EGCA turns attention to representative matches as annual country week series looms

Eastern Goldfields Cricket Association chairman James Trail is hopeful that changes to the traditional senior country week format in January will be the catalyst for renewed interest among the region’s best players.

In a step away from the long-running format of 60 overs per side, Trail said matches at the 2025 carnival, from January 19-24, would be decided across 50 overs each, alongside the introduction of coloured team uniforms.

Representative cricket remains a big priority for the EGCA, who broke a 16-year drought in A-section at the 2020 country week series and were runners-up this year.

“That (move to a limited-overs format) is a real transition and it will interesting to see how it’s received among our local players and whether it impacts our potential squad, as far as who makes themselves available,” Trail said.

“Fifty overs is obviously in line with what we already play here (in the EGCA) and the four (club) presidents are speaking with their players at the moment around availability.

“We’re hoping to name a provisional squad soon, hopefully by the end of the first week in December and see how we go.”

In the 2024 country week final, the EGCA looked in good shape to overhaul Albany’s 8-262 on the back of Graham Kennedy’s 109 off 135 balls.

But three of the last five batters were dismissed without scoring and the side was bowled out for 255.

Goldfields batter Bevan Bennell was awarded the Barry Shepherd Medal as player of the carnival with three centuries and 380 runs at 190.00.

Bennell’s dominance with the blade put him a long way clear of the second-ranked batter, Albany’s Lincoln Joy, who compiled 232 runs at 58.00 from Geraldton’s Jeremy Bedford (207 runs at 41.40).

Kennedy was ranked fourth with 168 runs at 42.00 and led all A-section bowlers with 15 wickets at 11.93 from Albany’s Joe Stanley (13 wickets at 7.38).

Two years ago, Kennedy won the medal after taking 7-45 and blasting 64 not out in a relegation final victory over Bunbury 2.

The EGCA boasts a record 18 Boan Cups since 1920, but since their 2020 triumph have been upstaged by Peel (2021 winners), Bunbury (2022-23) and Albany (2024).

January 6-10 has been set down for the region’s tilt at the junior country week crown, with both trips backed by Kalpumps as the EGCA’s major sponsor.

After Saturday’s domestic round was abandoned following heavy rain on Friday, fixtures resume this weekend when Hannans play Great Boulder and Lake View take on North Kalgoorlie.

A general bye applies on November 23 because of the First Test in Perth between Australia and India at Optus Stadium starting on November 22.

Trail said the break in fixturing followed a request from the senior clubs.

There will also a bye for the March long weekend that includes Hannans’ 100th anniversary reunion, with competition to resume on March 8.

The last round of qualifiers will be played on March 15.