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Last week, the Club was fortunate enough to host the National Seniors Cricket Competition, which was held in Western Australia for the first time.

This week long tournament saw teams from all over the country compete in Over 60’s and even Over 70’s one-day cricket matches.

Similar to the Country Week held earlier in the year, John Connell played host to 40-over matches on Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday, with the Division 3 Grand Final taking place at the Club on Thursday, 10th November.

Be sure to view the photos below!

For the Spartans, this was a fantastic opportunity to promote the clubhouse to players from all over Australia, and without doubt, the feedback was entirely positive.

The Club was required to set up and pack up the day’s play, cater for 40, ensure the facilities were kept in a clean and tidy manner at all times, and of course, operate the bar at the conclusion of the match!

over-70s-national-seniors-weekThis was in addition to our regular Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday night festivities, meaning it was certainly a considerable and time consuming task to say the least.

As such, the week could not have been possible without the efforts of generous volunteers, who donated their time throughout the working week to show their support and help make the 2016 National Seniors Week a resounding success;

On behalf of the Leeming Spartan Cricket Club and its Committee, we would like to thank the immense support provided by the following Spartans;

  • Callum Appleby – The efforts of The Pom were immense at all times throughout the week. From 7:30am until 10:00pm everyday, Callum was there helping out – from jobs including lending a hand to organise the day’s play, preparing lunches and afternoon teas, cleaning, and clearing tables – all of which easily make him an invaluable asset to the Club!

  • Julien McMahon – Jules made himself available to help out almost everyday and did so in a major fashion, never sitting still and always moving on to the next task with great success. He has been incredibly reliable and doing all that was asked of him, and was a great help in preparing lunches for the old boys at tea!

  • Todd Gill – Gilly never stopped once during the course of the week, helping out and leading from the front at all times, preparing lunches, tidying the clubhouse, and cooking dinners. He was also vital in the latter half of the week as the somewhat repetitive nature of the competition’s requirements began to take their toll.

  • Kristian Skjold – Dumbo was immense in his efforts throughout the week, even coming in on his day off to ensure help was at hand! Helping organise the food, taking out bins, and helping set up for the days play are just some of the ways he helped out during the week.

  • Paul Kalleske – Our Senior Vice President played an essential role in the afternoons, helping to not only clear and clean up, but also prepare for the following day’s play. Furthermore, PK’s help in running the bar during the peak times and operating the BBQ for post-match dinners proved invaluable.

  • Marc DoddsDoddsy, like those mentioned above, was another pivotal factor in ensuring the week was a hit, with his efforts in helping to organise lunches for the break, making afternoon teas, packing away signage boards and cleaning change rooms just some of the many ways he helped support the Club throughout the tournament!

In addition, we are extremely grateful of the following members who also donated their time to attend the clubhouse and help out over the course of the week;

  • Geoff Burgess
  • Chris Coombs
  • Anthony McGhie
  • John Ipsen
  • Adam Morgan

These outstanding clubmen helped in every facet – from setting up, to preparing meals, tidying the clubhouse, and clearing tables – thereby playing a pivotal role in lessening the load for the day’s tasks!


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The Tournament:

The week’s proceedings began on Sunday 6th November, with a clash between the Division 4 Over 60’s of New South Wales and Tasmania, with the Tassie side recording a comfortable victory.

Without knowing what to expect, we were in for a treat in the very first over, where the first ball of the match was cut well for four, and the third flicked for a massive six!

Monday’s game had us playing host to Western Australia and Victoria in the same division, and Western Australia recorded a good win – chasing down 115 in just 25 overs for the loss of two wickets (one of which was a compulsory retirement at 40).

Wednesday’s matchup between Queensland and Victoria in the Over 70’s division was perhaps the highlight, Queensland victorious in a high scoring affair. Batting first, the sunshine state made a massive 4/245 (all but one wicket coming from retirements), and Victoria put up a solid fight in making 5/182. Plus the victory of Donald Trump made for great viewing during the lunch break!

The final match was the 3rd Division (Second) Grand Final was played between two South Australian sides – South Australia and the South East Coasters. In a somewhat anti-climatic final, the Coasters cruised to victory in just 16 overs, chasing down 118 for the loss of one wicket.

As such, it proved to be a fantastic week of Seniors Cricket and was a pleasure to play host for this milestone tournament which gets bigger every year. Feedback from all players involved was nothing short of outstanding, and it is a testament to those above who donated their time to help out.

All players stayed back after the games for a drink and presentations, and certainly, their fines session was unlike anything previously seen at the home of cricket!


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Seniors Week - 5


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