Local league cricket

Stattos child

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I read the forum regular but don’t post normally (criticised little town allegedly) so got lots of abuse.

Anyway what are people’s views of the local leagues at present.

I personally think top league ie Chester, south north etc standard is very high however lower levels particularly 2nd XI and junior cricket at all time low.

I understand teams like getting Lyons growing there own but to have 2 or 3 under 15 sides when neighbours like burnmoor have none can’t be right

I don’t want to critise Lyons as they are putting a lot of effort in and other teams like cls have the same.

However how do we share the love and keep teams going or do we accept that in 10 years there will be no junior or 2nd team leagues other than at the top table as that is where it is heading

I have lots of other views but will open up for debate.
 


I agree on the standards slipping ridiculously in the last ten years from all levels of local cricket.
2nd team cricket will most likely change. It needs to.
 
No cricket on terrestrial TV. No cricket in schools. Kids more interested in sitting doing fuck all. The 100 will be the saviour of the cricketing world and save us all from the wank that is premiership football......apparently
 
No cricket on terrestrial TV. No cricket in schools. Kids more interested in sitting doing fuck all. The 100 will be the saviour of the cricketing world and save us all from the wank that is premiership football......apparently
It does not help. Think terrestrial tv and all year round football a big thing (no cricket in schools in 80s when I was there, state school that is). Still think Durham cc and local leagues need to rethink things to help out
 
In the lower leagues, the standard is not a great deal worse than 10/15 years ago but there are fewer teams and divisions and this creates awful mismatches, which puts people off playing. As for the big clubs allowing their juniors to play for smaller clubs, setting up a link without knowing someone really well can be hard work. There is a reasonable amount of suspicion that they will enjoy it so much that they will want to play there permanently which I fully understand. We have created a 2nd team mainly from dads and their lads this year but these days that is about as rare as rocking horse poo.
 
In the lower leagues, the standard is not a great deal worse than 10/15 years ago but there are fewer teams and divisions and this creates awful mismatches, which puts people off playing. As for the big clubs allowing their juniors to play for smaller clubs, setting up a link without knowing someone really well can be hard work. There is a reasonable amount of suspicion that they will enjoy it so much that they will want to play there permanently which I fully understand. We have created a 2nd team mainly from dads and their lads this year but these days that is about as rare as rocking horse poo.
Good point about sharing juniors for 2nd xi cricket, this could work if managed. Although do see the problem of kids moving away, however if clubs accept this as it is good for junior cricket then it would work. No different on a smaller scale to kids going to dcc academy
 
I read the forum regular but don’t post normally (criticised little town allegedly) so got lots of abuse.

Anyway what are people’s views of the local leagues at present.

I personally think top league ie Chester, south north etc standard is very high however lower levels particularly 2nd XI and junior cricket at all time low.

I understand teams like getting Lyons growing there own but to have 2 or 3 under 15 sides when neighbours like burnmoor have none can’t be right

I don’t want to critise Lyons as they are putting a lot of effort in and other teams like cls have the same.

However how do we share the love and keep teams going or do we accept that in 10 years there will be no junior or 2nd team leagues other than at the top table as that is where it is heading

I have lots of other views but will open up for debate.

There’ll be a lad called @wicketkeeper along shortly to give his opinion
Enjoy
 
There’ll be a lad called @wicketkeeper along shortly to give his opinion
Enjoy

Well there will be now you have tagged him in :D:D

Because it’s all about football football football, it’s bad enough all the other attractions kids have nowadays, but now amazingly there is summer football leagues for youngsters.

As a youngster for me there was the separation of a football season and a cricket season, that does not happen no more.
 
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Well there will be now you have tagged him in :D:D

Because it’s all about football football football, it’s bad enough all the other attractions kids have nowadays, but now amazingly there is summer football leagues for youngsters.

As a youngster for me there was the separation of a football season and a cricket season, that does not happen no more.

I was amazed I was first to tag him

Your last point is a huge issue. 12 months per year football seasons :oops:
 
I was amazed I was first to tag him

Your last point is a huge issue. 12 months per year football seasons :oops:

Football has become to big in the media as well, even the announcement of just the fixtures gets to much coverage.

Years ago the fixtures just came out, now there is a announcement weeks before to tell everybody when they will be announced!!!

Ridiculous!!

I know this has been World Cup year, but even when it’s not, the papers are still all about football even when none on.
 
I was amazed I was first to tag him

Your last point is a huge issue. 12 months per year football seasons :oops:
Football massive issue nowadays. could ecb work with fa. Alternatively could cricket clubs open themselves up to football I.e training on-outfields (my 6 year old trains on a old bowling green) might create a link to cricket for kids who previously not interested
 
Be interested to read how 2nd team cricket should change.

Especially as it should be seen as a breeding ground for juniors to eventually play 1st team cricket.
 
Well there will be now you have tagged him in :D:D

Because it’s all about football football football, it’s bad enough all the other attractions kids have nowadays, but now amazingly there is summer football leagues for youngsters.

As a youngster for me there was the separation of a football season and a cricket season, that does not happen no more.

Very good point about football that, hadn’t once entered my mind until you brought it to my attention but it’s a very salient point.

Lad I work with has a son who plays in a winter league and then a summer league - personally, I don’t think it can be healthy in the long run not having any break whatsoever. I know they’re young and all that and you’re suppose to be able to run all day but during the growing stage I’m not sure it’s right.

Compare that to kids playing for Academies and a lot of them now are managed so that they don’t suffer burnout - two very different ends of the spectrum IMO from professional clubs to local junior clubs.
 
To spread the limited players around I wouldn't allow clubs to have junior B teams. This would force parents to go to other clubs where their youngster has a better chance of being selected.

I would also stop clubs entering 3 Saturday teams. Bloody joke where some clubs barely manage 1 team yet others can field 3.

This has been the best summer in years weather wise and it has had a positive impact on kids turning up to play. Along with the All Stars which I think will boost numbers in years to come, hopefully clubs have a fighting chance now to survive
 
To spread the limited players around I wouldn't allow clubs to have junior B teams. This would force parents to go to other clubs where their youngster has a better chance of being selected.

I would also stop clubs entering 3 Saturday teams. Bloody joke where some clubs barely manage 1 team yet others can field 3.

This has been the best summer in years weather wise and it has had a positive impact on kids turning up to play. Along with the All Stars which I think will boost numbers in years to come, hopefully clubs have a fighting chance now to survive
An excellent point about the B teams. Tiny Trundler is at Hetton Lyons, as well-run a club as you'll find. They have approx. 8 junior sides, probably 10-15 of these kids will continue playing there once they hit 16-17. The rest will likely wrap it in, very few will move to other clubs, I suspect as it can be quite daunting for kids to do that on their own. If the club were forced to have less teams, maybe neighbouring clubs would pick up those kids. This needs to be looked at by the DCB/NEPL.
 

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