getting the Shield up and running. Only have to look at the grade scores on a weekly basis to know that the wickets being used aren't really bowler friendly.
 
In terms of getting the Shield up and running. Only have to look at the grade scores on a weekly basis to know that the wickets being used aren't really bowler friendly.
There's no reason for them to be how they are

More moisture, more grass and there will be a better contest between bat and ball.
 
Just transfering what I said on another thread I don't see how the Redbacks and Dizzy can turn this around in particular the batting. Sure we will win games along the way but I struggle to see too many positives.

I think the fast bowler is probably okay, between Worrall, Sayers, Mennie, Winter, Richardson and Agar I feel like they can compete.

The keeping is okay. Neilson can hold his own when Carey is away although he needs to score runs if he is going to bat at six.

None of the all rounders impress me but as I said in a above post, Scott is still young so needs time. Valente and Robbins are not good enough with the bat or ball to be selected.

Pope has obviously got a future but how can the State not have a second spinner worthy of a contract?

As for the batting it is a disaster. Head is one of my favourite players but he is unreliable and obviously Weatherald scored runs but can't do it consistently.

I know Cooper scored runs last year but it is time to move on and likewise with Ferguson. To be honest I think we are wasting our time with Davies, Bossisto, McInerney, Drew and Hunt.

Sorry for such a negative post, I was sitting at Karen Rolten Oval over weekend just not seeing much hope. I hope I am proven wrong.
 
And having a batting line-up not posting decent totals makes it tough on bowlers
 
And having a batting line-up not posting decent totals makes it tough on bowlers
I'm sure one of the reasons our quicks have started to run into injury troubles is having to constantly go back onto the field and bowl again so soon
 

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