Seniors Cricket Australia National Championships - Perth (part 1)

The 11th National Senors Cricket Championships were played in Perth, Western Australia from 5 to 10 November 2016. Forty-two teams competed in the tournament. This was the last time that the Over 60s and Over 70s teams will compete together with split championships from 2017.

Entrance to Gloucester Park

The Meet and Greet was held on Staurday 5 November at Gloucester Park, a short walk from the hotel.

Gloucester Park

Looking across Gloucester Park there is a view of the new stadium being built to stage sports such as cricket and Australian Rules Football.

WACA

Next to Gloucester Park is the Western Australian Cricket Ground where a test match between Australia and South Africa was being played.

When we attended out first National Championships at the Sunshine Coast in 2013 we hardly knew anyone at the Meet and Greet. Since then we have met so many cricketers, not just from Victoria but from all over Australia, and it is great to catch up with friends.

After the Meet and Greet the First Division Victorian teams had dinner at the Antico Caffe on the corner of Plain Street and Royal Street, East Perth, where we enjoyed a fine Italian meal. The restaurant is close to Gloucester Park and the WACA and a short walk from the hotel where we stayed.

The first match of the carnival was held on the Sunday at Iluka, Joondalup, north of Perth. It was primarily a sunny day but the breeze was cool. The spectators soon learned to bring a jacket to games in Perth.

In Division 1, Victoria 2 played New South Wales on one ground while Victoria 1 played South Australia on the second ground. It was great to catch up with Sharon and Brian Scott again who we had toured with when Australian toured England last year.

Bird joining in the game

The Joondalup Sports Associationcomplex hosts a number of sporting facilities including the  Bowls Club next to the cricket grounds.

At the start of the match three of the teams posed for team photos but the Victoria 2 team decided to have the team photo taken at the beginning of the second innings, This did not happen so the closest is this photo of a drinks session. The game between Victoria 2 and New South Wales was a close game which New South Wales won. Victoria 1 defeated South Australia.

The next day, Monday, Victoria 2 played the ACT at Burrendah Reserve at Willetton.

Here we met up with Ann and Murray Harrison, John Dedman and Jim Martin who had been on the Australian tour.

This was another close game which ACT won in the last over. Robin took two wickest.

Southlands Boulevard was across the road from the second cricket ground in the sports complex. A number of sporting groups operate in Burrendah Park. In the area between the two cricket grounds families of ducks contentedly swam, unconcerned about the cricket being played nearby.

After the match we walked from our hotel to The Royal on the Waterfront, a hotel and restaurant diagonally opposite the Antico Caffe we had visited previously. The restaurant overlooks Claisebrook Cove and a wide range of food. This provided another opportunity to catch up with other Victorian cricketers playing in the First Division teams. The Victoria 1 team had lost to Western Australia, also in the last over.  By the end of the second day of the competion four of the Victoria 1 team had injuries and replacements from other teams had to be made for the last two games of the carninval.