Cricket
Introduction
Blind sport in the ACT started with blind cricket. Blind cricket was first played in 2003, twelve months later VISACT was created. Cricket now enjoys a stable and competitive season during the summer months.
Download our 'VISACT Cricket' brochure (MS Word doc, 1.6Mb)
New Players Wanted!
Vision Impaired Sports ACT Cricket (VISACT Cricket) is looking for new male and female players, of all standards.
Joining VISACT Cricket is a four step process. These steps are described below.
STEP 1. CONTACT VISACT Cricket
Contact the following people and let them know you are interested in joining the association:
| Stephen Fagg | Nick Haydar | |
| Telephone | 0412 901 986 | |
| act_blind_cricket@hotmail.com | safiye1@bigpond.com.au |
STEP 2. COACHING CLINIC
Before you start playing some matches, we would like to see you down at one of our coaching clinics. This will allow us to evaluate your sight category and help with facets of your game. You will be coached by Nick Haydar who has 15 years experience in the game.
| When | Sunday morning 10:00am -12.00 pm March to September. By arrangement during the cricket season |
| Where | National Indoor Centre, Lyneham |
| Attire | Casual sports wear and runners. Bats and balls are supplied |
STEP 3. PLAY CRICKET!
After you have attended one of our coaching clinics, you will have the opportunity to play in a cricket game in the summer. We play cricket on Sundays and all games are played at Kippax Playing Fields.
STEP 4. REGISTRATION
To become a registered player, you must first complete a registration form. A fee of $10 shall accompany each such registration. Contact Stephen Fagg for a registration form.
Our sponsors
ACT Blind Cricket is sponsored by:
Lions Club of Canberra City inc. 
We would also like to acknowledge the generous support of the following organisations:
- National Indoor Centre;
- Cnaterbury New Zealand for our uniforms and cricket gear;
- Gungahlin Magnet Mart;
- Harvey Norman (Fyshwick);
- Bunnings
About the game
Vision Impaired Cricket is an outdoor sport slightly modified from the conventional game of cricket. Teams consist of eleven players, including Partially (B3), Poor Partially (B2) and Totally Blind (B1) categories.
The ball used is made of a white compound. Inside the ball there are metal washers to give the ball an audible sound when bowled. All bowling is underarm and the the ball must bounce at least twice. The bats that are used are the same as in sighted cricket.
Blind cricket is played in a number of countries and the World Cup is contested every fours years. Every two years sides from around Australia come together to take part in the National Championships.
The National Blind Cricket Championships
The National Blind Cricket Championships will be held in Melbourne at Kooyong from December 28 2007 to January 12 2008. The ACT will be competing along with NSW, Queensland, Sth Australia/Western Australia and Victoria. It will be the first time that there will be 5 Australian teams competing and it will be one of the most evenly contested National Blind Cricket Championships in recent memory.
Victoria are the current National Champions with the ACT team looking very strong after a comprehensive 2-1 series win over NSW and narrowly losing to Victoria in late March in Albury.
To keep up to date on the 29th National Blind Cricket Championships, click here.
Season 2007/2008
In 2007/2008 the ACT will play NSW for the Border Clash Trophy in a 5 match
series as well as play Victoria in Albury for the 2nd Banks of the Murray
Cup. There will also be a number of matches against sighted teams who are
blind folded or wear goggles that replicate the various forms of vision
impairment. This is part of our philosophy of integration and removing barriers
to community attitudes towards blindness and the isolating impact of vision
impairment on individuals. This year we will be playing against the Australian
Federal Police, HMAS Harman, Vision Australia, the Lord’s Taverners,
the Australian Taxation Office, Child Support Agency and Hall Rugby Club.
| When | Summer, mostly on Sundays |
| Where | Kippax 2 Oval, Holt (next to West Belconnen Leagues Club) (download map (Word doc, 40K) |
| Contact | Stephen Fagg (act_blind_cricket@hotmail.com) |
News
Wielding of the Willow
Vision Australia - VISACT Cricket Blind Cricket Challenge hailed a success. Download media release (pdf, 152k)
Winter training 2007
Come along and try your hand at this form of cricket on Sunday mornings at National Indoor Cricket Centre. Newcomers are always welcome and coaching is available. Juniors are especially welcome. Contact us on act_blind_cricket@hotmail,com for more details
Coaching Clinics 2007/2008
Coaching clinics are being planned for Albury, Goulburn, Wagga Wagga and Yass. Register your interest with us by emailing us at act_blind_cricket@hotmail.com
Season 2007/2008
A huge season is being planned with a 5 match series against NSW, social matches against the Australian Federal Police, HMAS Harman, Lord Taverners, Vision Australia and the Australian Taxation Office just to name a few. Be part of the team as we prepare to host the National Blind Cricket Championships and provide demonstrations at Manuka Oval at the PM XI game on January 30. Watch this space for more details.
National Blind Cricket Championships
Australia's biggest blind sporting event is being hosted in Melbourne. Over 120 players, support staff, officials and supporters will converge to the birthplace of blind cricket over 17 days for sporting glory. Teams from ACT, NSW, Queensland, Victoria and a combined South Australia/Western Australia team will contest the Joy Forster Shield for the 29th time. Victoria are the current National Champions who finally wrested it from Queensland after being runners up to the Queenslanders for the previous 3 National Blind Cricket Championships. NSW who last won it in 1993/1994 will be there to give it a shake as well as the dark horse of the Nationals, the ACT in their only second National Championships.
The 29th National Blind Cricket Championships will be played on synthetic wickets at Kooyong with the first round being played on 29 December 2007 and the Final being played on 11 January 2008. Teams will arrive in Melbourne on the 27th December with over 20 matches played with each team playing each other twice. The top 2 teams will play each other in the Final.
The ACT is delighted to announce that it will be hosting the 30th National Blind Cricket Championships in 2009/2010 with planning well underway for all matches to be played on 1st class turf wickets throughout the ACT. It is anticipated that there will be 6 teams playing over 3 weeks in what will shape up as the selection trials for the 2010 World Cup.
Player profiles
Player statistics
28TH National Championships, Brisbane 28 Dec 2005 - 12 Jan 2006
Volunteers
Volunteers are always welcome to ACT Blind Cricket. There are many roles
such as transport, catering, ground set-up/pack-up, fundraising. If you
have a background as a cricket player then you may be interested to be a
scorer or an umpire.
Be part of our team of volunteers as we start planning for the 2007-08 National
Blind Cricket Championships to be held in Canberra.
If you are interested then please contact ACT
Blind Cricket and our Volunteer Supervisor will be in touch with you.