Custom Bats Cricket Forum
General Cricket => Your Cricket => Topic started by: RSpall on September 13, 2014, 10:55:02 PM
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We are having a dilemma at our club whether to choose a local pro or an overseas for next season. What's people opinions?
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local pro would be better (assuming living in UK) because some overseas players commit for one or two seasons whereas the local pros' may stick around for longer. Overseas players may have more requests regarding accomodation, job etc. which can be more costly also.
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I'm with you there as we have experienced before. Also with a local pro you know what your getting as long as they perform to how they can. With an overseas you don't know what your getting and you could end up having a flop and contributing nothing which is frustrating if he's on good money.
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What league you from mate all depends what others have and stuff
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Although it's a bit more risky, I'd say overseas. I've not seen a decent local pro who is actually loyal etc. Most just seem like mercenary walking egos. At least the overseas is about all week so can do training etc etc.
Doubt the local pro will stay once the money stops. Just don't pay players, it's not really needed if you have a good club.
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We play in our county prem league. All but one side pays a player in their side. Some pay a couple! You could look at it in a couple of different ways though. Save the money if your players are good enough to stay up or go for the title by adding a pro? The problem with an overseas is you never know what your paying for. We have shelled out a lot of money in the past for two very poor cricketers. At least with a local they are proven in that league and you know what they are going to be like. Being local they might also bring a few players with them?
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It's certainly a dilemma, and either way you should do some research!
I've found that local 'pros' can also be a mercenary for who will pay them the most which can be an issue. I've seen them not even bother turning up for winter nets and even training sessions during the season - absolute fail in my book. Yes they're playing at the weekend and contributing onto the pitch but I think in club cricket you need to have the atmosphere and good club people who contribute off the pitch as well. In an ideal world, you're looking for somebody who can full invest into the club.
Overseas wise, we've only ever had one bad pro since my time with the club in the past five seasons or so. He was a good quality standard of cricketer, but his attitude didn't match. Always moaning etc which doesn't set a good example for anybody! I think the attitude can be as important as the on field contributions.
In an ideal world you're looking for somebody who can contribute on and off the pitch, both performance wise and attitude. Setting an example for everybody including the Youth and being a good role model is never a bad thing in my book. South African's have always been good Overseas, both on/off the field. Australian's have varied.
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In the Home Counties Prem alot of the players get paid. Not just overseas pros but club pros. Standard is very high.
Even this year, one of the teams in Div.2 of the TVCL (3 leagues below the Home Countites Premier) allegedly spent £10000 on players wages.
In my experience, South Africans, Zimbabweans and New Zealanders seem to adapt better to the UK (on the whole...) than players from other nations.
Local pro's around here either play top level or are not much better than the standard of most good club players.
But as said previously, you would take someone with slightly less ability to ensure they are a clubman rather than an individual mercenary. The club should be bigger than any one player.
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We play in our county prem league. All but one side pays a player in their side. Some pay a couple! You could look at it in a couple of different ways though. Save the money if your players are good enough to stay up or go for the title by adding a pro? The problem with an overseas is you never know what your paying for. We have shelled out a lot of money in the past for two very poor cricketers. At least with a local they are proven in that league and you know what they are going to be like. Being local they might also bring a few players with them?
I assume your county don't assign players to premier teams like a lot of counties did? They used to do it here in Kent but stopped a few years ago.
Whilst you want someone who performs adding someone who can help coaching sides at your club would also be a bonus. The ECB/HMRC are pretty quick at clamping down on stuff like this these days so make sure you have all that stuff in order
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We always do the HMRC stuff properly so thats not a problem.
What we are hoping is that the player we target doesnt offer much within the club. He has been known for it slightly but he's a hell of a player so its a bit of a risk. he will almost guarantee 500+ runs and 30 wickets. We're hoping we can get him involved within the club things, helping with training and setting the best example. He still wants to make it so he really needs to make that effort. Hes played for the unicorns this year and has had a summer contract with a first class county.
