Out On The Paddock

In part 2 of - A History of Harvey Cricket, we enter the world of Cricket in Harvey in the early 21st Century with two very dominant Clubs in the town who faced the challenge of reluctantly acknowledging the need to connect together to form one club and put aside at times, quite bitter rivalries of the past. The Harvey Benger Cricket Club was formed in the winter of 2004, going into the 2004/05 Cricket season and entering the Bunbury & Districts Cricket Association. This episode explores what was to be a period of time for Harvey Cricket that ranks arguably as its greatest in the 100 plus years to that date. Taking on the might of the Bunbury Clubs and setting a new bar in WA Country Cricket in so many ways was to be the legacy and success that is the hallmark of this golden era for Harvey Cricket. How that happened and the difficult pathway to how that was achieved is the focus in a couple of interviews with those who were there to witness this, premiership winning captain from the 2025/06 season John Crognale as well as someone who has carried the new Club into the next phase of Harvey Cricket history, Haydn Jones. This episode highlights the ongoing challenges and struggles that so many Country Cricket Clubs in WA and in fact Australia face from time to time across their own history and why incredible volunteers and those with a passion for Cricket, somehow make things happen that previously seemed impossible.

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The Harvey Cricket Club is typical of so many Cricket Clubs across regional WA and in fact arguably, regional Australia as a whole. However, also like so many other Country Cricket Clubs, the unique thing about this Club, is it has its own history. It is a history that can be traced across 3 different centuries, full of pioneers, firsts, golden periods, significant challenges and premierships. From splinters in the pitch to tyre tracks on the track to countless volunteer stories and legendary performances , the story of Cricket in Harvey is one that has at times divided a community, but mostly has been the thing that has united a town. In this episode 1 of 2 episodes, we hear of the early years of Harvey Cricket from the nineteenth century through to the dawning of a new millennia and along the way, hear many of the voices who witnessed how it all happened and why it shaped much of their lives. This could be your Club, this could be someone else's Club, but for me, Rob Marshall ... this has been my Club for most of my life and the telling of it's story and history has been 3 decades in the making and I can't wait to tell you all about it. I hope you will have a listen and more than that, I hope you will enjoy.

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As we launch a new year of Out on the Paddock for 2025, we smash the first episode through the covers for four with an incredible look back across over 150 years of Cricket played in and around the Geraldton region. As part of our "A History of" series, we hear from two individuals who have played large parts in both creating and capturing the history of Geraldton and its incredible array of clubs and players that make up this highly successful association. Recorded just hours before one of the most successful weekends in Geraldton Cricket history, this episode allows for you to hear and understand why this association continues to often "play above its weight grade" and also continues to produce outstanding players and officials, often influencing greatly WA Country Cricket as a whole. Be engaged with hearing why a place so far removed and remote from the mainstream and bulk of Cricket played in Western Australia, can keep showing up and keep maintaining an incredible standard of play. A great first up listen for 2025.

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This episode of Out on the Paddock is a must listen. Rodney "Rocket" Ford is one of the most influential and celebrated players in WA Country Cricket of the past 20 years. Rocket's performances and statistics are almost unsurpassed and he is currently the most capped player for WA Country in it's history to date. But what makes Rocket so loved and respected is that his commitment and desire to play Cricket in the farming locality and for his local Upper Great Southern Cricket Club, Williams where he grew up, is absolutely outstanding and shines through in this episode. Rod reveals what it took for him to go from Country Club player to playing at multiple Australian Country Cricket Championships, whilst still running a large farm and remaining committed to his family. It is a wonderful story, with so many examples of what it takes to be a Country Cricketer. You will love this episode, of this we are certain.

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This special episode of Out on the Paddock is a chance for you to engage with Area Manager for WA Country Cricket - Andrew Hayes as well as WA Country Coach and Talent Specialist - Chris (Chippy) Secker as they examine all aspects of WA Country Cricket for season 2024/25. Discussed in this episode are some major changes for Mens and Womens Senior Country Weeks, an overhaul that has taken place of the Belt Up Country Cup, the introduction of coloured clothing for Senior Mens and Junior WA Country Cricket Board run competitions as well as the key dates for those carnivals, as well as the highly popular WA Country Masters Carnival. Some very important announcements regarding the Australian Country Cricket Championships for the coming season, adding to all that you need to be across regarding the WA Country XI Mens, Womens and Colts programs, which are all examined at length. All of this plus critical dates for the season ahead on a number of other carnivals and events. This episode is a great opportunity to grab all that is coming up for season 24/25 as well as some interesting insights into how the mechanics of how these events and programs come together. A must listen for any Country Cricketers and Administrators in regional WA.

