The Great Southern Cricket Association (GSCA) ‘A’ grade season starts tomorrow (8/10) with a round of one-day games. The competition has seen significant change for this season with ‘A’ grade now featuring 10 teams after only being a six-team competition for the past two seasons. Four teams have come up from ‘B’ grade for the 2022/23 season. They are Yankalilla, Myponga-Sellicks, Aldinga and Mount Compass. These teams were in the top-four in ‘B’ grade ranks in 2021/22 with Yankalilla winning the premiership after defeating Myponga-Sellicks in the Grand Final. There will be 12 rounds with six two-day matches and six one-day matches with finals to begin on Saturday 4 March.

Willunga has been the dominant team for the past five seasons with four premierships in that time, including the last three in a row. In a major change for the Demons, Luke Harding has stepped down as skipper. Goolwa, under first-year skipper Jayden Crees, got on a roll in the finals to make it all the way to the decider last season before being defeated by Willunga. The Magpies will be confident of at least getting back to the same position again this season. Noarlunga finished second at the end of the minor round last season but went out in straight sets so the Shoes will be desperate to go at least one step further this season. Encounter Bay are always around the mark and made it to the finals last season but went out in week one to Goolwa. Port Elliot were cruelled by injuries before season 2021/22 so expect them to bounce back and threaten for finals, while McLaren Districts are a young team looking for improvement under new skipper Luke Goodieson.

The ‘B’ grade competition also starts tomorrow with the C1 and C2 grades to begin on the 15th of October. Senior Colts and Junior Colts begin on the 22nd of October.

Round 1 (Home teams named first)

Port Elliot v Encounter Bay

Willunga v Goolwa

Yankalilla v Mount Compass

McLaren Districts v Noarlunga

Aldinga v Myponga-Sellicks