Irish all-rounder off to strong start in 2024-25 EGCA season

Hannans’ Irish international Graham Kennedy has burst out of the blocks in pursuit of back-to-back O’Shaughnessy medals as the Eastern Goldfields Cricket Association’s leading player after two rounds of the new A-grade campaign.

Kennedy, who hails from Derry in Northern Ireland, was the EGCA’s dominant player last season with 585 runs at 48.75 and 41 wickets at 6.29.

Heading into Hannans’ clash on Saturday against Great Boulder at Wallace Park, Kennedy tops the batting standings with 93 runs at 46.5.

Kennedy leads Great Boulder’s Waqar Ali Ahmed (82 runs at 41.00), and Lake View pair Ash Malec (67 runs at 33.50) and Matt Carter (59 runs at 29.50).

Among local bowlers, Hannans’ young UK recruit Harry Merritt-Blann is showing the way with seven wickets at 14.00 from Great Boulder’s Josh Rushmore (five wickets at 7.2) and Norths’ Corey Yeo (five wickets at 11.4).

Merritt-Blann and close friend George Hannington-Hodge joined Hannans’ early last month from West Sussex in England’s south.

Each of the four A-grade teams have a win apiece, with defending premiers North Kalgoorlie on top by percentage.

Victory for Norths in last season’s grand final followed a four-win campaign in 2022-23 when they missed the finals.

Since winning the 2020-21 premiership, Great Boulder have lost three consecutive grand finals — each time after finishing as minor premiers.

Also this Saturday, Norths take on Lake View.

Both games start at 10.30am at Wallace Park.