***Official*** New Zealand Domestic Season 2014/15

[SeamUp]

Tbf, that's relatively reflective of the population of Auckland in general. Just need some players of South East Asian extract to be pushing through. Where's Auckland's Chee Quee?

About 25 000 Saffers there now ? Could be more now. Quite a few Afrikaaners to but I suppose many would be the doctors and so on, so would have decent enough English.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

About 25 000 Saffers there now ? Could be more now. Quite a few Afrikaaners to but I suppose many would be the doctors and so on, so would have decent enough English.

There's definitely a reasonable South African diaspora in Auckland. In my experience, they're mainly around the North Shore area - Browns Bay in particular, but I'm sure the Aucklanders could comment more accurately. I suspect the South African accent is relatively common in club cricket in Auckland these days - still relatively few in Wellington, but I've played alongside a couple of South African guys whose sons would be pushing top grade club cricket in Wellington.

 

[Blocky]

A lot more Saffa's playing cricket here in Auckland than there used to be. It's not uncommon to play teams that are almost entirely South African too. Then there are players who were born in RSA but have been here since their early teens too.

I'm looking at a project with Auckland Cricket on how to boost player numbers across the region as there have been some teams drop out in recent years, a lot of it comes down to knowing and understanding that not everyone can afford a 6-8 hour absence from their families.

 

[African Monkey]

There's definitely a reasonable South African diaspora in Auckland. In my experience, they're mainly around the North Shore area - Browns Bay in particular, but I'm sure the Aucklanders could comment more accurately. I suspect the South African accent is relatively common in club cricket in Auckland these days - still relatively few in Wellington, but I've played alongside a couple of South African guys whose sons would be pushing top grade club cricket in Wellington.

Yes there and Howick have a few South Africans

 

[SteveNZ]

A lot more Saffa's playing cricket here in Auckland than there used to be. It's not uncommon to play teams that are almost entirely South African too. Then there are players who were born in RSA but have been here since their early teens too.

I'm looking at a project with Auckland Cricket on how to boost player numbers across the region as there have been some teams drop out in recent years, a lot of it comes down to knowing and understanding that not everyone can afford a 6-8 hour absence from their families.

This is a worthy exercise, but I honestly don't know what can be achieved from it. I played club cricket 2 and a half years ago, and there are at least 6-7 Premier sides now that I don't recognise one single name from. And at my club, last weekend there was 2-3 players I'd played with. It's nuts. Time utility is becoming less and less, it's getting to the point where if you're playing club cricket, you're either young, seeking a professional career, or both. But you're generally not 30 with kids and a 10-year club career.

I guess the only possible solution is to make club sides a family-friendly environment, rather than the ideal place to share your roasting stories.

 

[Flem274*]

so who is going to georgie pie at 6:30pm tonight? does cw buy into the hype?

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

This is a worthy exercise, but I honestly don't know what can be achieved from it. I played club cricket 2 and a half years ago, and there are at least 6-7 Premier sides now that I don't recognise one single name from. And at my club, last weekend there was 2-3 players I'd played with. It's nuts. Time utility is becoming less and less, it's getting to the point where if you're playing club cricket, you're either young, seeking a professional career, or both. But you're generally not 30 with kids and a 10-year club career.

I guess the only possible solution is to make club sides a family-friendly environment, rather than the ideal place to share your roasting stories.

Not sure if it's the case in Auckland, but certainly in Wellington in recent years, there's been a noticeable change. Most of the premier/prem reserve players are 17-30. The old one day grade are pretty much gone, all of the two day grades are intercity (I believe). This means there's 4 two day grades, a single intercity one-day grade and then a proliferation of dozens of 20:20 teams and grades. My club has 5 20:20 teams alone (and now only 3 two day teams from having 6 or 7 2 day teams 5 years ago) - and most of the guys I play with are 30-40 years old, used to play 2 dayers and one dayers but cbf any more. Still some bloody good players in the 20:20 grades who should still be helping the youngsters hone their skills in the two dayers, but such a premium there is on time these days that they'll only commit to 20:20.

