Cricket Tasmania aiming to rekindle club relationship after financial hit

Local clubs will once again play a vital role in Cricket Tasmania’s talent pathway as the organisation looks to cut costs after taking a big financial hit.

CRICKET Tasmania will go back to the future and try to reconnect with local clubs as the centrepiece of its talent pathway following the organisation’s financial hit.

Change to the pathway structure has not been finalised, but it is likely that any national­ championships under the under-19 age group will be axed, while the Futures League or second XI is also not guaranteed to return this summer as CT and Cricket Australia look to cut costs.

Academies for particular age groups may also be cut for a single group of the most talented junior players coming through regardless of age.

Cricket Tasmania CEO Dominic Baker. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

CT chief executive Dominic Baker said the onus was now on his organisation to rebuild its connection with CTPL clubs following the state’s $2.5 million CA funding cut.

“It puts pressure on us to build relationships with grade cricket again,” Baker said.

“That is not a bad thing.

“Academies and things like that are great, but they drove us away from clubs.

“Now we’ve got to get closer to clubs and work more closely with them.

“We want a cracking, competitive club competition because it is the only way we are going to test the full length of our list.

CT Clarence v Lindisfarne at Blundstone. Sam Rainbird of Clarence bowled out. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

“It is almost going to be a reuniting of Cricket Tasmania and clubs.

“We need grade cricket to be strong, we need clubs to be strong, right the way through.”

Baker said CT’s pathway coaches Allister de Winter, Wade Townsend and Clive Rose have all been retained during the recent restructure that saw nearly 30 per cent of positions go.

He said the trio would spend more time out at clubs rather than at Blundstone Arena.

“I actually think it is a better model for the time being as it allows us to reconnect with clubs a bit better,” he said.

“That is where the talent spends a lot of their time and the more work we can do at club level with our very best coaches to help coaches at club land the better.

“Someone like Clive for example­ going around clubs and being able to take training out in club land, we might actually discover a few more than what we did before because we’ve actually got a closer eye on them.”