Grade Cricket two-day competition starts this Saturday

GRADE Cricket captains expect reigning premier Tea Tree Gully to again be the team to beat when the two-day competition kicks off this weekend.

7/10/15 - Grade Cricket season launch. Group pics of all 13 Grade captains underneath the scoreboard at Adelaide Oval. Pic Simon Cross

GRADE Cricket captains expect reigning premier Tea Tree Gully to again be the team to beat this season.

But they are also tipping Kensington, West Torrens, Woodville and East Torrens to be among the premiership contenders.

The first two-day games of the campaign start this weekend and skippers are predicting a tight competition.

“Last year was pretty even across the board and hopefully it’ll be another good season of cricket,” Tea Tree Gully captain Matthew Weaver said.

“Woodville are a pretty strong and young group, Kensington are always dangerous and East Torrens when they’ve got everyone available could be damaging.

“But the boys are focused on going back-to-back.”

Prospect skipper Sam Miller expected last year’s grand finalists to challenge again.

“Tea Tree Gully are always up there and I think Woodville will be up there again,” Miller said.

Kensington skipper and dual Bradman Medallist Jake Brown said his side wanted to make it past the semi-finals for the first time since winning the 2010/11 flag.

Brown tipped East Torrens, the reigning One-Day Cup winner, to not only improve on last season’s seventh-placed finish in the two-day competition but challenge for that title.

“East Torrens underperformed last season but they showed what they can do in one day cricket by winning that,” Brown said.

“I think they can transfer that into the two-day format.”

East Torrens captain Michael Cranmer would be surprised if the Gullies, who have brought paceman Jake Haberfield back to the club, dropped out of the finals but said “the competition is that even – anyone can knock off anyone”.

“It should be a pretty exciting season,” Cranmer said.

West Torrens captain Kelvin Smith tipped cellar-dweller Prospect and mid-table club Adelaide University to be big improver’s this summer.

Southern District captain Shaun Tanner said last season’s top four sides – Tea Tree Gully, Woodville, Kensington and West Torrens – would be toughest to defeat.

Sturt skipper Brad Davis tipped Tea Tree Gully and Kensington as the sides to beat this season.

Adelaide vice-captain Phil Neate predicted Tea Tree Gully, East Torrens and West Torrens would challenge for the flag.