Bush and ‘Burbs: Connor Blakely plays Premier Cricket as former Carlton player leads South Bunbury to flag

The West Australian sports reporter Jackson Barrett takes a look at what’s happening in the country and amateur leagues around WA in his weekly column. Code swap A former Fremantle player has turned out for Premier Cricket club Claremont-Nedlands to start the summer. Ex-Docker and Gold Coast defender Connor Blakely played second-grade for the Tigers on Saturday in a 55-run win against Wanneroo. Blakely trained with the club at the start of last year but did not play a game. He then spent the Australian winter playing cricket in England. He is also played first-grade for Hay Park in his hometown Bunbury last summer. He did not bat, but took an important 2-20 from just five-and-a-half overs. West Australian-contracted bowler Liam Haskett, who is battling stress fractures in his back, played in the same game as a batter. Tiger Time South Bunbury has completed a remarkable unbeaten season and coasted to a South West Football League premiership at the weekend. In the final game of football played anywhere in Western Australia for this season, the Tigers romped to a 15.9 (99) to 8.9 (57) victory over cross-town rivals Bunbury in front of a crowd of more than 4000. Former Carlton and South Fremantle player Blaine Johnson booted five goals in the victory, while Tyson Lane — who kicked four — was awarded the Pike Medal for the best player on the ground. The Tigers completed the league’s first undefeated season since 2019 and their first in almost 40 years. South Bunbury completed a double with a reserves victory, while Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault won the colts premiership. High five The South West’s women’s side have continued their dominance of the Country Championships, ending the tournament as the winners for the fifth straight time. Like last year, the South West suffered a loss in the group stage, this time to newly promoted Peel, but were able to bounce back and defeat the same opponent by 22 points in the final at Lane Group Stadium on Friday. Daisy Rigby, Kloe Bassett, Trinity Brown, Maddy Obal and Zoe Huggett were selected in the championships all-stars team, with Huggett winning the Peter Betti Medal for the carnival’s best player and Rigby named as the rising star despite missing the second day. The final saw South West virtually lead from siren to siren in a 5.1 (31) to 1.3 (9) victory over the Cavaliers. - Josh Kempton Freo, way to go! A star-studded Fremantle side have opened their Premier Cricket season with a big win over Melville. Playing first-grade before this week’s Sheffield Shield clash against Queensland, WA captain Sam Whiteman batted at No.3 and scored 92 off just 81 balls in an 83-run victory. Ashton Turner, who missed selection for the shield clash and is playing for WA’s second XI this week, scored 48 batting in the middle-order. Baxter Holt continued his battles with the bat and was dismissed for two. His rival for a shield spot later in the season after Josh Inglis is called into international action, Joel Curtis, scored an unbeaten century in Perth’s victory over Joondalup. Former WA and South Australia opener Will Bosisto started this season as he finished last, with a century. Andrew Tye and new Perth Scorcher Matthew Spoors took two wickets each for Scarborough in the same game. WA allrounder Keaton Critchell captained Midland-Guilford to a win over Gosnells and scored 49 but did not bowl and Teague Wyllie was unbeaten on 58 in Rockingham-Mandurah’s upset win over South Perth.

Bush and ‘Burbs: Connor Blakely plays Premier Cricket as former Carlton player leads South Bunbury to flag

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