 

[SteveNZ]

Not sure if it's the case in Auckland, but certainly in Wellington in recent years, there's been a noticeable change. Most of the premier/prem reserve players are 17-30. The old one day grade are pretty much gone, all of the two day grades are intercity (I believe). This means there's 4 two day grades, a single intercity one-day grade and then a proliferation of dozens of 20:20 teams and grades. My club has 5 20:20 teams alone (and now only 3 two day teams from having 6 or 7 2 day teams 5 years ago) - and most of the guys I play with are 30-40 years old, used to play 2 dayers and one dayers but cbf any more. Still some bloody good players in the 20:20 grades who should still be helping the youngsters hone their skills in the two dayers, but such a premium there is on time these days that they'll only commit to 20:20.

I wouldn't even say it gets up to 30 these days. I would say the average age of Auckland premier sides (Suburbs apart) is about 20-21. Suburbs would be an interesting case study because they've suffered little if no dropoff in senior players. Gup loves the environment and comes back whenever he can, Reece is still playing yet retired from FC, and their average age I would wager is closer to 30 than 20. They're a tight knit bunch of guys and I would imagine have partners/family in the mix as well. Whatever they're doing, other clubs should copy because they've produced a lot of great cricketers (not as many as Howick, but that's nothing to be ashamed of)

I hate 20/20 but yeah, a lot of the guys around my time were committing to one-dayers and T20 but not two-dayers. They're just too onerous - you rock up one week and field for 98 overs and wonder why the **** you did. Auckland Cricket did a great thing playing T20s on Wed nights, but it was throwing liferafts to the dead sort of stuff when you consider guys my age were already basically on the way out.

So yeah, it's a really tough one. I'd be cutting back on two-dayers. There's really not any guys who identify themselves through this format at club level (and kick on), and then you're just making the season longer and more cumbersome. Let guys prove their longer form through A and age-group cricket. Play predominantly one-dayers, make it two-tiered like the two-day comp is so you're getting the best cricket you can, and there's an incentive for lower teams to compete harder and get better. T20 is the necessary beast that can lurk through the week.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Our club really likes the T20 teams as they tend to come to the clubroom bar after their games on a Saturday, run a few drinks through the till and support the prems or prem reserves playing on the #1 wicket. If our T20 grades were on weekday evenings, the clubrooms would be dead on a Saturday night, I think. Still, the proliferation of T20 grades and teams is leading to a severe decent pitch shortage in Wellington, which is annoying. Much better in the Hutt Valley than Wellington City too.

 

[Blocky]

This is a worthy exercise, but I honestly don't know what can be achieved from it. I played club cricket 2 and a half years ago, and there are at least 6-7 Premier sides now that I don't recognise one single name from. And at my club, last weekend there was 2-3 players I'd played with. It's nuts. Time utility is becoming less and less, it's getting to the point where if you're playing club cricket, you're either young, seeking a professional career, or both. But you're generally not 30 with kids and a 10-year club career.

I guess the only possible solution is to make club sides a family-friendly environment, rather than the ideal place to share your roasting stories.

Agree, think our generation was probably the last where you'd have club stalwarts who had played since they left school right up until their forties... in saying that, the Hamilton club scene still has a lot of "lifers" involved at both Prem and Reserve level... the Hodgsons have both been playing since the mid eighties and early nineties, guys like Verne who played prem level for a number of years and now plies his trade in the thirds, guys like Johnny Ottaway who still turns out for the Old Boys too.

Auckland, quite right, saw a massive exodus of talent from the clubs just recently - guys who were too good to give the game away too like Mark Turner.

A lot of the "masters" leagues, village cricket and even the thirds who only play 30 over cricket have guys that could still represent their sides at Hawke Cup and Hawke Cup A level but just don't want to commit to it anymore, mostly because our lives are extraordinarily cluttered.

