The value of state and club cricket

[Black Diamond]

It was just reported on ABC Grandstand that Michael Clark might play for Western Suburbs in first grade next week. To make sure he gets a bat if he plays, Wests have declared their first innings at 0-18. Yes, zero wickets lost for 18 runs in their first innings.

In recent years Cricket Australia has dictated to clubs what certain players are to do. Ryan Harris has opened the batting for Toombul and has had a limited bowling load. If I'm not mistaken, James Pattinson's club has received similar instructions.

How does everyone feel about this? The cases of Harris and Pattinson aren't awful because both could possibly hold down a middle order spot in first grade. Andy Bichel played a few years as a batsman at the end of his career when he couldn't bowl anymore. However, this situation with Western Suburbs is disgraceful. Where is the integrity of the competition? Is it right that CA dictates these tactics to clubs?

In my view if you wish to keep players at grass roots levels engaged, then you don't make them feel like pawns or waste their time with these kinds of decisions. What do these guys pay to play each season? I know they train two or three times a week, and for what? To declare on a farcical score because a badly injured player may need to bat the next weekend? What a joke.

Then there is the case of James Faulkner who was held back for Tasmania last season, capped at a certain number of overs a day. They are bowlers. Pushing themselves is what they do and injuries are part of the game. But no, we had a decision which ultimately resulted in a good bowler doing less. The opposing batsmen weren't subjected to him. How is that good for the game?

Surely I'm not the only one who thinks this is a shit situation?

 

[Power Raid]

It was just reported on ABC Grandstand that Michael Clark might play for Western Suburbs in first grade next week. To make sure he gets a bat if he plays, Wests have declared their first innings at 0-18. Yes, zero wickets lost for 18 runs in their first innings.

In recent years Cricket Australia has dictated to clubs what certain players are to do. Ryan Harris has opened the batting for Toombul and has had a limited bowling load. If I'm not mistaken, James Pattinson's club has received similar instructions.

How does everyone feel about this? The cases of Harris and Pattinson aren't awful because both could possibly hold down a middle order spot in first grade. Andy Bichel played a few years as a batsman at the end of his career when he couldn't bowl anymore. However, this situation with Western Suburbs is disgraceful. Where is the integrity of the competition? Is it right that CA dictates these tactics to clubs?

each team and league should play with integrity and play to win

if that involves opening with harris then fine but it should not play harris as an opener for the sake of "the greater good" of CA nor for the good of Harris. Decisions should be made in the best interest of the team!

 

[The Passenger]

That's a really really shit situation.

I don't care who the bloke is, you can't have teams declaring at 0/18 so he can get a bat.

A much better system would be a loan system, which I've suggested for shield cricket and no reason it could not be implemented into grade cricket. I guess the problem is in the Michael Clarke situation you still aren't sure who is going to be batting this week and who is next week.

Another thing that occurred about four years ago was Nathan Bracken played a game for Easts. To be eligible for NSW selection he had to bowl 6 overs. He bowled his six and that was it. No more bowling, and no more fielding. Straight off the ground.

 

[t_94]

Last time Clarke played grade a couple of years ago he literally batted and left

 

[Keys]

So what happens if he gets out first ball?

 

[Illinois Nazi]

How did they end up 0/18? Unless it rained most of the day, I presume they were the team batting second. Which means Clarke's team batted first, and presumably he didn't?

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Last time Clarke played grade a couple of years ago he literally batted and left

Which is more than Davey did last summer. Off to the races.

 

[The Passenger]

How did they end up 0/18? Unless it rained most of the day, I presume they were the team batting second. Which means Clarke's team batted first, and presumably he didn't?

clarke's team (Wests) batted first and declared 0/18. the opposition than came in and declared at 2/140 claiming first innings points. wests are 1/100 in the third innings and i guess clarke will come in at the fall of the second wicket next week.

 

[Black Diamond]

According to this article Wests' captain seems to have made the decision himself.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/spo...oints-for-michael-clarke-20141122-11ruyn.html

Western Suburbs captain Jeff Cook said he was not concerned by a possible backlash over his call to sacrifice the Magpies' first-innings points against Parramatta on Saturday to "do the right thing by Australian cricket" and set the scene for Michael Clarke to bat next weekend.

Cook lost the toss but despite advising Parramatta skipper Michael Castle of the team's plan to give Clarke the chance to show he had recovered from his hamstring injury in time to play in the opening Test against India, Wests were sent into bat. His response was to declare when his openers reached 17 runs.

