Australian cricket’s strongest states have been assured they won’t lose their top talent to rivals under a proposed draft system to improve talent pathways around the country.
Cricket Australia high performance boss Pat Howard admits the sport needs to sell itself better in the fight against rival codes like Australian Rules Football and rugby league and is determined to set up more opportunities for juniors coming through.
Howard understands cricket can’t offer the same number of professional contracts as the football codes, however he’s eager to correct a misperception that the sport’s pathway is limited to the 11 players who wear baggy green.
At a talent identification forum with state representatives last week, a number of proposals were raised, including a draft concept and the possibility of fast-tracking a Cricket Australia National Performance Squad team to participate in the domestic one-day cup.
Howard said adding an extra Sheffield Shield team to the competition was not on the agenda for the foreseeable future.
The wheels are in motion for a national draft of sorts to be introduced, however Howard stresses the concept wouldn’t see a powerhouse state, namely NSW, lose its very best talent to rival associations.
“You don’t want a kid to leave home,” said Howard.
“You are going to play for a club team and a state team and a BBL team and if you can do that from your house and stay at home that’s obviously going to be a preference to a young man or young woman.
“But we want to make sure the fourth best player or the fifth best player from that state, who could be in a contracted system in another state … is getting to the next level.
“We want to make sure that offer is on the table.
“The priority picks concept is exactly how we spoke about it … and that would put pressure on the state talent managers to get their talent right.”
Howard said CA were looking to better promote the opportunities to young players, including overseas tours with junior Australian squads and the prospect of earning the biggest contracts on offer in any national sport.
However, at the higher end CA is also looking at increasing the number of players competing in the national domestic competition.
A National Performance Squad is set to be considered for entry in the one-day cup to offer fringe talent the chance to mix it with the best from the six states.
“The most sensible place to look at that would be the (one-day) cup but I’m open to all ideas and we’ve got to flesh that out a little bit further,” he said.
NSW is currently in a dominant position in Australian cricket, with a second XI that could compete with other states and dozens of Blues juniors starring for rival teams – like Phil Hughes for South Australia and Jackson Bird and Ed Cowan for Tasmania.
Howard said the Big Bash League showed it was conceivable a state could field two Sheffield Shield teams, however he emphasised that is not a plan being discussed.
“I think we all believe six teams at Sheffield Shield level is a really strong concentration of talent which keeps the calibre of the performance really high,” he said.
twodogs
Guest
Yes Rob, there is already a draft! A draft according to the natural course of events. A draft where the decision is based on the individual. Pat, please quit. You are looking at this game with greedy self serving eyes. You just want advancement for your position. A truly self serving attidude typical of a bank ceo.
twodogs
Guest
Actually, an amendment must be made here- the crowd figure of 500 odd is an at best figure. I've been to some blues games and counted around 50 attendees! I'm just pondering now - Pat Howard has made this statement about drafts etc. Is he not the 'High Performance Manager'? Why is he delving into areas which are not fitting to his job title? The previous few announcements he has delivered smack of a ceo or media spokesman. Oh Mr Sutherland, be careful. The postman always rings twice, and the call's coming from inside the house! But then again, you hired him!
Rob na Champassak
Roar Guru
Yeah, there's no need for a draft. Look at guys like Khawaja, Hughes, Wade, Dunk, Silk, and Carters. All of them have moved around in their career until they found a place that suited them, and the only one of them playing for what is technically their home state is Carters who's from Canberra.
Sideline Comm.
Guest
I'm not sure about the draft, because as FU says it sends a state's native talent elsewhere, diluting the passion. However, I do like that they are trying to get across the point that a player can make a living from cricket, even if they are not in the national set up. I think this will attract prospective cricketers back to cricket. I also like the idea that an NPS could join the one day series. That said, like most things in this world unfortunately, it comes down to money. The domestic leagues in Australia need to make more money, particularly the most valuable cricket-wise, the Sheffield Shield. I can only think that this will come slowly from TV audiences. I'm very glad that Channel 9 has been showing certain games from the Matador Cup, thanks largely to the sponsorship from Matador BBQs I'm thinking. But the at ground attendance has been shocking. The Shield is a whole other issue. I can't see them being played on TV since being dropped from the ABC. They are simply too long. Only test cricket could get that sustained sponsorship from advertising for several days. The fact is, the profile of the shield needs to raise and the best way for this to happen is for Test and other well known players to participate in as many shield games as they, thus bringing in audiences. On the back of this it might get a TV deal and it's up from there. However, as it stands, the general state teams have such a low profile outside of true cricketing circles that they are of no interest to the general public.
Simon Smale
Roar Guru
Your statement "CA seems determined to devale State cricket to the point of a collection of practice games during the season" is quite possibly the most accurate description of what the Sheffield Shield has become I've ever read Rellum - spot on. Maybe tinkering with the one day cup - seeing as its already in a tournament style set up - would work. More teams doesn't necessarily mean lower quality... But not a second NSW team. I wrote a week or so ago about the previous formats of the comp and how I like how they are doing it now - http://www.theroar.com.au/2014/10/11/world-cup-keeps-one-day-cricket-relevant/. They've had an ACT team and a NZ team in there before, why not the National Development Squad and an ACT team? Granted, it assists CA in turning the one day cup comp into a practice competition, but I kinda feel thats what they have inadvertently done anyway, so why not go all in?
twodogs
Guest
Why have a draft? We've had many players change states - voluntarily! I truly believe PH is not too bright - 5 watts at best with this idea. He needs to get public interest so as to attract more people to the grounds who are prepared to spend a few quid. Larger attendance means more children. More interested children means a larger talent base. Everything is connected, drafting will achieve diddly squat. Shield cricket to compete with rival codes must be made more attractive. Go to your local shield game. Crowd figures? 500 odd at best for the last dozen or so I've been to. Only diehards turn up. How do we make shield cricket attractive? Sorry to say but day/night seems the only avenue. With coloured clothes and a few other tempters to jazz it up and create a spectacle. Create a spectacle and you create interest. Once you have interest a draft in hindsight becomes obsolete and absurd.
Rellum
Roar Guru
Just to add to that, what is the point of a draft when anyone can rock up to a grade club, play well and get picked for the state team. If the rules have changed that only contracted players can play Shield (I don't know if they have) then that needs to change.
Rellum
Roar Guru
Terrible idea from the Howard, the fountain of terrible ideas. If you want to complete with rival codes for top juniors pay the state players more, lots more. Having a draft is not going to stop some kid going off to play AFL. CA seems determined to devalue State cricket to the point of a collection of practice games during the season.
Football United
Guest
Way to make state cricket even more irrelevant. If it's state vs state then i want to see the best of my own state and not a bunch of randoms from elsewhere. There is nothing worse than drafts.