From Then to Now…

Early Beginnings

For over 150 years, local community cricket has been played in Perth. From the very early days on the Esplanade... to an area that now spans from the escarpment to the coast and 50kms north and south of the CBD.

The life and love that is suburban cricket continues to develop. Turf and carpet, matting and malthoid have all played their role over the decades...

Inter Association Games

Inter Association games had been played under the banner of West Australian Cricket Union from 1947 to 1983. In 1983 the WACA’s Cricket Council approved the formation of the Metropolitan Cricket Executive.

Metropolitan Cricket Executive

In June 1983 an MCE Conference was held with representatives being WA Suburban Turf CA, Swan Helena Districts CA, South Suburban CA, Fremantle Merc CA, Perth Mercantile CA, Kalamunda CA, Metropolitan CA, Hills CA, Wanneroo CA and an inter association competition was organised to play for the Metropolitan Cup. Inaugural Metro Cup winners were South Suburban. Also Combined Metropolitan XI’s were entered in the WACA Toyota Cup and Shell Colts. All expenses for the Metropolitan Cup and Metropolitan XI’s were funded by the WACA Cricket Council.

Over the years every Association was becoming discontented with no access to funding from WACA or Dept Sport & Rec or Healthway for infrastructure or other initiatives.

In October 2003 the MCE committee sent a letter to DSR requesting a Peak Body Review to allow for independent funding for cricket not just WACA. Their reply was that no change to the Government policy was forthcoming.

The Minister advised that he would seek a complete review of the funding allocation and ensure that community clubs would be able to have access to funds on an equal basis to State Bodies.

In the meantime, to ensure that we could access and apply for funding from varying sources a restructure was voted on and MCE Incorporated in May 2004.

In November 2004 the inaugural meeting of CricketWest was held during which:

• Committee was formed

• Bank account opened

• Common & Prime rules of Cricket West were agreed upon

• Set umpires fees across all 5 associations

• Adherence to Clearance rules agreed

• Insurance organised

• No poaching of clubs to be discussed before any movement

CricketWest Grows and Evolves

The MCE was primarily a match committee with no independent funds. Under CricketWest they were a sub committee with a Chairman and delegates from each association, with access to funds to spend on the competition and representative teams. Also the Metropolitan Cup was renamed the CricketWest Cup.

In 2005 the competition reduced from 50 overs to 40 overs and due to amalgamations and the number of associations reduced to 5.

In 2014 the competition was reduced from 40 overs to T20 formats.