Future of century-old Southern Cricket Association in doubt

THE future of the Southern Cricket Association’s century-old senior competition is hanging in the balance as two clubs seek to play elsewhere.

THE future of the Southern Cricket Association’s century-old senior competition is hanging in the balance as two clubs seek to play elsewhere from next season.

Last week, Port Noarlunga and Morphett Vale cricket clubs told the SCA they planned to move to the Adelaide and Suburban Cricket Association after growing tired of taking part in a small competition.

Their departures, to be confirmed at the ASCA annual general meeting in July, would leave the SCA with just four clubs — Noarlunga, Flagstaff Hill, Seaford Rise and Kangarilla.

SCA president Gary Bilney said that would be an untenable situation, which would almost certainly lead the three senior competitions to disband.

He said the other four clubs were now searching for new associations.

“It seems likely that the senior competitions are not going to exist,” Bilney said.

“Now we’ve got to find a competition nearby that would be willing to accept the other four clubs.”

Bilney, who joined the association as a player for Kangarilla in 1964 and has held various committee roles since 1984, said folding would be “pretty disappointing”.

He said the two junior competitions — under-13s and under-11s — would continue.

“I thought we’d all decided to keep our heads in the one ring and keep everybody going.”

The SCA had 15 clubs and 45 senior teams in its centennial season of 1988/89.

It lost Aldinga, McLaren and Willunga to the Great Southern Cricket Association in the 1980s and ‘90s.

In the past decade, O’Sullivan Beach folded, Reynella joined Adelaide Turf Cricket Association and Cove went to the ASCA.

Twenty teams competed in senior A, B and C grades this past season.

“I didn’t anticipate the southern would ever fold but it just kept getting smaller,” Bilney said.

Port Noarlunga president Paul Smith said his club — a member of the SCA since 1933 — was sick of umpiring its own matches and playing against just five teams.

“Our members feel like they need a change,” Smith said.

“We think it’s best for the club.”

Seaford Rise president John Fruss said his club wanted to keep playing in the SCA but would now try to switch to the Great Southern.

“It’s a shame ... but we’ve got to move on,” Fruss said.