 

[STFU Donnie]

Does anyone know the details of the farcical events yesterday involving Michael Clarke?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Cleavy]

http://www.cricket.com.au/news/mich...tta-hamstring-fitness-declarations/2014-11-22
http://www.foxsports.com.au/cricket...ore-batting-time/story-e6frf3g3-1227131730678

 

[frankrizzo]

Insane he hasn't just been ruled out for the gabba, we all know he has no hope of being fit enough to actually bat like clarke can/needs to bat at the gabba so why play him?

We need clarke at the gabba not the clearly hampered bowled through the gate mess we have had lately, clarke, CA and our fitness people all stuffed up in recent times with their choices but you don't fix mistakes with more mistakes.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

One day of club cricket, where he might get bowled first ball and sit in the sheds the rest of the day, is hardly what is needed anyway.
If he can't get through the Shield game for NSW, or the injury risk is too great to get through a FC game, don't play him. There is time between the Shield game and first Test, if he gets through unsctahed.
I'd want Harris to get through another game as well before picking him for the Gabba.

But, of course, CA have directed the selectors nominate a squad before then for "logistical" reasons. Easier logistics for the marketing team presumably (M Waugh let the truth out with that one).

 

[Speck]

Just get him right for the World Cup that should be the number 1 priority here. Zero point in rushing him, give him the first test off at least and he can slowly build up to full fitness.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

Makes it pointless for the club players. As it's saying your training and will to win means nothing. That's a poor way to encourage anyone to stick with what is a very time consuming sport.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

Last time Clarke played grade a couple of years ago he literally batted and left

That's a shame. It makes such a difference to the club if the reps take an interest.

 

[The Passenger]

According to this article Wests' captain seems to have made the decision himself.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/spo...oints-for-michael-clarke-20141122-11ruyn.html

This is even more surprising. Cook has been around Sydney Grade Cricket for nearly 20 years as a no bullshit type of guy. I definitely wouldn't have expected him to make that decision.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

"I expect to get dragged over the coals but I'm big enough, and ugly enough, to cop that on the chin," said Cook, a Sydney-born NSW Country representative who fielded for England in a Test match as a substitute when he played for Northamptonshire. "If Michael bats next week, gets enough runs and plays for Australia in the opening Test, I'll feel as though I've done the right thing.

At the end of the day, Grade Cricket is there to act as a feeder league for State cricket, which does the same for the International stage.

One could argue, just like Cook is, that what he has chosen to do is the right thing going by the very purpose of having Grade cricket.

 

[Black Diamond]

I'd prefer grade and state cricket be used as tough schools in order to develop players. That's how it used to be anyway.

This decision is shit for many reasons.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

I'd prefer grade and state cricket be used as tough schools in order to develop players. That's how it used to be anyway.

This decision is shit for many reasons.

And that is what it is for 99% of the time. This is just an exceptional circumstance.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

And that is what it is for 99% of the time. This is just an exceptional circumstance.

thorne, it's deliberate manipulation of a result. I can't see how that is in the wider interest of any form of cricket regardless of the motivation behind it.

 

[Black Diamond]

And that is what it is for 99% of the time. This is just an exceptional circumstance.

It's not an exception when players are rested from state games so they can play a T20 at the end of the week or get capped at how many overs they can bowl.

The only thing which makes this Clarke case different is it appears the captain unilaterally made this decision. It still harms the integrity of the competition and weakens the contest.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

thorne, it's deliberate manipulation of a result. I can't see how that is in the wider interest of any form of cricket regardless of the motivation behind it.

What is more important in the wider scheme of things - a Grade cricket result, or the Australian Test captain getting match fitness and form/confidence behind him.

Let's remember we all live in the real world. If the Grade system is helping our Test side be successful in a direct fashion I'd say that empowers Grade cricket, not devalues it. A matter of perspective.

 

[Doodlesweaver]

What is more important in the wider scheme of things - a Grade cricket result, or the Australian Test captain getting match fitness and form/confidence behind him.

Let's remember we all live in the real world. If the Grade system is helping our Test side be successful in a direct fashion I'd say that empowers Grade cricket, not devalues it. A matter of perspective.

We'll have to agree to disagree on this. I played first grade sport. As BD points out, the club players probably PAY to play cricket.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

We'll have to agree to disagree on this. I played first grade sport. As BD points out, the club players probably PAY to play cricket.

It's a small sample to go off but the 3 mates I have involved with the Grade system in Perth get paid, and besides maybe one of them, the others aren't exactly world beaters for their clubs. I reckon if you asked them they'd be happy to concede a result if it meant they could a) help out the Australian Test team and b) get a chance to play/watch Michael Clarke in action.