KCB
SIZZLING SUMMER OF CRICKET 2003/04
* Profiles *
History *
Schedule * Contact * Statistics/Records *
Krummy Kricket™ *
* Merchandise *
Sponsors *
Links *
|
|
History |
Beginnings of the KCB
The KCB (based
in Perth, Western Australia) had it’s humble
beginnings back in early 1994, when the likes of Ryan
Ranger, Ryan McCoy and
Matti Mikkonen,
(former Carlisle Primary School students who had just commenced Year 8 at the now-defunct
Kewdale Senior High School) would gather at the Carlisle Reserve nets after
school and play cricket, with some of the other former Carlisle PS students who
were in Year 9 at Kewdale SHS.
As 1994 wore on, the first-year high school
students got to know other Year 8 guys who also had an interest in cricket.
These included David Armstrong (then
known as “Skinny”), Leigh
Staton (Sleazy),
Alex Ursulic (Nobby),
Matthew Hope
(Hopie),
Russell Collins (Susto),
Guy “GC” Johnson,
Brett Olsen (Booga),
Michael Perren (Penten),
Daniel Kinson, Shaun O’Mahony,
Steven Green (Greeny)
and Michael Romero. Come late October
that year, word had passed around that cricket was being played in the nets
after school at Carlisle Reserve, and it was
not uncommon to see any one of these make at least one or two appearances at
the nets during the week. Carlisle Reserve
would later be nicknamed Prick Park ®.
One day Ranger and
Armstrong were talking
about cricket (as they almost always do) and commenting how there was so much
interest in the game with fellow students that they should form a team, or
organisation! And so they did. In the Summer of 1994/95, Kewdale
Cricket Board ® (KCB),
was born.
Krummy Kricket™
“Cricket in the nets after school” was still very
much a popular activity amongst most of these guys at the start of year 9
(1995), and before too long, they brought there interest of cricket into the
classroom, with the development of a simple game they devised called “Krummy
Kricket™”. Krummy Kricket™ was
designed by members of the KCB to alleviate boredom in the classroom,
and was mostly played during English class, where the students’ desks were
joined together. Participants would cut a miniature cricket bat during woodwork
class, or use an object such as a ruler as the bat. The “ball” was made up of a
small rolled up bit of paper, or a piece of eraser. The “stumps” were either a
sharpener, or a folded piece of paper. There was no scoring in this game, the
object of the game was simply to hit the ball safely without getting caught.
The only other way you could be dismissed was bowled. Krummy
Kricket™ was at its peak in
Years 9 and 10 – (1995 and 1996). It was only played by very few in 1997, as
some students took up the Electrotech course, while others were taking TEE
English subjects. More information on Krummy
Kricket™ will be available soon on the Krummy
Kricket™ link of this website.
KCB Test Series 1995/96
Despite cricket being popular amongst these
particular students, it wasn’t a popular sport at Kewdale Senior High School.
The only sport that was really played at recess and lunch at the school was
basketball. Kick-to-kick was also a favourite, if someone brought their footy
along. Other students would just sit around in groups, go to the computer room
or library, “perve” on other students, or head to Tomato Lake for a smoke. The KCB
essentially said “Bugger this, let’s play cricket out on
the oval”. And so they did. Teams were picked, and Test
Matches were held. The first “unofficial” Test was actually played without a
proper cricket bat. Instead, it was a piece of wood shaped as a bat, created by
dodgy craftsman Ryan Ranger,
who also carved the stumps used during these Tests. The KCB managed to
get hold of a proper cricket bat, and the first official KCB Test for
season 1995/96 was held. Ryan McCoy
was captain of one team, Matthew Hope
the other. Each Test was umpired and fully scored by the ever-reliable Alex
Ursulic and Troy Anderson.
In all, there were three Tests played – one in December 1995, and the other two
in February 1996. There was also one Limited Overs match held after the Test
Series. The written scores and records of these matches had been kept for
several more years, but, sadly, have been lost. The summer of 1995/96 was
really the only time the KCB had played cricket at school. Due to some
players moving to other schools, or simply moving on to other friends and other
interests, cricket on the oval never started up again after that.
KCB Cricket 1996/97 and beyond
After school nets cricket was still a fixture
in 1996/97, but was only really attended by Armstrong,
Staton, Mikkonen,
Hope and
Ranger. It was around this time that the
alternative venue of Fletcher Park was
increasingly used. Fletcher Park would
also become known as “Felcher Park”.
In 1997, Ranger designed
the KCB Logo, which is still in use today (and you’ll get to see what the KCB logo looks like when Yours Truly
can figure out how to get them to come up in html! – Webmaster.). In 1999, he developed the promotional
Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get It Up™
logo (read above).
“Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get It Up ®”
is a phrase Mikkonen
coined - a take off of the Michael
Jackson song
“Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough”.
The phrase wasn’t originally cricket related, but it was decided it was good
enough to use as a promotional slogan for the KCB.
The 12th Man
Successful spoken-word recording artist
Billy Birmingham - better known as
“The 12th Man” - is famous for his hilarious
parodies of Channel Nine’s Wide World of Sports
cricket commentary team, and each one of his albums, from
“It’s Just Not Cricket” in 1984,
through to his most recent release “The Final Dig?” in
2001 have been hugely popular with many Australians. Among those are the KCB
members, and throughout their high school years (1994-98), the borrowing and
copying of 12th Man
albums was a common occurrence. Many of the classic quotes
from these albums over the years, including “Tu
for twenty-tu” (Richie Benaud),
“Got ‘im yes! Piss off, you’re out”
(Bill Lawry), “Yeeeesss”
(Max Walker) and “That’s
Out” (Benaud again, commenting on his
flatulence) are still very much used by the KCB
today, and probably will continue to do so in their conversations amongst each
other forever.
Indoor Cricket Past
In it’s history, the KCB has had a link
with Indoor Cricket, back in 1997/98. Armstrong,
Staton and
Ranger were
approached by fellow student and good mate, Paul
Lindsay regarding
their interest in playing indoor cricket at Striker
Indoor Sports. They jumped
at the opportunity, and along with new student Daniel
Taylor and former student
Luke Capper,
they played as the “No Hopers”
for approximately 9 months. Mikkonen
and Perren
made cameo appearances during the
No Hopers era too. As 16 year olds and the youngest team in the competition, the No
Hopers took some huge
defeats in their first few games, but it wasn’t long before they registered
wins and enjoyed some memorable moments, including defeating the top side at
the time, a team called “Choppa Skwod”. Eventually,
work commitments didn’t allow Staton
to play anymore, and an injury incurred while playing
football ruled Ranger out
as well, and by mid-1998 the No Hopers
had run their race, and disbanded. Despite having KCB
members in the team, the No Hopers
weren’t officially a KCB team.
The last 5 years, the present and the
future
There hasn’t been much KCB cricket
activity over the last 5 years - only nets cricket. But that’s the other thing
– the KCB has never really existed at all! There have been no official
administrative appointments or decisions, no board meetings, no constitution –
nothing. It was really just some silly idea created by stupid teenagers!
Despite there being no real KCB activity – the KCB ‘has always
been there’ – it never really existed, but never became defunct either. This
season - 2003/04 - marks the 10th season of “KCB Cricket”,
and finally, the KCB takes on a true entity, as the KCB Indoor
Cricket Team. The chance to play as the KCB, and the chance to win as
the KCB.