Darlington Social Cricket Club

Darlington Social Cricket Club is a well-established sports club located in Perth, Western Australia. The club was inaugurated in the 1959/1960 season and has been bringing together cricket enthusiasts ever since.

The club plays around 22 games per season at the picturesque 'village green' – Darlington Oval. These games consist of matches against teams from other social clubs, as well as company teams and sporting clubs.

The typical Sunday afternoon game sees the team gather at the oval at 11:30 for an 11:45 start. Matches are played with each side bowling 40 x 6-ball overs. The first ball each batsman faces is a “free ball” and he cannot be dismissed apart from being run out. Bowlers are restricted to a maximum of five overs each, although in most cases everyone bowls 4 overs each, ensuring that everyone gets to actively participate in the game.

The club currently has approximately 30 playing members and around 20 social members, along with their families. Each player participates in about 8 to 10 games per year. With some members being over 50 years old, it sometimes takes a week or so for them to recover from the physical exertion of the game.

One of the longstanding traditions of the Darlington Social Cricket Club is the afternoon tea, which takes place at around 2:30pm on match days (or at the completion of the first innings). This is followed by a barbecue held at one of the members' homes. During the barbecue, the highs, and lows of the game are relived and fines are given for dropped catches and other memorable moments. All players are expected to attend the barbecue, and families are also encouraged to join in the post-match festivities.

In addition to the regular matches and social gatherings, the club also organises a family weekend towards the end of the season. This fun-filled event includes activities for both adults and children, and participants can choose to camp, stay in caravans, or enjoy the comforts of a chalet. The club's committee takes care of cooking and serving a cooked breakfast every morning to ensure that everyone starts their day off right.

Darlington Social Cricket Club is a unique and wonderful social group that thrives on the active participation of its members and their families. They welcome new players and encourage everyone to get involved in the various events and gatherings throughout the season.

For more information about the club and its upcoming events, interested individuals can visit the club's website or social media pages.