ACT Comets

[Kippax]

Anyone on CW who can tell me a little more about this team?

From what I understand Richard Sherlock (dubbed "the new Brett Lee" and "capable of playing for NZ right now" by D. Lillee a few years back, who turned into more like Shane Bond Jnr. with a similarly disastrous run of injuries) is over there playing at the moment, seemingly cut loose from the list of contracted players for Canterbury this season.

According to Wikipedia there was a bit of push in the late 90's to turn the Comets into the 7th AUS domestic team, but lack of support and depth saw the idea die a natural death.

Which makes me wonder, what if NZC bolstered the existing ACT talent by sending players who are likely to play a part in future NZ sides to Canberra for full seasons? The 'Capital Comets' could potentially bring some of their games (say from Jan-Feb) to say the Basin here in Wellington, giving NZers a chance to see the second-tier of Aussie talent firsthand, and hopefully encouraging any wealthy old-timers in the Basin's Norwood Room to get behind the team with sponsorship etc.

NZ would get some first-class stats for fringe players that would actually be worth the paper they're written on, and AUS helps NZ from falling into 'outright minnow status', as I see Mark Richardson and Adam Parore are suggesting today.

 

[sideshowtim]

The Comets were terrible. Absolutely terrible. I remember a young Brad Haddin played for them in what was the Mercantile Mutual cup at the time I believe....Merv Hughes also came out of retirement to play for them and was just so crap.

 

[Athlai]

We do have our own domestic season, and sending our best 11 odd players to FC in Aus doesn't seem like a great plan for helping to develop lesser players in NZ. If NZ and Aus FC could be integrated completely than it would be gun for our game, yet you can't just send one team and hope for the best.

 

[Prince EWS]

We do have our own domestic season, and sending our best 11 odd players to FC in Aus doesn't seem like a great plan for helping to develop lesser players in NZ. If NZ and Aus FC could be integrated completely than it would be gun for our game, yet you can't just send one team and hope for the best.

Yeah, the main problem with the idea is the fact that the domestic seasons runs at the same time. If New Zealand A played in the Pura Cup for example, the State Championship in NZ would become of extremely poor quality and we'd probably be hearing about how the step up from that to the Sheffield Shield - let alone Test cricket - would be too big soon enough. A youth academy team or something would work well for NZ Cricket but they'd be out of their depth in the Australian First Class system so I don't see CA going for it at all.

Combining the two competitions would be a fair idea but for the obvious problem that the New Zealand teams would probably get spanked more often than not and reduce the standard of the competition. A few of them would probably have to combine for it to work and I don't see that happening smoothly at all.

 

[Athlai]

Yeah, the main problem with the idea is the fact that the domestic seasons runs at the same time. If New Zealand A played in the Pura Cup for example, the State Championship in NZ would become of extremely poor quality and we'd probably be hearing about how the step up from that to the Sheffield Shield - let alone Test cricket - would be too big soon enough. A youth academy team or something would work well for NZ Cricket but they'd be out of their depth in the Australian First Class system so I don't see CA going for it at all.

Combining the two competitions would be a fair idea but for the obvious problem that the New Zealand teams would probably get spanked more often than not and reduce the standard of the competition. A few of them would probably have to combine for it to work and I don't see that happening smoothly at all.

A championship held in Australia including all FC worthy players, with all free trade crap, Aussies can pick NZers on a points basis, the championship would consist of about 5% Kiwi's and 95% Aussies, and a championship in NZ with all of the slightly crapper players which should be about 40% younger Aussies and 60% Kiwi's. Could potentially develop the game in both countries to a higher standard, slightly better Aussie teams, and a competitive Kiwi competition which would raise the standard of NZ teams and give young Aussies a bit of a trial in harder conditions.


A major problem lies in how much bigger cricket is in Australia and any real change in the structure is unlikely unless something random happens like NZ and Australia become the one nation. Or something of similar diplomatic importance.

 

[Kippax]

We do have our own domestic season, and sending our best 11 odd players to FC in Aus doesn't seem like a great plan for helping to develop lesser players in NZ. If NZ and Aus FC could be integrated completely than it would be gun for our game, yet you can't just send one team and hope for the best.

I don't think I'd send a full 11 from NZ, just a watch-list of 4 or 5, providing players originally from ACT and guys who can't quite crack their own state side gravitate towards Canberra (a bit like the early days of the Brumbies I suppose) and made it a reasonably strong unit.

What I'd like to see is Papps, How, Ryder and whoever else play a season for an outfit like the Comets, on the same pitches against the same bowlers, before they get a NZ call-up. Put the runs on the board for them you have a genuine claim (as opposed to a frustrated public just liking the sound of a fresh name and putting up a case for you, inflating your sense of entitlement more than it ever should be). Fail and you can feel relieved your deficiencies weren't exposed in national colours.

 

[archie mac]

Anyone on CW who can tell me a little more about this team?

From what I understand Richard Sherlock (dubbed "the new Brett Lee" and "capable of playing for NZ right now" by D. Lillee a few years back, who turned into more like Shane Bond Jnr. with a similarly disastrous run of injuries) is over there playing at the moment, seemingly cut loose from the list of contracted players for Canterbury this season.

According to Wikipedia there was a bit of push in the late 90's to turn the Comets into the 7th AUS domestic team, but lack of support and depth saw the idea die a natural death.

