Mike Hussey review recommends SACA Premier Cricket needs to slash three-to-five clubs
A major shake-up looms for South Australian cricket after former Australian Test star Mike Hussey’s 10-week review declared up to five SACA clubs should be axed.
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SACA Premier Cricket faces a massive shake-up, with the Hussey Review recommending a dramatic cull of clubs.
Three years after West Torrens and Port Adelaide fought a long and arduous battle to survive, which included a parliamentary inquiry, after being put under the gun by SACA, former Australian Test star Hussey has suggested the competition be slashed from 13 to eight or 10 clubs.
It is the major fallout from his 10-week review, which included interviews with 102 people, into high performance cricket in SA as the association tries to turn around what president Andrew Sinclair has labelled “a long period of underachievement’’ which has included only six Sheffield Shield titles in the past 70 years.
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Only Tasmania, which joined the competition in 1977, has won fewer, with three.
The highly-respected Hussey’s review includes 13 recommendations, with the cutting of premier clubs the most significant.
But, unlike several years ago, SACA insists it will not push clubs to merge but instead work closely with them in a bid to build a stronger competition which would benefit the Redbacks by producing more ready-made Shield players.
None of the changes will be immediate, with Premier Cricket remaining at 13 clubs for the 2020-21 season, which is due to start in October.
Presidents from the 13 clubs were briefed by Sinclair and SACA chief executive Keith Bradshaw in a meeting at Adelaide Oval on Wednesday night.
“It was almost unanimous among those interviewed that there are too many clubs in Premier Cricket and that the talent is too thinly spread,’’ Hussey writes in his review, which has been made available to SACA members.
“Ideally eight-to-10 teams would provide a tougher competition, better quality cricket, ensuring the top end talent is spread across the competition and providing a better breeding ground in helping prepare players for the next level.’’
Western Australian Hussey said fewer clubs would eliminate the bye and allow SACA to pour more coaching and financial resources into the remaining teams, which ultimately, he says, would produce better cricketers.
He said performances in a strengthened Premier Cricket had to be the number one selection criteria for Redbacks representation.
“The gap that currently exists between Premier, which should be the ‘finishing school’, and first-class cricket is too great,’’ Hussey said.
Among Hussey’s other recommendations are: improve player and coach development; improve Redbacks’ recruiting strategy; remove the Redbacks League and start Premier Cricket earlier; combine the Redbacks and Strikers’ programs and have more independent selectors, including one as chairman.
Sinclair said the implementation of changes would be slowly introduced to “try to ensure sustained, long-term success for the Redbacks’’.
He noted how apart from a lack of Shield wins, SA had since the introduction of a six-team competition in 1977-78 finished in the bottom two 23 times.
“And that’s simply not good enough,’’ he said.
“So the board is determined to act on these recommendations, some that will be implemented next season and others that require more work and consideration.’’
The Redbacks have this week begun interviewing coaching candidates following the departure of Jamie Siddons.
Hussey is on the selection panel.