West Torrens Cricket Club

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The West Torrens District Cricket Club ("Western Eagles") is a semi-professional cricket club in Adelaide, South Australia. It competes in the South Australian Grade Cricket League, which is administered by the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA).

The Western Eagles field four senior teams and nine junior teams and are based at Henley & Grange Memorial Oval. Other grounds used by the club include Henley High School, Grange Primary School and Lockleys Oval.

The club has won 12 A grade premierships [1] with the last being in 2006/07, breaking a 45 year premiership drought. The Eagles have also won 4 West End Cup (One Day) Premierships (1971/72, 1972/73, 1993/94 and 2003/04). During the past 5 years the club has become one of the strongest in the South Australian Grade Cricket League, winning lower grade premierships in 1995/96 & 2002/03 (B Grade), 2003/04 & 2004/05 (C Grade) and winning the SACA Club Championship in 2004/05 and 2006/07.

The club currently boasts a wealth of young talent including Southern Redbacks State Squad & 2nd XI squad members Trent Kelly, Peter George, James Smith, Jarrad Taylor and Matthew Elliott.

[edit] History

The Club began in 1862 as the Hindmarsh Cricket Club with its headquarters at Lindsay Circus (now Hindmarsh Stadium) and has continued, with only a change of name in 1897, until the present day, making it the oldest cricket club in South Australia.

The Club moved to Thebarton Oval in 1921 where it remained until 1988 when it transferred to the adjacent King's Reserve. A lack of junior players and inadequate facilities saw a final move to the Henley Memorial Oval for the 1997-98 season.

[edit] Famous Players

Many famous names have worn the blue and gold cap. Affie Jarvis, Jack O'Connor, Ron Hamence, Bruce Dooland, Graham Hole, David Hookes and Ian Chappell played Test cricket for Australia while West Torrens players. Merv Waite (Australia), Jeff Crowe (New Zealand), Gladstone Small (England) and Jason Gallian (England) played Test cricket soon after leaving West Torrens.

Rick Darling, Rod McCurdy and Bradley Young have been Australian one day international representatives and Charlie Walker, Phil Ridings were members of Australian touring teams.[2]

Former club coach Tim Nielsen has recently been appointed as the coach of the Australian cricket team and will take over from John Buchanan after the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup. Current club captain Matthew Elliott has represented Australia, Victoria and South Australia.