COVID-19: WA junior cricketers’ show of sportsmanship

Charlie Walters and his mates are the type of considerate people the world needs — on and off the sporting field. They will make good leaders. At the very least, they will be considerate ones. When the Albany and Districts Cricket Association awarded Manypeaks the under-17 premiership, captain Charlie and the team got together. They were on an Albany beach holding their medals. But the lads didn’t believe they deserved them — just yet. They were to play Royals in the 45-overs grand final, but it didn’t go ahead because of coronavirus hitting cricket, and everything, for six. The ADCA awarded Manypeaks the title. Manypeaks and Royals each had a win against the other during the season, and Charlie and his teammates wanted the title fair and square. They wanted a decider, so they asked the association to put the grand final “on hold”. It will be played when things get back to normal. “We might be playing the grand final in the footy season, or it may be next summer,” Charlie, 16, the top junior cricketer in Albany, said. “The two teams will be made up of the same boys who were to play the original grand final. “We are all mates, many of us going to the same school, and some played country week together. “All of our side (Manypeaks) felt as though it was a hollow premiership. “We might win the next time, we might lose, but we wanted to play the game.” Royals skipper Angus Thompson praised the sportsmanship shown by the Manypeaks team. “It’s pretty good of them to do this. Not many teams would,” he said.