Last season was probably my last in prem cricket ever and I'm finding it a struggle to want to play anything other than the occasional village cricket match.

 

[Blocky]

So yeah, it's a really tough one. I'd be cutting back on two-dayers. There's really not any guys who identify themselves through this format at club level (and kick on), and then you're just making the season longer and more cumbersome. Let guys prove their longer form through A and age-group cricket. Play predominantly one-dayers, make it two-tiered like the two-day comp is so you're getting the best cricket you can, and there's an incentive for lower teams to compete harder and get better. T20 is the necessary beast that can lurk through the week.

The problem there is that one day cricket would just become about the clubs that had the best affiliations back to junior level, as you wouldn't have situations where you could have your best batsman make your side competitive solely through the weight of runs, or your best bowler be able to bowl more than his 10 overs to take wickets and keep the teams close.

 

[Blocky]

In my view, that's one of the wider issues impacting cricket.

In Rugby, you find most teams are usually competitive, talent is well spread out amongst the competitions and even at school boy level, you have competitive matches because there is good coaching, good structure.

In Cricket, you find there are always a number of whipping boys in the competition who get bowled out for 60 and can't bowl the other team out for less than 250... it's even a wider gap at schoolboy cricket where you find some first elevens who go entire seasons without winning a single match. That destroys the enjoyment factor for a side if they're just losing constantly.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

The problem with school cricket is that If you have any aspirations in cricket in the waikato you go to HBHS because of the quality of the players you'll get train every week with. The actual games are secondary. Playing for Hillcrest and facing ****ty bowlers like me like me in the nets isn't going to improve you at all.

 

[Kippax]

There's a St Peter's guy who feasted on Hillcrest to get to where he is, at No. 6.

 

[SteveNZ]

Agree, think our generation was probably the last where you'd have club stalwarts who had played since they left school right up until their forties... in saying that, the Hamilton club scene still has a lot of "lifers" involved at both Prem and Reserve level... the Hodgsons have both been playing since the mid eighties and early nineties, guys like Verne who played prem level for a number of years and now plies his trade in the thirds, guys like Johnny Ottaway who still turns out for the Old Boys too.

Auckland, quite right, saw a massive exodus of talent from the clubs just recently - guys who were too good to give the game away too like Mark Turner.

A lot of the "masters" leagues, village cricket and even the thirds who only play 30 over cricket have guys that could still represent their sides at Hawke Cup and Hawke Cup A level but just don't want to commit to it anymore, mostly because our lives are extraordinarily cluttered.

Last season was probably my last in prem cricket ever and I'm finding it a struggle to want to play anything other than the occasional village cricket match.

Yeah, I'd say it's an Auckland issue first and foremost, other parts of the country being better community-type set-ups at club level where very few in the 09 could say they are.

On the wide gap between sides, that's why I'm preaching a two-tiered system. There still has to be an onus on the clubs to get their junior development right. When they do, their top side will benefit.

And what Heath said, absolutely those T20 social leagues are keeping clubs afloat nowadays. Used to love a beer with those guys.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

There's a St Peter's guy who feasted on Hillcrest to get to where he is, at No. 6.

happy days

 

[African Monkey]

I wouldn't even say it gets up to 30 these days. I would say the average age of Auckland premier sides (Suburbs apart) is about 20-21. Suburbs would be an interesting case study because they've suffered little if no dropoff in senior players. Gup loves the environment and comes back whenever he can, Reece is still playing yet retired from FC, and their average age I would wager is closer to 30 than 20. They're a tight knit bunch of guys and I would imagine have partners/family in the mix as well. Whatever they're doing, other clubs should copy because they've produced a lot of great cricketers (not as many as Howick, but that's nothing to be ashamed of)

I hate 20/20 but yeah, a lot of the guys around my time were committing to one-dayers and T20 but not two-dayers. They're just too onerous - you rock up one week and field for 98 overs and wonder why the **** you did. Auckland Cricket did a great thing playing T20s on Wed nights, but it was throwing liferafts to the dead sort of stuff when you consider guys my age were already basically on the way out.

