WA were the dominant team throughout the Championships, winning four of five round-robin matches, before defeating Victoria and NSW in the Semi-Final and Final respectively.
Willetton’s Brock Larance had an outstanding individual tournament, blasting 361 runs at 51.57 including four-half centuries, and taking 15 wickets at a miserly average of 7.73 runs per wicket.
His on-field performances earned the 22-year-old Player of the Tournament honours, with his contributions playing a key role in WA claiming the Men’s title.
Such was the dominance of Larance’s performances, he finished with most wickets and most runs across the tournament, with his 87 off just 38 balls in the Grand Final also earning him Player of the Finals.
He was selected alongside two of his title-winning teammates in the Team of the Tournament, with Mount Lawley pair Clint Hinchliffe and Koby Jackson also recognised for their roles in WA’s success.
Hinchliffe, who played Big Bash League for the Melbourne Stars and Perth Scorchers and made his first-class debut for Western Australia back in 2018, was an important cog for WA across the week, finishing with 187 runs at 31.17, and 14 wickets at 9.86.
His top-order batting and wily left-arm leg-spin combined well with the destructive power of Larance as the pair consistently delivered match-winning performances, while Jackson proved more than handy with his wicket-keeping and middle-order batting ability.
Jackson finished with the Most dismissals in the Men’s competition, claiming seven stumpings and five catches in seven matches.
Meanwhile, the Women’s team showed exciting signs for the future, despite only winning one of the six matches.
Captain Veronica Keen and her team carried themselves brilliantly all week, even with results going against them, with their sportsmanship and respect for the opposition earning them the Spirit of Cricket Award.
Karratha’s Emily Bowden was the star performer for WA, finishing the Championships with 92 runs at 18.4, and selection in the Women’s Team of the Tournament.
She played an important role in WA’s only win of the Championships, compiling 25 not out as her team successfully chased down 96 against Victoria.
Seren Simpson, who plies her trade for Melville Cricket Club in WA Premier Cricket, was the standout bowler for WA across the six matches, finishing with five wickets at 17.8 and impressing many with her skill set.
Both the Men’s and Women’s team were lucky enough to be mentored by former WA and Australian cricketer Zoe Goss OAM during the week, with her experience as both a coach and player proving invaluable for our young athletes.
Goss has been crucial in the development of Aboriginal Cricketers in the state, currently serving as the coach of the Aboriginal Talent Academy, which was formed at the start of last summer.
With the support of the WA Cricket Foundation, the Academy aims to identify talented male and female players across Western Australia, supporting and guiding them towards state and national selection.
The Academy is the first of its kind in the country, as WA Cricket continues to lead the nation in developing pathways for Aboriginal players.