Saints/Crusaders Given a Reality Check by State-Bound WA Venetians

The Saints/Crusaders were treated to an eye-opening — and highly enjoyable — introduction to blind cricket when they took on the WA Venetians, a side clearly in no mood to ease into their preparations for bigger things this coming week.

From the outset, the unique challenges of blind cricket were immediately apparent. One of the biggest adjustments came with the glasses, which range from complete blindness to

narrow tunnel vision that feels little more than pinholes. By the end of the day, most Saints/Crusaders players were wondering how anyone manages to hit the ball at all — let alone hit it well.

Bowling proved to be a serious test. Getting the ball to bounce short of the halfway mark on the pitch while keeping it in line with the stumps was far harder than it sounds. Add a generous helping of wides and no-balls, and the sundries column quickly became one of the Venetians’ most reliable run-scorers.

Fielding offered no respite. Catching was basically impossible, and players celebrated minor victories if they managed to simply stop the ball. Unfortunately, once the ball stopped rattling, it had an annoying habit of disappearing altogether, turning every pick-up into a game of “hot and cold.”

With the bat, the sweep shot became the default option, and there was a strong feeling the reverse sweep could also have been useful — had anyone been brave enough to try it consistently. Boundaries were near impossible, given the nature of the ball and the challenge of timing a shot without any visual reference.

For the Saints/Crusaders, most wickets came via run outs. Batting with a runner while having little idea where the ball had gone after contact made calling between the wickets more guesswork than science.

One role that stood out above all others was the wicketkeeper. Their job went well beyond glovework, having to direct bowlers where to pitch the ball while simultaneously guiding fielders to where the ball had rolled — a workload that drew plenty of admiration.

There were, however, some excellent individual efforts. Tony G proved to be a genuine ball magnet in the field. Deepak scored impressively despite wearing fully blind glasses, while Sanjay batted superbly and even managed to find the boundary on occasion. Scott also chipped in with valuable runs.

Special mention must go to Ryan, captain of the WA Venetians and an Australian representative, who put on a masterclass. Totally blind, Ryan struck a couple of remarkable “twelves” off a single ball and went on to compile an outstanding 60 retired not out, showing everyone exactly how blind cricket is meant to be played.

In the end, the Saints/Crusaders were rightly beaten, with the Venetians finishing the chase with seven overs to spare. With the State Titles just around the corner, no mercy was shown by either team, but the match was played in terrific spirits throughout. The Saints/Crusaders thoroughly enjoyed the experience and walked away having learned a huge amount about the skill, communication, and discipline required in blind cricket.

Best of luck to the WA Venetians as they head into the State Titles, and sincere thanks to their umpires and scorers for delivering a memorable, educational, and thoroughly entertaining game of cricket.

If your team would like to share this experience, contact Damien and he will give you the details, WA Venetians are on the look out for games  

Teamwork required