South Australian State Blind team win Spirit of Cricket Award
The SA State Blind and Low Vision team was honoured with the Spirit of Cricket Award at the 2024 National Cricket Inclusion Championships, held in Brisbane in January.
The award capped off a successful week which saw the state blind team undefeated in the minor round, before going on to defeat Queensland in a hard fought semi-final. SA then met the perennially strong NSW who went on to win the final and their fifth NCICs title.
At an individual level, SA's Brad Brider and teenager Ethan Cook were both named in the Blind Cricket Australia XI for the tournament.
During the week, SA had three representatives (Adeline Roe, Bo Buhkhao and Sophie Patton) in the first Women’s Blind Cricket exhibition match ever played at the National Cricket Inclusion Championships. In August, Adeline and Bo were members of the inaugural Australian Women’s Blind Cricket side, which played against England and India, in the International Blind Sports Association Games, in Birmingham.
Earlier this season, SA regained the Vayro Penn Shield, by defeating Queensland in a three match series played in Brisbane. The Shield is named after two Life Governors of Blind Cricket Australia, Trevor Vayro (Queensland) and Malcolm Penn (SA).
Cricketers with Intellectual Disability
In a closely contested division, the South Australian’s finished the minor round third with a confident win over Western Australia and a thriller against Victoria. In true State of Origin style, the game had everything! South Australia started strong, taking key wickets early and bowling Victoria out for 81, with Dion Lucas taking incredibly impressive figures of 4/7, supported by Jess Goodman (2/18), Luke Goodman (2/12) and youngster Bryce Arnold (2/13). SA were in trouble early at 2/18, before Ethan Hooper and Lucas steadied the team to find momentum. With a lot of noise from the tent, SA got over the line in the 19th over for a euphoric win.
Unfortunately, SA could not replicate the minor round match against Victoria and lost the semi-final clash. Victoria went on to win the Championships.
Dion Lucas had an outstanding debut for SA, awarded with Most Wickets of the division (12). Ethan Hooper was best with the bat for the South Australian’s, with a high score of 71 against WA.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Returning to the National Cricket Inclusion Championships for the first time since the pandemic, the South Australian team was a mixture of up-and-coming locals and stalwarts of deaf cricket.
The team lost the opening two games to Queensland and New South Wales, before bouncing back with an epic win over Victoria. SA bowled Victoria all out for 58 and then showed grit and determination to chase the runs in the 18th over. Adam Wood and Jackson Gray got the team off to a great start, before Gavin Connor and Flynn Smith held the team up at the end to get the winning runs.
Unfortunately, due to the extreme heat SA’s game against WA was abandoned. The team finished fourth in the minor rounds.
Gavin Connor was awarded with Most Dismissals in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Men’s division (tied with T Regan and L Trudgett). Shrey Patel and Jackson Gray were named in Deaf Cricket Australia’s XI of the tournament.