Which makes me wonder, what if NZC bolstered the existing ACT talent by sending players who are likely to play a part in future NZ sides to Canberra for full seasons? The 'Capital Comets' could potentially bring some of their games (say from Jan-Feb) to say the Basin here in Wellington, giving NZers a chance to see the second-tier of Aussie talent firsthand, and hopefully encouraging any wealthy old-timers in the Basin's Norwood Room to get behind the team with sponsorship etc.

NZ would get some first-class stats for fringe players that would actually be worth the paper they're written on, and AUS helps NZ from falling into 'outright minnow status', as I see Mark Richardson and Adam Parore are suggesting today.

Sherlock plays for my team in Canberra; Weston Creek, although he plays firsts and I play fifths

The Comets were not that bad they had a couple of wins, and some other very close results, I thought it very short sighted of CA to scrap the team

 

[Prince EWS]

Sherlock plays for my team in Canberra; Weston Creek, although he plays firsts and I play fifths

The Comets were not that bad they had a couple of wins, and some other very close results, I thought it very short sighted of CA to scrap the team

Their main problem was the fact that they weren't in the first class competition, so they were always going to lose any decent players they had to other states. Why would you hang around if you could only play one day cricket?

If they are ever brought back, which I think they inevitably will be, they have to be brought into the Shield as well or they won't be able to retain any of their players.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Cricket ACT or whatever it's called stuffed it up royally. When the end of the trial period came up, they demanded to have Tests and ODIs played there, and have their side added into the Pura Cup. They were never going to get it, and so they were just given the lemon and sarsparilla.

ACT at the moment only play in the 2nd XI competition, and against a few NSW sides.

 

[Dizzy #4]

They'd probaly do better the SA at the rate they're going, if it wasn't for Dizzy, Tait and maybe even Cullen, that's basically it!

 

[iamdavid]

Sherlock is hardly in the Brett Lee mould, but for Canberra grade cricket he's scary quick (guys who've faced him estimate him to be over 140kph), which is impressive when the next quickest guy (Luke Swards) is about 125 at most.

At the end of the day we just dont have the talent pool here to compete with the established states, there are a few players around in Canberra atm who would be capable of doing a job at FC level (David Jeffrey, Ash Perera, Sherlock, maybe Swards, Cade Brown, maybe Adam Ritchard, maybe David Griffith) and also plenty of good players who've moved interstate (Haddin, Michael Bevan, Mark Higgs, Stuart Karpinnen, David Dawson, Jack Smith, Mark Divin). There are also several pretty impressive junior players coming through...will be very interested to see how the Under 19 team goes this year.

We have the facilities here for higher level cricket and we are capable of producing quality cricketers, just not enough of them to really compete with established states and if a guy is doing well at 20 he moves interstate for further oppurtunities (like Adam Ritchard has).

 

[Kippax]

Sherlock is hardly in the Brett Lee mould, but for Canberra grade cricket he's scary quick (guys who've faced him estimate him to be over 140kph), which is impressive when the next quickest guy (Luke Swards) is about 125 at most.

I see he hasn't exactly been ripping through club XIs from the scorecards, but pleasing to hear he's working up good pace and usually getting back on the park the following weekend. Cheers.

So if Sherlock's "on the Comets' roster" as one of the Canberra papers mentioned, the schedule's pretty limited? Four 4-dayers spread over three months or so?

 

[brockley]

Good to see kurt sherlock playing for the comets this season,jamie how played for them earlier this year,paul horton last year,and previous chris adams and ross taylor.
Definitely a way for the kiwis to see players improve send them to play for the comets.
Don't know how the comets will do this year,they lose players every season,so its hard for them to be competitive,they were 2nd 2 years ago,but lost plenty players since.
The way the comets are going its probably 30/40 years till they make first class cricket.
Is higgsy playing this season?

 

[Smudge]

Good to see kurt sherlock playing for the comets this season,

Been a while between since drinks after he parted company with the Roosters about 17 years ago... and i'm impressed he's fitting it in around his auditing work.

 

[Julian87]

Canberra isn't really strong enough to sustain a FC team though. It is good cricket but first grade down there is similar to First Grade Shires in Sydney.

I have cousins who are heavily involved down there and tried to get me down there for cricket, but even If I excelled, I'd only play 19's at a high level. It is a dead end ATM. If they came into the FC comp I think it would be a necessity to have a direct link to all good juniors who come through NSW country and perhaps the Campbelltown area.

 

[archie mac]

Sherlock is hardly in the Brett Lee mould, but for Canberra grade cricket he's scary quick (guys who've faced him estimate him to be over 140kph), which is impressive when the next quickest guy (Luke Swards) is about 125 at most.

At the end of the day we just dont have the talent pool here to compete with the established states, there are a few players around in Canberra atm who would be capable of doing a job at FC level (David Jeffrey, Ash Perera, Sherlock, maybe Swards, Cade Brown, maybe Adam Ritchard, maybe David Griffith) and also plenty of good players who've moved interstate (Haddin, Michael Bevan, Mark Higgs, Stuart Karpinnen, David Dawson, Jack Smith, Mark Divin). There are also several pretty impressive junior players coming through...will be very interested to see how the Under 19 team goes this year.

We have the facilities here for higher level cricket and we are capable of producing quality cricketers, just not enough of them to really compete with established states and if a guy is doing well at 20 he moves interstate for further oppurtunities (like Adam Ritchard has).

Are you going to the talk tonight by Terry Jenner?