Cricket in Western Australia

The first cricket match recorded in Western Australia was played between the builders of Government House and the commissariat store.

[1] No scores were recorded, but the Perth Gazette wrote: "the revival of the sports of our native country in a distant land forms a connection which it should be our pride to encourage."

[3] In 1879, a team from the Benedictine mission at New Norcia, organised by Henry Lefroy and the abbot Rosendo Salvado and mainly consisting of Aboriginals,[4] was formed.

In 1889, James secured a grant of 28 acres from Governor Frederick Broome on the foreshore at East Perth, with a 999-year lease.

The Western Australia cricket team played their opening first-class matches on a tour of the Eastern states during the 1892–93 season, playing two games – against South Australia at the Adelaide Oval, losing by 10 wickets,[5] and against Victoria at the MCG, losing by an innings and 243 runs.

A team organised by George Giffen toured Western Australia in 1896, playing five matches at Coolgardie, Kalgoorlie, Fremantle, Perth and Northam.

[7] The WACA Ground was opened in November 1893, with the first curator being William Duffy,[8] who also played two matches for Western Australia.

Several cricketers from Western Australia fought in World War I, including Ernie Parker, Lionel Gouly and Jim Everett.

This coincided with a drop in success of the team, although several more players made their Australian debuts, including Meuleman, Ron Gaunt, Barry Shepherd, Des Hoare and Keith Slater.

Several international players were recruited to Western Australia during this period, including Tony Lock from England, Wayne Daniel from Barbados and Ken McEwan from South Africa.