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One of the aspects of sport that has polarised for centuries is the role of the umpire. The umpire is both critical and yet also criticised. Cricket in particular, has cast the role of the umpire in so many different ways and on any given weekend during any summer in Australia, there won't be too many matches that won't end without some form of conversation around decisions made and how the result of matches may have been affected. In this episode of the Podcast, we chat with Brendan Kelly who is a person who understands what it means to be a long time umpire in WA Country Cricket and the effect that has had on him and how he know views umpiring out in the Bush. Brendan has recently released a book that he has written about umpiring and his insights and recollections of his time in the game as an official standing at the bowlers end, is an amazing listen. No punches are pulled in this episode. We encourage you to have a listen. Dedicated to the memory of Marie Therese Boccardo (formerly Kelly)

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Cricket is full of tradition and forms of craft that are completely unique in the world of sport. Not many people will argue with that. This episode of Out on the Paddock dives deep into an ancient art founded in Cricket that dates back at least 400 years and can be traced to a tragic event that effectively announced the arrival of a new sport. WA Country Cricket doesn't have 400 years of history, however its 100 plus years have seen a lot and in this episode, two very passionate WA Country Cricketers unpack how they are attempting to create a little bit of history of their own, by reviving the ancient art of bat making and at the same time, offering a new generation of WA Country Cricketers the chance to learn all about it. This is another great story of a couple of Country Cricketers who simply want to find some way to invest into the game that they love. We really think you will enjoy this one.

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This is part B of our two part series on "The History Of - WA Country Week Cricket, with Bill Reynolds". In this episode we continue to hear Bills incredible journey with capturing the history, the players, the teams and the results of the past 117 years of WA Country Cricket and Senior Mens Country Week. Part B focuses on Bills amazing book - 100 Not Out, which is effectively the only existing comprehensive history of WA Country Cricket. Bill and host Rob Marshall, discuss things such as the different styles of Cricket played at Senior Mens Country Week, going back to 1907. They also dive deep into what was a "Captain Call" approach to matches for the first 70 years of the competition. What era's produced the best players and the best teams, including associations that don't even exist any more are examined. Bill also reveals how he sees the way that Country Week has evolved over the years and his incredible and unique methods to capture records for over 24,000 players across those years. It is "must listen" stuff if you love WA Country Cricket or even just Cricket in general. Enjoy listening.

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As we continue our "the history of" series, this episode captures one of the most important figures in the history of WA Country Cricket, Bill Reynolds. In this Part A of a two part interview, we find out who Bill Reynolds is and why it is that his work over more than 6 decades has captured every run, wicket and catch of more than 20,000 players to have played Senior Mens Country Week Cricket in WA. It is hard to put into words, how much work this one individual has put into compiling the most concise and incredibly accurate compilation of statistics of players going back over 100 years. Bill's book, "100 Not Out" released in 2007, is viewed as the Bible when it comes to WA Country Cricket and it is across this episode and Part B (soon to follow), that will amaze you as you listen to how it all came together and the legends and magic moments of Senior Country Week, that it has captured along the way. This is "must listen" stuff.

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In the first of our "The History Of" series on Out on the Paddock, we get to hear about the amazing and rich history of a WA Country Cricket Club that has recently celebrated 50 years of playing regional Cricket, but in actual fact has roots that go back over 100 years. In this episode we get to hear from various generations that have played for YOBS Cricket Club in an Association in WA Country Cricket, that is also rich in history. We get to understand some of that Association history, also in this episode. YOBS prides itself not just on its history, but what it is also currently achieving and the innovative ways it is going about things. From their approach to encouraging and recognising new players and volunteers at the club, to how they have embraced their history and use and grow from that that every day ... well ... you simply need to have a listen.

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