We have a club in Cornwall that exceed £10000 easily most years. They do it to win the league most years of which you receive in the region of £500. whats the point? One player is £300+ a week with a paid overseas as well.
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Clubs can end up in the horrible predicament of having to pay for good cricketers to remain in their highest league. It'll put the club in a bad financial way, and are better off playing in a league they can remain competitive with a crop of their own! I hope that the guy in question isn't set in his ways or asking for too much. Good luck and make sure you let us know how it goes!
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If a club needs to pay to stay at a level then it's a poor club. Unable to breed it's own quality etc. Play at the level your current team can manage.. If that's div 1 or 20.. Does it really matter??
You get nothing as a amateur for winning div 1 or div 5.. No one really cares at the end of the day. Too many teams are carried now by one or two players and aren't good all round teams.
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We always do the HMRC stuff properly so thats not a problem.
What we are hoping is that the player we target doesnt offer much within the club. He has been known for it slightly but he's a hell of a player so its a bit of a risk. he will almost guarantee 500+ runs and 30 wickets. We're hoping we can get him involved within the club things, helping with training and setting the best example. He still wants to make it so he really needs to make that effort. Hes played for the unicorns this year and has had a summer contract with a first class county.
We have a club in Cornwall that exceed £10000 easily most years. They do it to win the league most years of which you receive in the region of £500. whats the point? One player is £300+ a week with a paid overseas as well.
Not a left arm spinner by any chance?
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This side have big financial backing so they wont run out of women anytime soon. They are all at least 40 now though with the odd teenager in there so hopefully in a few years they will become to old to play at the best standard in Cornwall.
Yes let hope we make the right decision and he turns out to be a big hit at the club in all ways. He's very popular within the area so we are hoping he brings a few friends with him.
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Because our county is a very small one, all the best and half decent players play in the prem. We came up last year and won div 1 by 50 points and that was with all local lads, but the jump up in the prem is so big that you really have to recruit, if you want to stay up. if you dont you go straight back down but then you come back up. It's not like cricket in other counties where clubs within several counties play within one league which makes the standard of cricket stronger. We are within the same county resulting in all the best cricketers playing in one league then the standards below are quite poor.
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Overseas pro with specified coaching duties written into the contract
West Indian players integrate very well I have found
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Ours didn't!
He tried to lash every ball he received, on the up through the covers. Never scored more than 10 I believe, and every time he was out, he would walk slowly into a large bush just over the boundary (yes - I did actually mean right 'into' the middle of the bush). From there, various items of kit and padding would fly out of the bush periodically and he wouldn't emerge for at least an hour.
He never drank and was very serious in the bar afterwards, not saying much, glowering darkly and muttering to himself frequently.
Then one week he spanked a streaky 20 odd, came into the bar after the game and got absolutely hammered on Rum & Coke. He laughed maniacally all evening, tried to dance with all the men and then passed out on the pool table.
We never saw him again after that.
Mind you - not a paid pro, so that explains it! :)
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Ours didn't!
He tried to lash every ball he received, on the up through the covers. Never scored more than 10 I believe, and every time he was out, he would walk slowly into a large bush just over the boundary (yes - I did actually mean right 'into' the middle of the bush). From there, various items of kit and padding would fly out of the bush periodically and he wouldn't emerge for at least an hour.
He never drank and was very serious in the bar afterwards, not saying much, glowering darkly and muttering to himself frequently.
Then one week he spanked a streaky 20 odd, came into the bar after the game and got absolutely hammered on Rum & Coke. He laughed maniacally all evening, tried to dance with all the men and then passed out on the pool table.
We never saw him again after that.
Mind you - not a paid pro, so that explains it! :)
I just thought Monty Panesar turned up at your club...
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The problem with local pros are that they have to do better than your current locals, else everyone will think they should be paid.
Perhaps team and individual bonuses would be better, if allowed by the league?
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It could be managed. A bonus scheme in the whole side has been thought of but i believe in someone of a different standard setting the example is good. It gives you something to work towards really.
This will be a never ending debate i think.