Jamie Crawley is the latest CBH player to head down under and he's up and running with the bat for Claremont-Nedlands CC, in Perth, Western Australia (website here).

Jamie's blog...

After a 7-hour flight from Manchester to Dubai and a 12-hour flight to Perth, it’s fair to say I was anticipating some sunshine. However, I was greeted by torrential rain, so bad, that the short walk to the car was enough to get us soaked through. For the first few nights I stayed with the club’s assistant coach, who worked during the day, so I was left to watch Netflix – not quite the start I had anticipated!

The day after my arrival, the club was due to have a warm up fixture against Scarborough, (another premiership club), but the rain meant the game was cancelled. Instead, there was a fielding session, and it finished off with some football. Thankfully, I wasn’t needed in the football, otherwise I undoubtedly would have given myself a bad name from the start. Having met a few of the players, I felt that I would easily settle in.

Tuesday. It was time for my first training session. The club train twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the sessions involve netting, fielding and fitness. The 1st and 2nd grade teams train together as do the 3rds and 4ths. It is run professionally with players given autonomy over how to structure the fielding practice. The coaches are readily available for throw-downs, catches, and advice. The net wickets were slightly unpredictable due to the rain, and having had a couple weeks off from cricket, it was a challenging (but manageable & encouraging) start.

Claremont Nedlands CC 1st grade are an impressive side. They are the current Champions and have won the one day cup for the last two seasons. There are 4 players who or are, or have recently been in the Perth Scorchers side. There are also 2 WA academy players and several who have played state age group cricket and have been in and around the WA set up.
I was due to move in with the family I am staying with on Tuesday, but after a few complications this was delayed until Thursday. The house is perfectly located - a two-minute walk from the ground, 10 minutes from Claremont town centre and close to the beach.
I felt more at home at training on Thursday as I had got to know a few more people, and was properly settling in.

After training on Thursdays, most clubs in the Perth premiership have a ‘selection night’ and players stay behind. Food is provided and the bar is open whilst the selection committee are at the front of the room picking the teams from 1st grade to 4th grade. The Chairman of selectors or the Head Coach, then reads the teams out. The high standard and immensely competitive nature of the club means some new recruits start in third grade so I was pleased to start in 2nd grade. That night, I also managed to move into the family home.

Saturday came around and with it Round 1 - away at Melville CC : very nice ground right next to the river. With overcast conditions and a lack of noticeable warmth, the factor 50 stayed in my bag this time... We bowled first and they got 236, which for an early season game, is regarded as a competitive 50 over score - a difficult chase ahead! I was batting 3 and when I went in we had got off to a decent start but the required run rate was gradually increasing with a large, slow outfield and Melville bowling steadily. The 3rd wicket partnership put us in a good positon before our number 5 got a quick 40, which took us to needing about 15 of the last 3 overs, which the next batter and I managed to secure with just over an over remaining. I finished on 78*, and it felt great to get off to a good start and help contribute to a win.
Sunday brought Round 2 - a 50-50 v Joondalup at Cresswell, Claremont Nedlands home ground. We bowled first again and they got 250, which again seemed like a big score, but more reachable due to the quicker, smaller outfield. Our main spinner had been called up to the 1s due to an injury, so after the 2nd choice spinner got hit for a few runs in his 3 overs, to my surprise (and I guess everyone else’s) I was called upon to bowl: I finished with 10 overs 1 wicket for 55 runs. The wicket came from a catch up at cow corner – textbook stuff!
I was batting 3 again, and was in early after we lost a wicket in the first over. The other team had a decent bowling attack, with a few having played WA u19 cricket. We were going at a steady rate and the target of 250 looked within reach. However, a few wickets fell quickly, myself included for 60, and a further collapse meant we were bowled out for 179 and lost.

On the Monday, the other 2 overseas players and I went to the Cottesloe beach, probably the best of a long strip of beaches nearby. The grass banks are populated by seasoned sun-worshippers but unsurprisingly, I was not one of them!

As I was walking to Tuesday training, an ominous black cloud made itself obvious. On arrival people began to pad up, but this proved optimistic as the heavens opened and we all ran for shelter under the pavilion roof before training was cancelled.
Thursday’s training though went ahead. After a hit in the grass nets, I had a net with Jim Allenby (ex WA, Durham, Leicestershire and Glamorgan) the club’s head coach, and followed this up with some fielding and fitness. It was then time for selection and team announcements. I was again picked in 2nd grade for the upcoming 50-50 matches.

Saturday came around – Round 3 - We were playing at Claremont’s Melvista, their 2nd ground against Waneroo CC. (1st Grade were also at home due to issues at the oppositions ground) Once again, we bowled first and they got 204. I bowled 5 quite tidy(ish) overs, but no wickets. We felt good about our chase but we lost an early wicket, so once again, I was in almost immediately. We were cruising along nicely and confident, but after a 4-wicket maiden (including a hat-trick), we stuttered from 112 for 3 to 114 for 7. Thankfully, the number 9 and I got us to 150, but when his wicket fell the win looked increasingly unlikely. Number 10 scored a useful 19, but was caught at cover leaving us needing 11. Our last man, not renowned for holding a bat let alone using one, came in and successfully blocked out to give me the strike. When they brought the field in to stop the single, I hit a four through the covers for the winning runs. No. 11 was still on 1 and I finished with 96 not out. Against the odds – but great for the team to win again!

Round 4 - our final one day game was called off early after a powerful overnight storm. We got to the ground but just turned around and headed home.
With one day cricket over, Tuesday’s training was red ball focused to get ready for the 2-day format. The 1st grade bowlers were coming in off full run ups with brand new balls, providing an excellent challenge and really good practice.

Work-wise, I am currently doing two sessions of coaching a week with two junior teams at the club. Meanwhile, I am actively looking for more work to keep me occupied during the week and yield some more income (the area is a very expensive suburb of Perth!). I have been walking around town handing my CV into various bars and cafes (and Subway) hoping one will soon take me on! I have also contacted Scotch College, to see if I can help out with some of the coaching there.

All in all, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time so far in Perth, both from a cricket and non-cricket perspective, and I am really looking forward to the coming months!