Custom Bats Cricket Forum
General Cricket => Your Cricket => Topic started by: longy0710 on December 22, 2011, 06:21:22 PM
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Evening guys
Thought I'd post this up as a bit of a discussion topic. I have just got off the phone with a captain from a local side who got promoted to a premier league last year. I have had 2 great seasons in the league below being in the top 10 batsmen in the league structure 2 years running. He has offered me around £75 a game to play. I have turned him down as I enjoy playing for my current club and have had an offer to go to play in a different premier league but not getting paid.
What would other people have done? I go to work Monday to Friday to earn my money and enjoy my cricket as a way to relax.
Thoughts?
Longy
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£75 quid a game is alot of money!
ive allways said i wouldnt leave tho for less than £100 a game!
thats just because ive been at same club since i was 8.. and i love the lads and for me to think about moving it would have to be ££££.
when u start playing for money tho i think u add alot of pressure on your self because if you dont perform people will think there not getting there moneys worth!
alot of people in are league are on performance based money...
some little like 25p a run others £1 a run
£15 quid a wicked
£5 quid a catch etc
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I would of done it, quit if they're massive bellends, no point turning down free money!
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I would weigh up the difference that the extra money would make to your lifestyle against the extra pressure and loss of your old team mates. If it wouldn't much difference then it's probably not worth it.
Might be worth attending a few socials and/or nets though as the new club might be full of great lads who you get on with and then the money would just be an added bonus.
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What were you averaging last year mate? - By the sounds of it you're pretty decent ;)
I'd weigh up whether you want to play cricket for fun, or earn some extra cash on the side...I think that if the new guys aren't as fun to play with as your old team-mates.
Depends whether you'd really want the extra cash that much really. If you don't, then stay at your current club, keep enjoying your cricket and keep flourishing.
There is obviously the possibility you could underperform at this other club next year due to added pressure..
Do whatever you feel is best mate, sure however it turns out you'll be fine :)
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Average has nothing to do with it...mine was 96 at the end of last year and I wouldn't say Im one to stand out in our league.
The weekend is a break from work IMO so should be treated as an enjoyable time, saying that if h feel u need the ££ it may have an influence on things ???
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in the current financial climate noone could blame you for taking the money, theres no shame in it...
comes down to whether you need the money or not!
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When you get paid to play the whole dynamic changes as your outlook on the game and enjoyment levels are affected as I found when being paid to play football when I was younger
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Average has nothing to do with it...mine was 96 at the end of last year and I wouldn't say Im one to stand out in our league.
The weekend is a break from work IMO so should be treated as an enjoyable time, saying that if h feel u need the ££ it may have an influence on things ???
Completely agree with that. My concern is that if I went to the club the expectation is always going to be very high due to the ££ involved. With expectation comes alot of pressure, something which i get enough of during the working week. Dont get me wrong the cash would come in more than handy (especially for new bats!) but want to keep enjoying my cricket.
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If you're having any doubts, then I wouldn't do it
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It's a risk. The standard in the Prem will be higher than div 1 - you'll be coping with 4-5 good bowlers instead of 2-3. There will be less stuff to go after because as a general rule the bowlers bowl better length and lines and runs are harder to come by.
It if was me I'd have wanted to know that I could perform in the Prem before getting paid for it. There's less pressure this way. I know of a few people who have made the transition well, but there's a lot more that struggle.
For example when we were promoted we had 4 batters in the div 1 top ten averages. (all in the 40's) After the first year in the prem, only one was in the thirties, everyone else was in the twenties.
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The problem with moving to a club that is bank rolling players is that the money tap will get turned off at some stage and there will be resentment in the team from the players who are not being paid - especially if they are performing better than the paid players.
Clubs like this in my experience usually do ok for a year or so then collapes through the leagues (see Farncome and Ashtead as two current examples)
the cash would be great I am sure - but so is friendship from the team you are playing for - that can't be bought.
Ask youself - do I want to play form my current club? do I want to play in the premiership? could the two happen at the same place? and If I was being paid, would I enjoy my cricket as much or will there be an unnecessary extra burdon?
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The problem with moving to a club that is bank rolling players is that the money tap will get turned off at some stage and there will be resentment in the team from the players who are not being paid - especially if they are performing better than the paid
Exactly the problem. When we moved into the Prem we had about 4/5 paid players to my knowledge. Most just turned up, played and then went home. No banter, no drinks in the bar after the game, nothing. I was pretty pissed off as I was forced to play seconds and these players weren't exactly performing well.
I honestly don't see the point. What does the club get from it all at the end if it? There isn't any money paid out by the league for final standings.
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Do it........ Turn up with an esky chockers with piss and knock over 3 before the toss... Take one out on the field and crush it and offer it to the bowler as a marker.
If everyone is cool with that and are still happy to pay you, you have made a good choice.... If not, you'll know pretty quick and be back at your old club by round 3.
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Generally speaking the standard is that much higher and clubs think that if they don't pay players then they won't be able to compete.
Actually going into the prem can be one of the worst things that can happen to a club. When we went up only three of the previous years team who gained promotion were actually good enough to cut in the higher standard. This meant an influx of new players, some paid some unpaid. And yes it does create problems, creates divisions in the team. At times I was the only original player left - and I'd look around the changing room and feel like the club I'd played for for over 25 years was no longer my club.
The biggest problem is when things go wrong on the field and relegation becomes a reality - most of the imported players leave which leaves a huge hole for the following year. It really can rip the heart of your club out.
