NSCCA History
The NSCCA started in 1977 when the Wanneroo Cricket Association (WCA) was founded.
In its first season in 1977-78, the competition comprised eight teams.
Although early records are unclear, it is understood the original founding clubs were Wanneroo, Greenwood, Balcatta, Kingsway, Sun City, Grove, Warwick Grenville and Koondoola.
The founding President was Gary Duckworth and the first premiers were Wanneroo, with Koondoola winning the grade award for finishing on top of the premiership ladder at the end of the home and away rounds.
No fixture book was printed in the early years.The first fixture book printed by the Association was in the 1980-81 season, instigated by the WCA’s third president Roger Adams. Mr Adams took up the role after the tenures of Mr Duckworth and Dennis Donovan. He served as president until the 1982-83 season.
The first fixture book featured 1979-80 cricketer of the year Neil Hancock on its cover.
On page one, it celebrated Balcatta Cricket Club with a team picture for winning the A Grade premiership the season before, and the knockout cup competition.
For the 1980-81 season, John Braid Senior was the vice-president and Gerry Smith was the Umpire’s Advisor.
Records show that Balcatta dominated the early WCA competition, winning the A Grade grand final and finishing grade winners in the 1978-79 and 1979-80 seasons.
The B Grade competition was introduced in the 1978-79 season, with Kingsway winning the grand final and Warwick the grade winners.
The next year Wanneroo won the B Grade title and Grove Cricket Club were the grade winners.
In his President’s report on page seven of the 1980-81 fixture book, Mr Adams said the Association was starting to establish itself as the major organisation for promoting senior cricket, within the Wanneroo District.
He said the rapid growth of the Wanneroo Shire had seen the competition expand from eight teams in the year it was founded (in 1977), to 22 teams competing in three divisions in the 1980-81 season.
That represented a growth of four teams on the previous season, when 10 teams played in A Grade and eight in B Grade.
The WCA Umpires Panel was founded in the 1979-80 season.
Mr Adams said the introduction of an umpiring panel had proved successful, and Mr Smith’s appointment to the position of Umpire’s Advisor would help improve future umpiring standards.
In 1979-80, the A Grade premiers were awarded $300, B Grade $200 and C Grade $150, while the cricketer of the year was given a $100 clothing voucher, courtesy of Wanneroo Menswear.
Winner of the Wanneroo Sports Centre Knockout Cup won $200.
Balcatta’s Hancock won cricketer of the year after finishing with a batting average of 52.22 and bowling average of 6.74.
Hancock also top scored for the WCA in its two inter-association games against Fremantle Mercantile and Metropolitan Cricket Association in 1979-80.
However, the WCA lost both of those matches, by 74 runs to the MCA and 76 runs to Fremantle.
The WCA changed its name to the North Suburban Community Cricket Association (NSCCA) following a historic meeting of the clubs on Wednesday November 5, 2008.
The name change was designed to capture and reflect the enormous population growth in the northern western suburbs of Perth, Western Australia, where the competition is located.
The new name was officially christened at a special function on Sunday 18 January at the North Beach Cricket Club Club-Rooms, at Charles Riley Reserve in North Beach.
At the function, President Tim Park launched a new web site and logo with Patron Troy Pickard, the Mayor of Joondalup.
PICTURE: SCCA Patron Mayor of Joondalup Troy Pickard (left) and NSCCA President Tim Park at the official launch of the Association’s new name, web site and logo on Sunday 18 January at the North Beach Cricket Club Club-Rooms.
The Association’s constitutional objective is to encourage and foster the game of cricket in every way possible. That objective remained unchanged, despite the new name.
In season 2008/2009, Mr Park, a former player and long-serving umpire, was President. The competition fielded 17 affiliated clubs and an Umpires Association.
In total, 72 teams played in nine different grades.
Those clubs were; Balga, Ballajura, Edgewater, Greenwood, Joondalup-Kinross, Kallaroo, Kingsley-Woodvale, Kingsway Christian, Kingsway Sportsman, Landsdale, North Beach, Quinns Rocks, Sorrento-Duncraig, Wanneroo, Warwick, West Coast and Yanchep.
The competition comprised Grades A-G and two divisions of a one-day competition known as the Paragon Training League One-Day League.
The traditional knockout competition played between the clubs was known as the Paragon Patrons Cup.
All games in the NSCCA have been played predominately on reserves throughout the City of Joondalup, City of Wanneroo, City of Stirling and Swan Shire Council.
The WCA won its first inter-association title in Colts in 1989-90 and seniors in 1991-92.
It also won the Colts title in the 1995-96 and 2007-08 seasons.
The WCA was involved with the original discussions that led to the formation of the Wanneroo Districts Club and was one of the primary reasons for its foundation.
The WCA was supposed to act as the feeder and catchment competition for the new District Club and while that alliance has never been formalised, it has resulted in providing the club with many players over the years.
