WACA

2007 is the 88th Country Week – now known as the Country Championships, which started in 1907.
The number of teams competing peaked in 1978 with 78 teams. In 2004, there was 54 teams competing from 36 different country associations.
Matches last one day and consist of a maximum of 60 overs per side in A, B and C sections and 50 overs per side in D and E Sections.
In 2004, an indigenous team competed at Senior Country Week for the first time since the 1970’s.
Since 1950 a promotion/relegation system has operated. The top two teams in each section replace the bottom two teams in the section above.
Six players have appeared in over 30 carnivals. They are Bob Brennan (Wyalkatchem) 38 seasons, John Bird (Wagin/Dumbleyung/Narrogin/Collie) 35 seasons, Ted Lockyer (Wickepin/Karlgarin-Hyden) 32 seasons, Charlie Gray (Narrogin/Dumbleyung/Lake Grace-Kukerin) 31 seasons, Joe Menegola (Albany) 30 seasons, and Eddie Hadlow (Quairading) 30 seasons.
The most number of matches is an estimated 182 by Bob Brennan.

State Players
Twenty-nine players, or 20% of all players who have played for the State, came from, or played in the country and in Country Week. The following Country Week players have played State cricket for Western Australia:

(highlighted players have played test cricket. Campbell and MacLeay have represented Australia at ODI level).

Jeremy Allen – played 2 seasons for Mt. Barker and took 5 wkts @ 42.40
Jo Angel – played 2 seasons for Hills, scored 220 runs @ 22.20and took 19 wkts @ 17.00
Ron Bowe – played 9 seasons for Albany, scored 1943 runs @ 49.82 including 2 centuries with a top score of 209 no, member of winning teams in 1964, 1973, 1974 and 1977
Giles Bush – played 1 season for Mt. Barker, took 17 wkts@ 15.58, member of 1983 winning team.
Bud Byfield – played 5 seasons for Northam and 3 for Wongan-Ballidu, scored over 1500 runs @ about 50 including 2 centuries, took over 115 wkts @ about 12, winning captain in 1951.
Ryan Campbell – played 2 seasons for Eastern Goldfields, scored 390 runs @ 35.35 including 1 century, member of 1991 winning team.
Derek Chadwick – played 2 seasons for Busselton, scored 346 runs @ 57.66 including 1 century.
Bruce Duperouzel – played 2 seasons for Beverley-York, scored 180 runs @ 22.50, took 10 wkts @ 14
Wally Edwards – played 5 seasons for South Midlands, scored 811 runs @ 26.16 including 2 centuries, took 73 wkts @ 12.08
Murray Goodwin – played 3 seasons for Bunbury, scored 434 runs @ 33.38
Kim Hagdorn - played 4 seasons for Hills, took 51 wkts @ 13.05
Brian Hanna – played 1 season for Katanning, scored 255 runs @ 42.50 including 1 century, member of 1966 winning team.
Morgan Herbert – played 2 seasons for Mt. Barker, 12 seasons for Tambellup-Cranbrook, scored over 3500 runs @ about 60 including 11 centuries, took over 250 wkts @ about 11, member of 1941, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1960, and 1961 winning teams.
Bradley Hogg – played 4 seasons for Williams, scored 504 runs @ 33.60, took 9 wkts @ 33.11
Graham House – played 6 seasons for Busselton, 3 seasons for Busselton-Margaret River, scored 992 runs @ 30.06, took 94 wkts @ 17.10
Eric James – played 20 seasons for Tambellup-Cranbrook, took over 450 wkts @ about 12. In 1955 took 50 wkts @ 7.12 in only 5 matches.
Wally Langdon – played 5 season for Eastern Goldfields, scored 1209 runs @ 50.37 including 3 centuries, took 68 wkts @ 9.49, member of 1938 and 1939 winning teams.
Geoff Marsh – played 2 seasons for Williams, scored 108 runs @ 36.00.
Laurie Mayne – played 1 season for Merredin, took 6 wkts @ 13.00
Ken MacLeay – played 5 seasons for Busselton-Margaret River, scored 766 runs @ 27.35, took 26 wkts @ 15.42, member of 1980 winning team.
Paul Nicholls – played 10 seasons for Albany, scored 948 runs @ 29.62 including 2 centuries, took 71 wkts @ 20.14, member of 1989 winning team.
Phil O’Meara – played 1 season for Dampier, scored 142 runs @ 23.66, took 10 wkts @ 15.20.
Tom Outridge – played 7 seasons for Bunbury, scored about 2000 runs @ about 95 including 8 centuries, took about 175 wkts @ about13, member of 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959 and 1962 winning teams. In 1962, he was denied being awarded the batting average trophy because he did not make himself available for the Sunday match against the State team.
Colin Penter – played 2 seasons for Albany, scored 109 runs @ 18.16, took 47 wkts @ 11.82, member of 1971 wining team.
Harry Price – played 1 season for Albany, took 23 wkts @ 8.52
John Rutherford – played 4 seasons for Merredin, scored 1223 runs @ 76.43 including 4 centuries with a top score of 211 in the 1965 final which they won.
Barry Shepherd – played 3 seasons for Donnybrook, scored over 500 runs @ 35.00 with 2 centuries.
Les Varis – played 1 season for Eastern Goldfields, scored 40 runs @ 13.33
Malcolm Wolfe – played 4 seasons for Katanning, scored 414 runs @ 27.60

Country Week facts courtesy of Bill Reynolds.