MANNING Cricket president Steve Campbell said he hopes there will be at least one more team in next season's T1 competition.
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Only four sides contest this season's T1 that concluded last weekend when Taree United accounted for Wingham in the grand final. The fact that both Gloucester and Great Lakes struggled to be competitive against United and Wingham created further problems with the teams playing each other five times in the competition-proper.
Mr Campbell said he would speak with T2 grand finalists Bulahdelah and Pacific Palms regarding a move to T1 this year. Bulahdelah dominated the T2 season but were bested by Palms in the grand final, giving Palms back-to-back premierships.
"I think they'd both be competitive in T1, but whether they'd have the depth could be a problem,'' Mr Campbell said, noting both clubs are one grade only.
"We'd also have to take into account players moving in and out of the area.''
Old Bar's return to T1 has also been mooted, with the club fielding three T2 sides this season. Old Bar-Eggins made the preliminary final.
Mr Campbell said numerically Old Bar should have the numbers for a T1 side.
"They have some quality juniors coming through and a few of the experienced players, including Anthony Turner, had good seasons in T2 this year,'' he said.
Gloucester captain Ryan Yates said his club hopes to field T1 and T2 sides in 2024/25 in what would be a first.
"We're hoping to have a couple more teams in the senior grades next year,'' Mr Campbell said.
However, he isn't sure this would lead to the association running three separate competitions, as was once the case. T1 and T2 grades have been run for the past three years, with the top four sides then playing in the T2 semi-finals and the next four then contesting T3 semi-finals. Ten sides played T2 this season.
"I think we'll stay with that format, unless we get a dramatic increase in sides,'' he said.
"But if we get six T1 sides we may look at playing a top four there, with the next two playing in the T2 finals. We'll just have to see how things pan out.''
The date for the association's annual meeting will be determined next month. Mr Campbell expects it to be in late July or early August, with a planning meeting for 2024/25 soon after.
He's happy to stay on as president if wanted.
"I think we had a pretty good season this year and if no one else wants the job, I'll stay on,'' he said.
