WA Stars shine at National Inclusion Championships

Veteran allrounder David Melling was the standout performer for WA across the Dead and Hard of Hearing Division, blasting 303 runs at 60.6 and guiding his team into the Preliminary Final.

Melling produced the innings of the Championships against New South Wales, smashing an unbeaten 112 off 59 balls in a knock that included six fours and nine sixes.

The 30-year-old also produced a half-century (80 against South Australia) and scores of 42 (New South Wales) and 41 against Queensland in a campaign which saw him finish as the tournament’s highest run-scorer among all five playing divisions.

James Tsakalos (10 wickets at 11.7) and Bevan Direen (10 at 16.6) were the main contributors with the ball, with the pair finishing with the equal most-wickets for the division.

WA qualified for the Final after finishing the four preliminary matches in third place with two wins, before falling to eventual finalists Queensland by five wickets.

Blind and Low Vision cricketer Michael Berg was another Western Australian who excelled at the Championships, with the experienced campaigner compiling another consistent tournament with the bat. 

Finishing with 207 runs at a remarkable average of 103.5, Berg was his side’s best performer as they completed their five matches with one win. Berg did all he could at the top of the order, producing scores of 65 (South Australia), 65 (Tasmania/ACT) and 59 (Queensland) among his five innings.

He also dominated with the ball, taking ten wickets at 18.2 including a best of 3-19 off four overs against Tasmania/ACT.

WA Blind and Low Vision Team

Michael Berg - Captain (WA Blind Cricket Club)

Alan Leahy - Vice Captain (WA Blind Cricket Club)

Julie Henderson-Cavallo (WA Blind Cricket Club)

Darren Coyle (WA Blind Cricket Club)

Rishi Carter-Fernandes (WA Blind Cricket Club)

Caitlin Hannen-Williams (WA Blind Cricket Club)

Curtis Hawke (WA Blind Cricket Club)

Ryan Honschooten (WA Blind Cricket Club)

Leslie Buchanan (WA Blind Cricket Club)

Nicole Muir (WA Blind Cricket Club)

Mark Fisher (WA Blind Cricket Club)

Damien Mackenzie (WA Blind Cricket Club)

Issac King (New South Wales)

WA Intellectual Disability Team 

Nathan Ball - Captain (North Perth Cricket Club)

James Woodley - Vice Captain (Joondalup Kinross Cricket Club)

Alexander Hayes (Applecross Cricket Club / Kardinya Lakes Cricket Club)

Benjamin Morely (Joondalup Kinross Cricket Club)

Jonathan Flower (Dalyellup Cricket Club)

Sean McGowan (Leeming Cricket Club)

Mailey Kelly (Joondalup Kinross Cricket Club)

Geoff Stewart (North Perth Cricket Club)

Joel Woodbridge (Warnbro Swans Cricket Club)

Kyron Timms (Applecross Cricket Club)

Nick Hart (Joondalup Kinross Cricket Club)

Robert Greene (Kardinya Cricket Club)

Scott Crawford (Kingsway Cricket Club)

Gunther-Uwe Weimann (Mandurah Cricket Club)

WA Deaf and Hard of Hearing Team

David Melling - Captain (Murdoch University – Melville Cricket Club)

James Johnston - Vice Captain (Hilton Bicton Cricket Club)

Timothy Regan (CBC Cricket Club)

James Tsakalos (Leederville Cricket Club)

Syed Shah Rukh (WA Deaf Cricket)

Luke Cook (Pinjarra Cricket Club)

Shannon Scarvaci (Deaf Cricket Australia)

Bevan Direen (Tasmania)

Steve Hodgetts (Tasmania)

Parth Arora (Victoria)

Miles Robinson (Victoria)