Domestic cricket revamp.

[Matt79]

I reckon putting some more money into a 2nd XI (but give it a more appealling name than that) competition, where players can make at least the best part of a living from it and compete at a higher level than district cricket would be the way to go. NT and ACT could be in that (realistically, the ACT does not have the population to support a team, it would perpetually be a team made up of interstate recruits plus only a few locals - the Raiders have been in Canberra for a long time now and still struggle to stay solvent).

It wouldn't dilute the FC comp, but would give the additional opportunities Berry correctly identifies as being required, as well as given the best players not playing FC the opportunity to play against each other. That's 8 teams - one for each state and territory - assuming squads of 16 that's another 128 players who could make some kind of living from cricket. The salaries would obviously not be as good as FC, and realistically wouldn't be enough to support yourself solely, but they would permit the players involved to be semi professional.

[Gowza]

i wouldn't mind bringing two new teams into the pura cup comp as long as they are up to standard, preferably the ACT and NT. but they should have to climb up the ladder imo, join the 2nd XI comps and if they can perform at that level maybe give them a shot in the pura cup or ford ranger cup (depending on which format they're performing in). i do think atm there is a bit of an issue with not enough spots for young players but at the same time those older players are needed to help develop the younger players so they shouldn't just be kicked out, so the obvious solution would be bringing in another team or 2. but i think any more than 2 extra teams would be to much, and would compromise the quality of the pura cup/ford ranger cup comps.

[NUFAN]

Interesting article.

I have no problems with a few extra teams added for Twenty20 Cricket, even ODI, but I'm happy with the current 6 teams for the Shield.

[river end]

NT and ACT could be in that

The problem having a team from the Northern Territory is the summer season is the Wet season in NT - potentially many games can be rained out.

[obtusian]

An ACT team would need large financial backing from CA as the population isn't large enough to support sporting teams. A NT team would be much the same and due to the summer wet season the games would have to played in the Alice.

Maybe more emphasis on the 2nd XI comp would be preferable.

[river end]

I think the ACT would have a better chance of working because you could bring in surrounding NSW regions as catchment areas or even some of Northern Victoria.

NT - the vast majority of the population lives at the top end around Darwin so having a team playing their home games nearly half a continent away in Alice Springs is ridiculous really. I don't think this could ever work. I doubt a town of 26,000 population would be able to host first class matches on a regular basis, if at all.

A 2nd X1 competition - I don't agree with this. If we are going to revamp domestic cricket it needs to be to create extra 'spice' and interest in the current domestic competition (Pura Cup/Shield/One-day-domestic).
And I mean Genuine media and public interest - To me all a 2nd X1 comp will do is just act as another boring feeder competition to the Australian team. There is already more than enough support and interest for the national team.
It's not fair on the vast majority of FIRST CLASS cricketers who may never get the chance to play for Australia. They deserve better (than being watched by a handful of people).
Bring in another 2 teams; 1 based in Sydney like Darren Berry suggests OR the ACT and 1 based in Melbourne or Brisbane.

1 NSW
2 Victoria
3 Qld
4 SA
5 WA
6 Tas
7 ACT / Sydney / Northern NSW?
8 Melbourne OR Brisbane / Gold Coast

2 groups of 4 teams each
* each team plays each other team in their group home and away
* each team plays each team in the other pool ONCE
* top 2 teams in each pool playoff to play the playoff winner of other pool
* The 2 groups change every year to ensure even spread of opponents

[Poker Boy]

I sent a letter to Martin Sneddon to look into about getting 2 NZ teams into the Austalian set up North and Sth Is. that was back in 1998 I sent that letter.. he explained in his letter that it is something they have consided however it is a complex arrangement from both sides of the tasman with many elements from sponsorship to player payment for both parties to agree on. Its strange now because I really didnt think nearly 10 years later (give or take a year) it hasnt happen yet... while other codes just keep expanding.. netball is the latest.

mind you: 20/20 is said to change that in a year or two.

Funny thing is, if NZ teams play in Aussie domestic cricket it wouldn't be the first time -the NZ national team played in the Australian domestic OD competition until 1975 - winning it three times - so if they managed then they could manage it now if they wanted to....

[sideshowtim]

One of Australia's strengths is our small domestic competition which compounds the talent and leads to a far higher level of competition. This prepares cricketers for Test cricket better than any domestic competition in the world. Plus, the constant pressure of losing your spot sorts the wheat from the chaff. You're put under pressure at a very young age, and if you overcome it and score runs under such pressure, you have shown that you are capable of scoring under pressure, which is vital in Test situations.

I don't see the need to expand our competition at the top level, but someone mentioned expanding the Second XI level, and that's something I definitely agree with. Each side only plays 2 matches a year in the CA Cup, and that simply isn't enough....There needs to be more 'formalised' and more 'professional' cricket played at a level lower than Shield.

Not that I think there is much wrong with our set up at the moment. It's easily the best in the world....I don't see any need for radical change.

[river end]

One of Australia's strengths is our small domestic competition which compounds the talent and leads to a far higher level of competition. This prepares cricketers for Test cricket better than any domestic competition in the world. Plus, the constant pressure of losing your spot sorts the wheat from the chaff. You're put under pressure at a very young age, and if you overcome it and score runs under such pressure, you have shown that you are capable of scoring under pressure, which is vital in Test situations.

I don't see the need to expand our competition at the top level, but someone mentioned expanding the Second XI level, and that's something I definitely agree with. Each side only plays 2 matches a year in the CA Cup, and that simply isn't enough....There needs to be more 'formalised' and more 'professional' cricket played at a level lower than Shield.
Not that I think there is much wrong with our set up at the moment. It's easily the best in the world....I don't see any need for radical change.

The problem with that is.....the standard of almost all 'Test' cricket now that Australians face is inferior to what they play in the Pura Cup - especially for batsman.
Which is why a guy like Mike Hussey can make his test debut when he is 30 (yes, 30!!) and pretty much straight away become an international superstar and have a Bradmanesque average after nearly 20 tests.

No way is bringing in a couple more teams at Shield level going to be detrimental to Australia's competitiveness at international level - We are so far in front of everyone else it's not funny - and there is no danger of us dropping below very competitive.
Other countries have and are dropping off and losing their enthusiasm for cricket - especially competing at the elite level. And in this changing world there's no way I can see them rising again.