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equivalent grades

uvelocity

International Coach
Just wondering where some others think various grades of cricket (I'm thinking of Australia here but no need to keep it exclusive) fit in with each other.

Specifically, here, Sydney Grade cricket would be the gold standard. The current test captain has recently played for his club, and this has occurred in the past with other skippers, plus a host of ex test and current first class players running around.

Brisbane gets a couple of shield quality players coming back for club teams here and there, where would it fit, in between firsts and seconds from Sydney? How about Melbourne?

Then down to country areas, large regional centres like Newcastle, Bendigo, Gold Coast or even small cities like Launceston and Hobart, what say you the standard thereabouts? Thirds? The best players from these areas often would flock to the larger centres for their shot at the bigtime.
 

Red

The normal awards that everyone else has
Just wondering where some others think various grades of cricket (I'm thinking of Australia here but no need to keep it exclusive) fit in with each other.

Specifically, here, Sydney Grade cricket would be the gold standard. The current test captain has recently played for his club, and this has occurred in the past with other skippers, plus a host of ex test and current first class players running around.

Brisbane gets a couple of shield quality players coming back for club teams here and there, where would it fit, in between firsts and seconds from Sydney? How about Melbourne?

Then down to country areas, large regional centres like Newcastle, Bendigo, Gold Coast or even small cities like Launceston and Hobart, what say you the standard thereabouts? Thirds? The best players from these areas often would flock to the larger centres for their shot at the bigtime.
Hard to say. I don't know if there is heaps of difference between a regional area's club comp 1sts and Grade or Premier cricket in Sydney or Melb. Guys who I've played cricket against (and I'm very ordinary, don't get me wrong!) have played for Vic/Australia, and while they were slightly better than the best in the local comp, they weren't better by miles. They were still scored against as bowlers, and dismissed as batsmen.

Think it largely comes down to consistency really.
 

Red

The normal awards that everyone else has
Raw pace is another thing too. Anyone SERIOUSLY quick in local comps is generally having a trial in Premier cricket by the time they're 17, so it's rare to face anyone really quick in regional areas nowadays.
 

Midwinter

State Captain
Some players in Bendigo have have played firsts in Melboune and dominate locally.

But the best local team would be compertitive in the Melbourne thirds.

Probably about depth and dedication.
 

vic_orthdox

Global Moderator
We went up in the preseason and played some Brisbane grade teams. Very comparable standard. Really, I'd imagine that all along the eastern seaboard, it would be pretty similar most weeks. Because of the squad depth in NSW, with all their Australian players, it probably makes the top of it a bit stronger, but then the quality of the league overall would be diluted somewhat by the number of teams playing.

We're a bit the same here, we have 18 teams and there's always a few easy beats. Brisbane only have twelve, but they don't have the professionalism and money that the Melbourne and Sydney grade sides. have.

The locals seem to think that the standard of grade cricket is a major factor for the declining performances in state cricket of WA and SA.

Tasmania's standard is reportedly quite high, they only have eight teams so when all the players are available, it's top notch. CT allocate their imported players to clubs, so they can ensure it's competitive and no club stockpiles the talent. But if the 2nd XI players are about to head away, and the Tigers aren't there, it's supposedly wretched.
 

Dan

Hall of Fame Member
I'm going to put this here:

"I could play 5th grade; those guys aren't that good."

Then I faced a guy playing 3rds in the nets. He was bowling slow, and hooping it both ways (and his 'slow' was still far quicker than anything I could muster). Couldn't pick the swing, didn't play anything other than a forward defense the whole session.

Park cricket it is.
 

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