THE Sunraysia Cricket Association (SCA) will consider introducing a player points system to encourage club loyalty.
A number of clubs expressed their concerns at a recent SCA club delegates meeting about player retention.
SCA president Andrew Farlie said the board would discuss the points system at its scheduled meeting at the end of this month.
“It’s something which clubs have raised in the past and a few brought it up again at our meeting last week, but really we haven’t had a chance to look at it in detail,” Farlie said.
“We will certainly consider it and we will discuss it in a bit more detail at our meeting later this month and go from there.”
The Geelong Cricket Association (GCA) is one regional competition that has operated the player points system in recent years.
The GCA introduced the points system in 2014-15 and, while clubs have embraced it, it hasn’t been without some confusion.
Farlie said there were a number of factors to consider before the board would look at introducing a player points system.
“Certainly we see the merit in it (player points),” Farlie said.
“If it means it helps clubs with retaining players, then that is a good thing, but we also have to look at the impost it would have on our administration and the amount of work it would take to manage it.
“But, as I said, at this stage it is something a few of the clubs have raised, but we haven’t had a chance to explore it any further than that.”
The SCA has restrictions on player payments in place but Farlie said because of limited resources the “policing” of this had been difficult.
Nichols Point is one club that has successfully lured a number of players from opposition clubs in the past 12 months.
Last season Shaun Mathews, Brad Thomas and Tyson Giles moved from Mildura East to the Pointers and recently the club signed Mildura Settlers opening bowler Luke Coates.
Coates’ signing is one of the biggest coups in recent times, the premiership player is widely regarded as the best paceman in the competition.
But while Nichols Point has had plenty of success recruiting opposition players in the past couple of seasons, Farlie does not believe player transfers is a major concern.
“We certainly encourage player loyalty, but we also have measures in place to ensure we control the movement of players,” Farlie said.
“We have financial restrictions in place for player payments and this does work although it could be improved.”
