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Strongest First-Class Competition

Strongest First-Class Competition

  • West Indies Regional Four Day Competition

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Sri Lanka Premier League

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Logan Cup

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • National Cricket League of Bangladesh

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    42

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
Shield is probably still #1. Too many gun Saffies don't play in their domestic comp, and the Pommy one is propped up by overseas players.
But that adds to its competitiveness. Criteria isn't why it's the strongest, just whether it is.

Indian stuff tbh, when they do those North Zone vs. South Zone style matches. Easily the highest quality.

The next tier down would be Saffa first divison, English first division and Aussie stuff.
Yea, I wrote a long post back in my halcyon days of posting in this subforum about how I think the Duleep Trophy should include more games and should become the premier FC competition but due to the political nature of such a move, I don't think that's going to happen. Would be fantastic though, the quality is very high.


As it is, I'd go county cricket.
 

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
It would be interesting to hear more about the impact of the IPL on the Indian first-class competition.

An expected outcome of having the best young cricketers in India exposed to some of the worlds best coaches, the wisdom of some of the worlds best cricketers and the pressure of playing in front of packed crowds would have a flow on effect into the Ranji Trophy.
Unfortunately, what it might do is just marginalize Ranji trophy as people don't feel like adjusting to the longer format or adapt their games for it. This is doubly true as it seems that the selectors seem to be prioritizing IPL over Ranji trophy as the competition to feed the national side.
 

Bun

Banned
It would be interesting to hear more about the impact of the IPL on the Indian first-class competition.

An expected outcome of having the best young cricketers in India exposed to some of the worlds best coaches, the wisdom of some of the worlds best cricketers and the pressure of playing in front of packed crowds would have a flow on effect into the Ranji Trophy.
If one goes by what has happened in the last 4 years, the point has some merit. Many of the IPL younglings who blasted their way into public imagination, indeed have gone and done reasonably well in the domestic setup as well. Though one has to admit they are mostly batsmen. India still easily leads the tables in churning out top quality batting talent, but are somewhere near the bottom of the pile when it comes to bowlers, especially pace bowlers. Not sure whether the stats are skewed by the pitches.
 

Borges

International Regular
Yea, I wrote a long post back in my halcyon days of posting in this subforum about how I think the Duleep Trophy should include more games and should become the premier FC competition but due to the political nature of such a move, I don't think that's going to happen. Would be fantastic though, the quality is very high.
In each of the domestic seasons from 2003/04 to 2007/08, the BCCI had invited a sixth 'guest' team for the Duleep Trophy - England Lions (twice), Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka 'A'.

Sri Lanka 'A' (with Vandort, Samaraweera, Mubarak, Chamara Silva, Herath and Prasad) actually did quite well in 2006 by reaching the Duleep final. England had sent a decent contingent in 2003/04 (included Lumb, Pietersen, Prior, Napier, Tredwell, Mahmood and Jones), and an even stronger one in 2007/08 (Yardy, Trott, Kabir Ali, Carberry, Steve Davies, Denly, Hildreth, Joyce, Onions, Panesar, Plunkett, Rashid, Alan Richardson).

I think it would be a very good idea if BCCI expanded the Duleep Trophy to, say, 10 teams and in addition to an 'A' team, invited teams from associate nations. (And picked up the tab for their participation.)

India still easily leads the tables in churning out top quality batting talent, but are somewhere near the bottom of the pile when it comes to bowlers, especially pace bowlers. Not sure whether the stats are skewed by the pitches.
TBH, the dearth of good spin bowling is much more of a worry for me. India has never been good at producing great fast bowlers, the strength was always spin. Indian FC cricket used to generate a never-ending procession of good spinners. Now with shortened boundaries, non-Indian wickets, extensive video analysis of bowlers, high tech bats, the interest of most fans diverted to limited overs versions of the game, good spin bowlers are just not to be found.

True everywhere in the world, I admit. So much so that I look forward to watching Swann bowl these days; a bowler who would have been considered distinctly average just a decade back. If the umpires were as reluctant to give lbws as in the old days, spin bowling would have been extinct by now.
 
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Howsie

International Captain
Looking at the poll so far I'd be really amazed if the County Championship was the strongest first-class competition in world cricket, far too many piss weak teams surely?
 

tooextracool

International Coach
I'd like to hear a convincing argument as to why the county championship isn't the premier competition in the world. It is really the only tournament that features international players a consistent basis. People like to knock it off based simply on the fact that it hasn't provided the kind of talent that some of the other countries have provided but AFAIC, there is and has never been a better and more competitive circuit. English pitches and conditions are more sporting than any other country in the world and there is simply no reason why batter or bowler cannot succeed there.

As far as Ranji/Duleep Trophy is concerned, any person that has spent any time in India or has actually followed cricket in India should be familiar with the kind of services and facilities available to their local players. It is a bit of a joke to be honest. If you aren't an international player then you aren't really considered to be anything in India. The IPL has perhaps changed that a bit, but the IPL isnt an 'FC structure'.
 