So yeah, it's a really tough one. I'd be cutting back on two-dayers. There's really not any guys who identify themselves through this format at club level (and kick on), and then you're just making the season longer and more cumbersome. Let guys prove their longer form through A and age-group cricket. Play predominantly one-dayers, make it two-tiered like the two-day comp is so you're getting the best cricket you can, and there's an incentive for lower teams to compete harder and get better. T20 is the necessary beast that can lurk through the week.

Yeah it's ridiculous how many players go into premier cricket straight after school, and a lot of them struggled to make an impack at school level. I played 1st XI with about half of the Suburbs side so some of them do go way back, and they would also have played a lot of rep cricket with other members of the side growing up which I dare say would help with the team unity and yes, most of their parents were heavily involved with cricket during school days so the culture would definitely be there within the club.

 

[Chubb]

Not sure if it's the case in Auckland, but certainly in Wellington in recent years, there's been a noticeable change. Most of the premier/prem reserve players are 17-30. The old one day grade are pretty much gone, all of the two day grades are intercity (I believe). This means there's 4 two day grades, a single intercity one-day grade and then a proliferation of dozens of 20:20 teams and grades. My club has 5 20:20 teams alone (and now only 3 two day teams from having 6 or 7 2 day teams 5 years ago) - and most of the guys I play with are 30-40 years old, used to play 2 dayers and one dayers but cbf any more. Still some bloody good players in the 20:20 grades who should still be helping the youngsters hone their skills in the two dayers, but such a premium there is on time these days that they'll only commit to 20:20.

I'm skipper of a 2nd grade 2 day side & we've really struggled for players. Personally I don't enjoy playing 20/20 and am best suited to 2 dayers but am also not good enough to play senior reserve. But there aren't many old fuddy duddies like me around these days (at least in attitudes, I'm 27). There are loads of players in the Onslow 20/20 and one day sides who could do well in my grade - enough that I wouldn't even make the side - but they just aren't interested.

Other thing I don't get about NZ club cricket is the reluctance to play on a public holiday. When I lived in the UK we'd play 3 games over a long weekend. Not here. Everyone just cries off.

 

[Hurricane]

I'm skipper of a 2nd grade 2 day side & we've really struggled for players. Personally I don't enjoy playing 20/20 and am best suited to 2 dayers but am also not good enough to play senior reserve. But there aren't many old fuddy duddies like me around these days (at least in attitudes, I'm 27). There are loads of players in the Onslow 20/20 and one day sides who could do well in my grade - enough that I wouldn't even make the side - but they just aren't interested.

Other thing I don't get about NZ club cricket is the reluctance to play on a public holiday. When I lived in the UK we'd play 3 games over a long weekend. Not here. Everyone just cries off.

I'm in Wellington's 3rd grade 2 day comp and we have 8 confirmed for tomorrow.

I would now prefer to play one dayers if I could find a league that isn't a beer drinking league. I think I now prefer the drama of having a winner and a loser every saturday than games that end in a draw.
Besides taking 20 wickets is close to impossible in our grade as most of the better bowlers are in higher grades,and our grade is good enough to have batsman who can bat time.

 

[BackFootPunch]

Really interesting to me that you guys all play 2 day cricket, even in the lower grades. Down in Dunedin we play 50 over cricket for most of the season, then one-day declaration for the last couple of months. That's for Senior and Senior Reserve anyway. Third grade cricket is 40 overs each starting at 1pm. Same story for most of the lower school teams too.

I know there's a bit of interest from some of the Senior teams to go back to 2-day games (which were last played 6 or 7 years ago, I think) but I can't see it happening. With such a high reliance on the notoriously flaky student population it's just not feasible, and I imagine the pretty dodgy weather doesn't help. Though we've not missed a game for rain yet this season.