Western Australian Premier Cricket Explained

Western Australian Premier Cricket is a club cricket cricket competition played at a level below the first-class Western Warriors and other state teams. The competition is administered by the Western Australian Cricket Association.[1] It is the premier club cricket competition in Western Australia and players vying for Western Warriors and national team selection are typically chosen from Premier Cricket competition clubs. Retiring international and first-class players wishing to continue playing will generally return to their original Premier Cricket club. There are currently 16 teams in the competition.

History

1st Grade clubs compete for the 'Alcohol.Think Again District Cricket Competition Shield'.

The First Grade minor premiers win the 'Kevin Sullivan Silver Cup' as well as a cash prize of $3000.

The 2014-15 First Grade premiers were Joondalup who defeated Gosnells in the Grand Final at the WACA Ground. Joondalup were also minor premiers and won the One Day League title. Claremont-Nedlands won the T20 title. The 2015-16 First Grade premiers were Rockingham-Mandurah, defeating Fremantle by 6 wickets at the WACA Ground. In the same year, Claremont-Nedlands won the One Day League title defeating Rockingham-Mandurah. The 2016-17 Grand Final was won by Subiaco-Floreat defeating Joondalup in an upset win. That year Claremont-Nedlands won the One-Day League for the second consecutive season. The 2017-18 season was filled with plenty of upsets including University defeating South Perth in the semi-final before losing the Grand Final a week later against Claremont-Nedlands by 6 wickets at the WACA Ground.

The 2022-23 season saw Perth, who finished 6th in the regular season, squeeze into finals and claimed the two-day premiership in a final played against Bayswater-Morley. The victory broke a 74 Year drought without a first-grade two-day premiership for the demons. Bayswater-Morley would also be runners-up in the one-day competition losing out to Claremont-Nedlands in the final. In the T20 competition, it was Fremantle who defeated Subiaco-Floreat.

Perth went back to back in the 2023-24 season, defeating Bayswater-Morley in the one day grand final held at WACA ground, two day semi final and Scarborough in the two day final. The two day final was held at Bayswater-Morley home ground Hillcrest reserve. Andrew Tye took 5 wickets during Perth's batting inning that saw Jacob Snadden make a half century. Ethan Carrington dominated with the ball, taking 7 wickets. Carrington was awarded player of the match and could be heard banging and singing the Perth CC song from all present at Hillcrest Reserve. John Lindsay, President of Perth CC was elated and has since offered to adopt Carrington and include him as a benefactor for the family estate.

Western Australian Premier Cricket Clubs

Western Australian Premier Cricket Club Teams (Current)

Colours Name Nickname 1st Season(s) Grade(s) Location Home ground(s) Coach Captain Last Tile(s)+
Bears 1933–34
1947–48
(2s, 3s)
(1s)
Hillcrest Reserve Ben Williams 1998-99
Tigers 1898–99 Cresswell Park
Melvista Oval
Jim Allenby Nick Hobson 2019-20
Port Boys 1887–88 Stevens Reserve Joe Piromalli Brayden Sutton 1990-91
GosnellsHawks 1987–88 Sutherlands Park --
Centurions 1885–86 Iluka Sports Complex Mike SmithJaron Morgan 2014-15
MelvilleStorm 1957–58
1960–61
1968–69
(2s, 3s)
(4s)
(1s)
Tompkins Park Brad Thompson Sean Terry 2004-05
Swans 1946–47 Michael Fosket James Godfrey 1993-94
Hawks 1924–25 Breckler Park David Virgo 1992-93
Demons 1862 Fletcher Park Jason Thompson Jonathan Wells 2022-23
Rockingham-
Mandurah
Mariners 1995–96
1996–97
(2s, 3s)
(1s)
Craig Simmons 2015-16
Gulls 1957–58
1969–70
(2s, 3s, 4s)
(1s)
Abbett Park Nicholas Maiolo 2009-10
Sky Blues 1930–31 Richardson Park Bret Mulder Hugh Brown 1996-97
Lions 1907–08 Floreat Oval
Alderbury Street Reserve
Geremy Fatouros 2021-22
WannerooRoos 1979–80
1983–84
(2s, 3s, 4s)
(1s)
Kingsway Reserve Joel Charles Christian Smith 2020-21
Dragons 1889–90 Burrendah Reserve Aaron Harwood -
University
Of W. Aust.
Students 1885–86 James Oval
UWA Sports Ground
Will Stibbs 1974-75

+ Last Title/s in 1st Grade

Notes Bayswater-Morley was known as the Bassendean Cricket Club between 1932–33 and 1947–48, the Bassendean Turf Cricket Club from 1947–48 to 1960–61 and the Bassendean-Bayswater Cricket Club from 1960–61 to 1980–81.
Claremont-Nedlands was formed in 1989 from a merger of the Claremont-Cottesloe and Nedlands Cricket Clubs. The Claremont-Cottesloe Cricket Club, founded in 1898, was known as the Claremont Cricket Club between 1906 and 1948. The Nedlands Cricket Club was founded in 1928.
Fremantle Cricket Club first competed in the competition in the 1887–88 season. The club withdrew from the competition several times to participate in local competitions, but fielded a team in the WACA competition from 1887–88 to 1888–89, 1890–91 to 1893–94, 1906–07 to 1908–09, 1910–11 to 1913–14, and from 1921–22 onwards. The club combined with Claremont for three seasons from 1942–43 to 1944–45 during the Second World War.
Joondalup was known as the North Perth Cricket Club before 1999–2000.
Mount Lawley was known as the Maylands-Mount Lawley Cricket Club between 1924–25 and 1927–28.
Perth was known as the Metropolitans Cricket Club between 1885–86 and 1898–99, the East Perth Cricket Club between 1899–1900 and 1907–08, and again from 1910–11 to 1953–54, and as the Corinthians Cricket Club 1908–09 to 1909–10.
South Perth participated in the competition from 1930–31 to 1934–35, in 1941–42 and from 1945–46 onwards.
Subiaco-Floreat was formed from a merger of the Subiaco and Floreat Park Cricket Clubs in 1977–78. The Subiaco Cricket Club was founded in 1907–08 as the Subiaco-Leederville Cricket Club, changing its name to Subiaco in 1942–43. The Floreat Park was founded in 1957–58, but only played 2nd Grade cricket.
The West Perth Cricket Club (formed in 1889 as Federal CC and known as West Perth from 1890–91) merged with South Suburban C.A. club Willetton (formed in 1973) in late 1982, effective from the 1983-84 season. The merged entity became known as the Southern Districts Cricket Club from 1983-84 to 1987-88. Willetton's SSCA arm broke away prior to the 1987-88 season and changed their name to the Willetton Senior Cricket Club, whilst Southern Districts became the Willetton District Cricket Club in 1988-89.

Western Australian Premier Cricket Club Teams (Former)

Former clubs include:

Associated competitions

See also

Notes and References

  1. http://www.waca.com.au/cricket/district/district.asp WACA District cricket webpage
  2. "Karrakatta" in "Cricket Notes", Sunday Chronicle, Perth, 29 August 1897, p 6
  3. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/38375192 "Mr James Gardiner Dead"
  4. Tatiara, "Cricket Notes", Chronicle, Adelaide, 7 May 1898, p 30