Adelaide Cricket Club to play in women’s SACA Premier Cricket second grade competition

Adelaide Cricket Club will field women’s teams for the first time in two decades as a transfer dispute involving top grade players moves toward a resolution.

Adelaide Cricket Club will field women’s teams for the first time in more than two decades as a transfer dispute involving 22 players steps closer to a resolution.

The Buffalos have been accepted into the SACA second grade competition and will also play in the Adelaide Turf Cricket Association.

It comes after 22 players lodged clearance requests to move to Adelaide from rival Premier Cricket club Southern District, following the collapse of a proposed merger between the two clubs in March.

The transfers were initially refused by Southern and the matter has been referred to an independent commissioner.

Former Southern captain Jess O'Reilly (front), along with Jasmin Earl, Kaylee Trenerry, Kelly Armstrong, and Callie Wilson at Glandore Oval. The players have switched from the Stingrays to the Buffalos. Picture: Dean Martin

An outcome is expected to be released next week.

Adelaide assistant coach Jess O’Reilly said while it was not the top competition, the group was pleased to have a place in second grade.

“We’re really excited to be able to play Premier Cricket next season,” said O’Reilly, a former Southern District captain.

“The recommendation came through to have a good look at Adelaide for first grade next year and for now the girls will be play a year together in second grade.

“We’ve had three to four weeks of pre-season training now, the girls have ordered uniforms and the season is getting close.

“They can feel confident about what they’re doing this season now.”

Adelaide last fielded women’s teams in the 1994/95 summer.

Southern District president Nigel Smart told The Messenger the Stingrays had “in good faith cleared all players to the ACC” following the decision to award the Buffalos a second grade license.

Earlier this month, Smart said the club did not stand in the way of clearing players to other teams but a decision on the number of women’s licences in the competition needed to be made first.

In a statement, SACA said the Women’s Premier Cricket Working Group determined Adelaide would begin in second grade because it “would need additional time to develop depth into the squad and increase the number of players”.

It said the Southern District appeal was ongoing and a decision was set to be handed down shortly by the independent commissioner.

In January, it was revealed Adelaide and Southern District proposed to merge.

It followed a months of secret negotiations between the two clubs sparked by an independent review into SA cricket by former star Australian batsman Mike Hussey.

However at special general meeting in March, Stingrays members voted to end talks with the Buffalos, effectively killing off the merger.

Several Southern District board members resigned as a result.

Following the Hussey review SACA said “it was determined to reduce its competition to 10 clubs to improve the standard of the first grade competition and produce more ready-made first-class players”.