Metropolitan Veterans Cricket Association
Our History
The competition was formed in 1979 and was called the Swan-Helena Veterans Cricket Association. It was created by the steady hands of Kim Millstead, Chris Carmody, and Rod Daws. Four teams from the Swan Valley region comprised the first year's competition with one team, Harlequins, still in the competition today. Later the competition was renamed the Metropolitan Veterans Cricket Association as teams from across the metropolitan area joined the competition.
Team numbers have ebbed and flowed over the last 45 years, with a minimum of four teams, and as at 2023 the MVCA has eight teams. It has been a unique competition, as it's always been self managed and organised around good-will and common sense. Cricket is played in good spirit and comradeship.
The following yarn epitomises the culture and the nature of the MVCA and it's essence should never be ignored
"Many ask why each innings constitutes 33 overs. At the onset of the competition, it was deemed the games would commence at 1pm, so that junior sport could be attended to Saturday mornings. The next important factor was deemed the Swan Valley Sportsmens club opened at 5pm . The rest of the equation was purely a mathematical one. How many overs could be bowled in 4 hours with a 20 minute tea break?"
The rest is history!
The Metropolitan Veterans Cricket Association is alive and well. It has provided wonderful cricket experiences to so many and hopefully, will do so long into the future.
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Tony Watson
Player Harlequins 1998-99 to ... still going ?
President / Chair 2010-2022
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Honour Boards
Premiers 1979-80 to 1988-89
1979-80 : unknown
1980-81 : unknown
1981-82 : unknown
1982-83 : unknown
1983-84 : unknown
1984-85 : unknown
1985-86 : Forrestfield
1986-87 : Teachers
1987-88 : Harlequins
1988-89 : Harlequins
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Premiers 2009-10 to 2018-19
2009-10 : Whackers
2010-11 : Harlequins
2011-12 : Barbarians
2012-13 : Barbarians
2013-14 : Whackers
2014-15 : Whackers
2015-16 : Barbarians
2016-17 : Harlequins
2017-18 : Harlequins
2018-19 : Hillbillies
Premiers 1989-90 to 1998-99
1989-90 : unknown
1990-91 : Forrestfield
1991-92 : Whackers
1992-93 : ECU Whackers
1993-94 : ECU Whackers
1994-95 : Harlequins
1995-96 : Whackers
1996-97 : Whackers
1997-98 : Hellenics
1998-99 : Harlequins
Premiers 2019-20 to present
2019-20 : Barbarians
2020-21 : Barbarians
2021-22 : Hillbillies
2022-23 : Hillbillies
2023-24 : Western Tigers
Premiers 1999-00 to 2008-09
1999-00 : Hellenics
2000-01 : Hellenics
2001-02 : Swan Valley
2002-03 : Harlequins
2003-04 : Harlequins
2004-05 : St Judes
2005-06 : Harlequins
2006-07 : Harlequins
2007-08 : Harlequins
2008-09 : Whackers
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Life Members
2022-23 Tony Watson -
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Tony Watson commenced playing for the Harlequins Cricket Club in 1998/1999 season. Playing as a wicketkeeper and middle-order batsman, Tony enjoyed playing with the likes of Milan Trifunovic, Tom Mullooly, Kim Dullard, John Steward and many others. Coincidently as most of the senior players retired from Harlequins (around 2008) the Home ground at Swan Valley went through significant renovations and the club required another ground. At this stage, Tony was appointed Captain/Coordinator of the Harlequins and was instrumental in the competition relocating to predominantly, to Woodlands Reserve, Woodlands and Luketina Reserve, Wembley Downs. (Tony lives a nine iron from Woodlands Reserve…..another coincident?).
Tony enjoyed creating a no-fuss brand of cricket and the competition stayed pretty consistent for the next decade. One of his greatest achievements was the successful inclusion of the Western Tigers into the competition. He loved his relationship with Sanjay and his charges. Another achievement was to ensure the competition would continue to prosper and with the affiliation with WAVC and begining the moves in making the association a impoartant part of the WA Cricket community.
