Mid West teams follow country week odyssey

Two Geraldton-based teams will start their annual quest for country week cricket glory in Perth on Sunday week. The Alcohol, Think Again Country Cricket Championships, as they’re now known, began in 1907 when they were contested by four teams, Geraldton being one. The inaugural title was won by South-West (Bunbury), who featured Harold Kirkwood, a leg-spinning all-rounder who had played for South Australia. He was one of several CW players over the years good enough to play first-class cricket — the most recent being Brad Hogg. Kirkwood scored the first CW century but Geraldton’s Henry Maley made 187 against Goomalling, which remains the highest by a Mid West bat. Next is Jack Shea’s 173 (v Collie 1936) followed by Tony Tassone’s 167 for Geraldton’s Twos in C-Section (v Bunbury 2005) and Reg Sewell’s 166no (v Dumbleyung-Kukerin 1925). Shea was also a first-class cricketer whose career as a hotelier brought him to Geraldton. In the 1936 final he made 151no against Northam out of Geraldton’s 201, but not even he could prevent defeat in a game broadcast on radio, then still a novelty. The best bowling is 9-35 by Russell Giles for Geraldton’s Thirds (v Blackwood 1976) in F-Section. He took 6-58 in the final. Sixteen Mid West players have eight-fors, a list headed by Mick Dunn, who once started with a hat-trick — all bowled. Fancy being listed at five and facing the innings’ fourth ball. Dunn in fact took three eight-wicket bags while Ray Keeffe had two. The most recent was Shayne Bidwell’s 8-39 against Harvey-Leschenault (2011). Hat-tricks have been taken by 11 players; two by Upper Chapman’s N Stokes on successive days in 1948. One was by Nick Dew, a part-timer given a bowl in 1998. Captain Michael Giles suggested Dew rest on that laurel but Dew declined as anyone would. His next over went for 30. Some other CW moments of note include the creation of B-Section in 1933 which was won by Mullewa, the start of Junior CW in 1949 and the addition of more Sections in 1950. In 1977 a record 78 teams nominated, meaning G-Section was contested for the first and only time, while in 1979 limited overs was introduced as too many draws were being played. Finally, it’s worth remembering that cricket can be vexing. As John Elliman, a successful CW captain said, “Cricket isn’t like other sports — even the best players have more bad days than good ones.” As an example, in 1998 Andrew Purvis boasted at the team hotel before the opening game that he’d never been given out LBW. He played five innings that year, each time out LBW.