We've been promoted again this year, time will tell if it's a good thing.
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A lot of paid players in our league, does my head in when they are outscored every week by other 'Average Joe's'... If someone offered me money (and expenses) I would play!
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£75 for playing sport - I'd take it in a second. That said, at our club my daughter commands a bigger fee for her scoring lol - £30 a game she was offered by a rival club! As for perceived pressure, that's (No Swearing Please). If you are a decent bat then you bat under pressure all the time ie. weight of runs expected/contribution to the team. If you have a bad trot you still get paid don't you? Worst they can do is fire you lol . Likewise, club dynamics aren't your problem just go out and enjoy it.
If you are loaded then you can afford to turn down fair enough, but £75 a week buys you a fair number of bats (or wife bribes to play cricket)
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If you are a decent bat then you bat under pressure all the time ie. weight of runs expected/contribution to the team. Likewise, club dynamics aren't your problem just go out and enjoy it.
Not sure I agree. I bat 4, and score around 600 - 700 league runs a season - and I don't feel under any pressure to perform as I've played for the same club all my life. If I moved clubs, was playing in a higher standard and someone was going to pay me then I'd feel under more pressure to deliver. For example the next step up for me would be County 2's - if selected would I feel as comfortable as I do at my club - absolutely not!
Club dynamics aren't important only if you're completely mercenary - I'd sooner play in a club that everyone wants to be in
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that's fair enough. I played for clubs where I know I have to score runs for us to win on a regular basis, clubs I have played for all my life. That's still pressure, even if it's a low level.
Point I'm making in general is until you play at another club how do you know if you are going to enjoy it? I played at one club for 20 odd years, and have enjoyed it less (in hindsight) than my 3 years in West Sussex and my last 3 seasons in Yorkshire. People always stick with what they know rather than get out of their comfort zone. Do you really have much to lose?
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that's fair enough. I played for clubs where I know I have to score runs for us to win on a regular basis, clubs I have played for all my life. That's still pressure, even if it's a low level.
Fair comment, I personally just take the view now that I'll score roughly that amount of runs a year, so I'll have a run of good scores and a run of not so good.
I'm actually thinking of moving clubs this year, it'll be a big wrench after so long, and I agree that you don't know how good something else is going to be unless you give it a try...
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Another question here is how old the OP is. At 19, I fancied myself a wicketkeeper/bat playing Lancashire Leagues cricket - I'd floated around county colts, played a decent standard in Yorkshire, then got stuck in our twos because some bright spark insisted on hiring Mark Boucher as the overseas player, and I would have bitten someone's hand off all the way up to the elbow to be guaranteed regular 1s cricket, money or no.
Seven knee ops, a ruptured achilles and too much beer later, I love bring the old fashioned club stalwart, play where I'm put and, for all the small scale pressure (mostly someone wanting to beat my runs totals) I love the place to bits and really could not imagine playing anywhere else; this was brought home to me when my other half was ill last year and everyone - even the colts, wives and occasional girlfriends - rallied round.
Point is, priorities change, things that seemed very important to me at 19 seem trivial now. That has to be a personal decision.
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I would say that you must feel great and very flattered to be asked to play for both decent teams, and the fact that one of the teams has offered you money must make you feel special. That's totally understandable!
But you don't owe them anything and they will find players to play for money whether it's you or someone else!
If I were in your (obviously gifted) shoes, I would think about what you would have to give up at your club in order to play for the this other team? Maybe see if you can go along to their AGM at the pub or a pre-season net so that you can meet the other players and judge whether you think you'd enjoy their company? If this team really want you enough to pay you, then they should give you lots of time to make your decision!!
If you did leave your current club to play elsewhere, then realised you had made a mistake....then your current club may still have you back, but would the relationship ever be the same again? ???
Your choice but I realy would look into it first, as cricket is first and foremost our passion and should therefore be enjoyable! whatever you decide, hope it goes well for you! 8)
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The team that hav offered me cash played in our league last season so I know most of the guys. They have all seem to become Billy big times as they are being bank rolled.
Looking at it I'm not keen on the people, the pitch ain't great for batting and it seems there is no money going into the pitch so I think I'll stay put and net with the other premier league team.
Thanks for the advice guys. The money would be great but I need to enjoy it or it's just another day at work.
Martyn
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Another question here is how old the OP is. At 19, I fancied myself a wicketkeeper/bat playing Lancashire League cricket - I'd floated around county colts, played a decent standard in Yorkshire, then got stuck in our twos because some bright spark insisted on hiring Mark Boucher as the overseas player, and I would have bitten someone's hand off all the way up to the elbow to be guaranteed regular 1s cricket, money or no.
Seven knee ops, a ruptured achilles and too much beer later, I love bring the old fashioned club stalwart, play where I'm put and, for all the small scale pressure (mostly someone wanting to beat my runs totals) I love the place to bits and really could not imagine playing anywhere else; this was brought home to me when my other half was ill last year and everyone - even the colts, wives and occasional girlfriends - rallied round.
Point is, priorities change, things that seemed very important to me at 19 seem trivial now. That has to be a personal decision.
Sounds like you're about the same age as me from your village moment post manormaniac.
Who did you play for in the lancs league? I used to play in that junior league for Darwen until about 15 and played for the lancs league u15's.
As for the main question on getting paid to play, if you are good enough and don't mind potentially playing for a team that you have little connection with go for it.
Personally I never liked the concept of paying for anyone other than one full time pro, it always just seemed wrong to me in an amateur sport. I'd rather clubs spent their money developing good juniors.