Cricket returns to the Clarence

By Tim Howard

The sound of leather cracking on willow returns to the Clarence Valley this weekend with a full round of two-day games in the Clarence River Cricket Association mixed first grade competition.

Premiers Harwood host Coutts Crossing at Harwood Oval on Saturday looking to kick off the season in style.

The perennially strong Harwood outfit returned to Clarence cricket last season after competing in the North Coast Premier League and immediately made their presence felt.

Tucabia Copmanhurst and GDSC Easts clash at Ulmarra Showground pits two traditionally strong clubs against each other.

It was only two seasons ago that East swept all before them to snare a premiership and Tucabia have been regular premiers in local cricket for a decade.

At CRCA HQ, Ellem Oval, South Service/Westlawn will need to pull out all the stops to beat last season’s beaten grand finalists, Lawrence.

South’s whose merger several season ago with arch rivals Westlawn is still in place, have had a roller coaster run in recent times, winning a premiership during Covid, losing a grand final due to rain and most recently picking up a wooden spoon.

Lower River club Lawrence joined the CRCA first grade competition last season and like fellow down river side, Harwood, made an immediate impact.

Perhaps it was not surprising as the top order of the club includes several former Harwood players who brought with them competitive instincts that have inspired its success.

The downside of for local cricket is the continued absence of the Brothers Cricket Club, which folded early last season when it could not find enough players to fill teams.

At the time CRCA president Anthony Dickson noted that clubs were finding it difficult to field teams across all grades.

The fixture list for the lower grades of the CRCA competition appear to bear this out not with some clubs entering teams only in the second and third grade competitions.

Life-saving defibrillators available for sports facilities: Saffin

ORGANISATIONS responsible for sports facilities across the Lismore Electorate can apply for their share of $500,000 in funding from the NSW Government for new life-saving defibrillators, according to Lismore MP Janelle Saffin.

The equipment is funded under the NSW Government’s Local Sport Defibrillator Grant Program which provides up to $3,000 to eligible sporting organisations for the purchase of automated external defibrillators at sports facilities.

Since the program started, more than 2,000 defibrillators have been installed at sports facilities across New South Wales.

Applications close 27 November 2024 or when funding is exhausted. For further information, including eligibility criteria, please see the program guidelines here.

State Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin said: 

“With our high participation rates in organised sports and public spaces lending themselves to outdoor recreation, it’s critical that as many local sports facilities as possible are equipped to respond to potentially life-threatening incidents.

“This popular program traditionally has had a strong take-up rate, so I urge eligible sporting organisations to make an application in this funding round to increase the coverage of defibrillators in our towns and villages.

“Every life saved is worth it.”

NSW Minister for Sport Steve Kamper said:

“With more than 9,000 out of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in NSW each year, the first few minutes following an incident are critical, and access to a defibrillator can mean the difference between life and death.

“The NSW Government wants to ensure people participating in sport have access to this life-saving equipment.

“The Local Sport Defibrillator Program ensures clubs are equipped to respond to these life-threatening emergencies.”

Professor Jamie Vandenberg, Co-deputy Director of the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, said:

“Being able to access a defibrillator quickly and easily could be the difference between life and death for someone suffering a sudden cardiac arrest.

“In fact, survival rates nearly double if a defibrillator is used in the first few minutes of a cardiac arrest.

“Currently just one in 10 people who have a sudden cardiac arrest outside of hospital will survive.

“This is a sobering statistic but it’s one we can change for the better by installing more of these lifesaving devices in sports clubs across the State.”

LIFE-SAVING DEFRILLATOR GRANTS NOW AVAILABLE FOR LOCAL SPORTING AND RECREATIONAL ORGANISATIONS

Sporting and recreational organisations across the Clarence and Richmond valleys are being encouraged by Clarence Nationals MP, Richie Williamson to apply for funding under the latest round of the NSW Government’s 2024/25 Local Sport Defibrillator Grant Program.

Mr Williamson said the program offers grants of up to $3,000 to help local sporting clubs and recreation facilities access life-saving defibrillators.

“Sport is part of the fabric of life in our local communities, and with more and more people of all ages participating in sport and recreation, having access to a defibrillator could mean the difference between life and death,” Mr Williamson said.

“I encourage all eligible sporting organisations in the Clarence and Richmond valleys to apply for funding to ensure they have the equipment needed to respond to medical emergencies.”

In response to feedback from communities, the 2024/25 program will continue to prioritise clubs located in disadvantaged areas of NSW. However, clubs experiencing financial hardship but outside eligible postcodes are also encouraged to apply.

Mr Williamson said this year, the program will consider applications from clubs experiencing financial difficulties, recognising that postcode borders don’t always reflect a club’s financial situation.

“This is a great opportunity for all clubs to secure support and I urge them to take advantage of this opportunity to enhance the safety and well-being of their participants,” Mr Williamson added.