Athlai

Not Terrible
I'd like to hear a convincing argument as to why the county championship isn't the premier competition in the world. It is really the only tournament that features international players a consistent basis. People like to knock it off based simply on the fact that it hasn't provided the kind of talent that some of the other countries have provided but AFAIC, there is and has never been a better and more competitive circuit. English pitches and conditions are more sporting than any other country in the world and there is simply no reason why batter or bowler cannot succeed there.
Because it includes the 2nd division.
 

fredfertang

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
If you look at the 18 counties as a whole then the weaker ones inevitably dilute the standard but in the first division, and those counties only play each other of course, then of the nine only Worcestershire look out of their depth - County cricket is not what it was - the average age of the players must be considerably lower than it was even a few years ago and you just don't get the honest toilers waiting for a benefit as you used to and mediocre players just can't survive any more.

That said the answer really ought to be India - just noticed what that Valthaty bloke has achieved in the IPL on the back of a career of one List A match and no First class cricket at all - there must be some strength in depth out there for a 27 year old to do that
 

SeamUp

International Coach
Shield is probably still #1. Too many gun Saffies don't play in their domestic comp, and the Pommy one is propped up by overseas players.
Only really Dale Benkenstein and Martin Van Jaarsveld and they wouldn't make a difference now in our domestic comp because they are a bit over-the-hill.

SuperSportSeries has a good mix of senior pro's and youngsters with experience. SSS is a very strong competition.
 

BoyBrumby

Englishman
Only really Dale Benkenstein and Martin Van Jaarsveld and they wouldn't make a difference now in our domestic comp because they are a bit over-the-hill.

SuperSportSeries has a good mix of senior pro's and youngsters with experience. SSS is a very strong competition.
I'd think Trott and Pietersen would probably strengthen it too, in all fairness.

Both made their FC bows in SA after all.
 

SeamUp

International Coach
I'd think Trott and Pietersen would probably strengthen it too, in all fairness.

Both made their FC bows in SA after all.
and both struggled a little bit.

KP was a wierd one because we all know he was an offie who just liked to smack it around down the order.

Trott always had talent as a school-boy (went to my school) and played SA U19's. He just struggled to get into a strong WP line-up that included G. Kirsten, HD Ackerman, Ashwell Prince, John Commins, Andrew Puttick & Brian McMillan. Gibbs and Kallis were often on international duty but played at times as well.
 

BoyBrumby

Englishman
and both struggled a little bit.

KP was a wierd one because we all know he was an offie who just liked to smack it around down the order.

Trott always had talent as a school-boy (went to my school) and played SA U19's. He just struggled to get into a strong WP line-up that included G. Kirsten, HD Ackerman, Ashwell Prince, John Commins, Andrew Puttick & Brian McMillan. Gibbs and Kallis were often on international duty but played at times as well.
Fair point. Both unquestionably moved up a couple or even more levels after they threw their lots in with England, but equally both might've developed had they not utilised their UK passports.

Guess we'll never know.
 

SeamUp

International Coach
Fair point. Both unquestionably moved up a couple or even more levels after they threw their lots in with England, but equally both might've developed had they not utilised their UK passports.

Guess we'll never know.
Yeah exactly, thats why I don't blame them for what they did. They have arguably developed greatly as players becasue they got their prolonged opportunity. If they waited for an opportunity in SA...they had to make sure they grabbed it because they were no certainites to retain their spots even if they did well.

I will be honest, I actually want them to do well for England apart from when they play South Africa. 8-)
 
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SeamUp

International Coach
I posted this on the SA domestic thread...eventhough the Kolpak rulings have got tighter...there are still so many SA born players playing in England.

Friedel De Wet & Neil McKenzie (Both Hamps), Zander De Bruyn (Surrey), Claude Henderson (Leicester) are Kolpak.

Other SA players playing who don't play in SA domestic comps anymore or who never have...Benkenstein & Michel Richardson (Both Durham), Johan Myburgh & Nic Pothas (Hampshire), Charl Willoughby & Alfonso Thomas (Both Somerset), Kirk Wernars (Sussex), Ant Botha & Neil Carter (Warks), Gerard Brophy (Yorkshire), Tim Groenewald, Wayne Madsen & Greg Smith (Derby), Ryan ten Doeschate (Essex), Martin Van Jaarsveld (Kent), Jacques Du Toit (Leicester), Gareth Berg & Dawid Malan (Middlesex), and Andrew Hall (Northants).

Obviously there are others under the England radar and are officialy English now like the obvious 2 in Trott and KP...others like Michael Lumb, Craig Kieswetter, Jade Dernbach and Stuart Meaker.
 
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Borges

International Regular
SuperSportSeries has a good mix of senior pro's and youngsters with experience. SSS is a very strong competition.
Very strong. From what I know of domestic national FC competitions, the strongest in the world. If SA could find somehow unearth a few quality spinners, it would be insanely strong.
 

Jacknife

International Captain
Because it includes the 2nd division.
That's like saying the English Premier League isn't the best football league in the world because it has the Championship underneath and division 1 under that, that makes no difference to the quality of the top division.
 
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Jono

Virat Kohli (c)
Unfortunately, what it might do is just marginalize Ranji trophy as people don't feel like adjusting to the longer format or adapt their games for it. This is doubly true as it seems that the selectors seem to be prioritizing IPL over Ranji trophy as the competition to feed the national side.
What examples are there?

If you name players that did well in the IPL, like Jadeja or Ashwin, and then got put into the international side, that was on the basis of their domestic records (first class and list A). And both of them haven't been in the test side anyway, only the ODI.

There is not one player you can say who was put into the test team on the basis of IPL. Raina was chosen because of his ODI performances (which isn't a good thing, but is not the IPL's fault).

It's a myth that the IPL is being used as the criteria for selecting players.
 

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