Aboriginal NRM project officer and Rangers leader Jermaine Davis recently coached the WA Indigenous Men’s Cricket Team to victory in the National Indigenous Cricket Championships.

Jermaine, better known throughout the Wheatbelt as Bomber, took the team to Alice Springs in February, where the championships have been held annually since 2001. Bomber, who has himself played for WA a number of times as an allrounder, had never been part of a championship team before. WA has won the tournament 3 times previously, but not since 2015.

Captained by Kondinin’s Jay Collard, WA played each state, losing only one match, which was on the first day to SA by just 3 runs. As the T20 tournament progressed WA got into form, cruising past Queensland with just 3 wickets down, then thrashing the Vics by 50 runs and the Tasmanians by 60 runs, and then the Vics again with 8.3 overs to spare in the first semi-final.

The final was a high scoring game against NSW, who had won the last 4 titles. NSW scored 6/151 off their 20 overs, the highest score in the tournament up to that time, with Clinton Hinchliffe taking 3-32 off his 4 overs for WA.It was a big ask for WA.

However, young Brock Larance came out and blasted 87 off just 38 balls to set up a WA victory, with 5/154 in just 16.3 overs. Brock claimed Player of the Finals, and Men’s Player of the Series, Most Men’s Wickets and Runs.

Jermaine is looking forward to next year’s championships and hoping to add players of the calibre of Bevan Bennell to go back to back for WA.