PREMIER CRICKET REVIEW 2009 - 10 Final Report – September 2010 Updated: December 2009 Premier Cricket Review 2009 - 2010 August 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .............................................................................................. 2 1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 2 1.2 Key Findings ................................................................................................................. 2 1.3 Vision for Premier Cricket ............................................................................................. 3 1.4 Recommendations ........................................................................................................ 3 2. BACKGROUND TO REVIEW, FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ..................... 5 2.1 Objectives ..................................................................................................................... 5 2.2 Committee Personnel ................................................................................................... 5 2.3 Review Process and Consultation................................................................................. 6 2.4 Role of Premier Cricket ................................................................................................. 6 2.4.1 2007-2011 Strategic Plan ...................................................................................... 6 2.4.2 Analysis of Current Situation – 2009-10 Snapshot .................................................... 7 2.4.3 Future Role – Season 2010-11 and Beyond ............................................................ 8 2.5 Resulting Strategic Priorities - Summary ....................................................................... 8 2.6 Strategic Priorities – Reasoning and Detail ................................................................... 9 2.6.1 Strategic Priority 1: The Need to Increase the Prominence of T20 Within Premier Cricket and Associated Pathways .......................................................................... 9 2.6.2 Strategic Priority 2: The Need to Increase Accessibility to Premier Cricket for Players from the Current and Future Growth Areas of Melbourne ........................................ 10 2.6.3 Strategic Priority 3: The Need for Premier Clubs To Be More Closely Connected To, and Reflective Of, the Community, in Order to Maximise Government & Local Council Support and Improve CV‟s Return on Investment ....................................... 15 2.6.4 Strategic Priority 4: Need to Increase Quality, and Robustness, of Women‟s Premier Cricket, Both To Support The Vicspirit And To Grow The Women‟s Game At Club Level ................................................................................................................ 20 3. CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................ 24 Page 1 of 24 Table of Contents Premier Cricket Review 2009 - 2010 August 2010 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 INTRODUCTION As a result of feedback from several forums and meetings in recent years (both formal and informal) about the structure and purpose of Premier Cricket, as well as the growing impact of various other industry and social influences on cricket, it was resolved at the October 2009 Delegates‟ meeting to conduct a formal review, including consideration of a model for Premier Cricket into the future. The review was designed to cover both men‟s and women‟s cricket. This review has now been undertaken by a Committee comprising 3 senior CV staff, 3 CV directors, 2 current player-coaches (1 male, 1 female), representatives from the VWCA and an independent consultant/facilitator. A full listing of Committee members is contained later in this report, as is a summary of the consultation activities and process. The report is strategic, rather than operational, in nature. It attempts to set out the vision and key principles that should drive the evolution of Premier Cricket in future, with development and implementation of specific initiatives to be done later within this framework. Whilst the review concentrates on Premier Cricket, the Committee recognises that there would be consequential effects on affiliates (in particular VWCA, VSDCA, VCCL and VMCU) within the strategies outlined in this report. In general, the Committee identifies the need for Premier Clubs to work with local affiliates to deliver necessary community and cricket outcomes. This has started to a degree with a Pennant Committee representative on the Game Development Committee since mid-2009. The development of Regional Local Councils within the cricket family is supported and seen as an important initiative, particularly in the developing growth areas. The formation of Club and Region strategic plans that align with CV‟s objectives is a logical next step in development. This report is now final and will be put to Delegates for formal approval at the October 2010 meeting. 1.2 KEY FINDINGS Following consideration of all information and feedback from consultation, the key findings of the Committee were: . Premier Cricket is the link between community and elite cricket, and the custodian of the top club level of the game: „the top of the bottom‟ and „the bottom of the top‟. At present Premier Cricket has a number of strengths, but also significant opportunities it needs to embrace and challenges it needs to respond to, especially: — The emergence of T20 as a popular and relevant form of the game; — The rapid growth of Melbourne, and especially projected population growth and urban spread over the next ten to fifteen years in areas currently unrepresented by Premier Cricket; Page 2 of 24 Executive Summary Premier Cricket Review 2009 - 2010 August 2010 — The increasing cost of facilities and growing trend of councils looking for a more demonstrable „return on investment‟ from supported sporting clubs and associations; — The aggressive competition from other sports for facilities and young athletes, especially soccer, which has moved into the summer space for its national league and now lower level regional competitions; — The resulting need to manage council relationships and optimise ground usage; — Ongoing difficulty for many clubs in attracting and retaining volunteers; — Limited connection with junior competitions; and — Limited depth of the women‟s game when it is crucial to the growth of the sport. As a result, the Review Committee has identified four strategic priorities for Premier Cricket (in no particular order): 1. The need to increase the prominence of T20 within Premier Cricket and associated Pathway programs. 2. The need to increase accessibility to Premier Cricket for players from the current and future growth areas of Melbourne. 3. The need for Premier Clubs to be more closely connected to, and reflective of, the community in order to maximise government & local council support for cricket and Premier Clubs (hence ensure sustainability of infrastructure, grounds, volunteers etc) and also improve CV‟s return on investment. 4. The need to increase the quality and stability of Women‟s Premier Cricket, in order to support the VicSpirit, and grow the women‟s game at club level (rather than relying solely on centralised programs). 1.3 VISION FOR PREMIER CRICKET Acting on these strategic priorities will deliver our proposed vision for Premier Cricket: A healthy, vibrant and competitive Premier Club Competition that: . Is a crucial part of the Victorian cricket pathway. Reaches various communities within Melbourne’s future population (5 million by 2026). Is made up of clubs with high quality facilities that are inclusive of men, women, boys and girls and attracts strong community involvement and support. Includes expanded forms of cricket appealing to a wider audience and participants. Allows cricket to attract the next generation of volunteers and compete favourably against other sports. 1.4 RECOMMENDATIONS Flowing from the identified strategic priorities, the Review Committee believes the following recommendations will assist in delivering the vision as described above, and so align with the Cricket Victoria Strategic Plan and the overall objective of Victoria being Australia‟s Leading Cricket State. As above, the recommendations are for the most part at a strategic high level and so „in principle‟ support only is sought – it is recognised that the operational implementation of some will require much more work and further approvals from Members in due course (eg. the establishment of a Page 3 of 24 Executive Summary Premier Cricket Review 2009 - 2010 August 2010 new club will need a robust business case and a 75% approval majority of Delegates on each occasion as per the CV Constitution). The recommendations are: 1. Introduce T20 into Premier Cricket regular competition subject to Pennant Committee recommendations, but in principle: . apply to all 4 grades . count for premiership points and club championship (Note: Delegates have already approved this action for the 2010-11 season at the July 2010 meeting.) 2. Ensure Premier Cricket is and continues to be readily accessible across Melbourne as the metropolitan area expands, in particular incorporating identified growth areas currently unrepresented in Premier Cricket as and when there is a sound case to do so, via either existing club relocations or admission of new clubs to the competition. 3. Expand the competition to up to 20 teams in the