ABOUT SANDGROPER CRICKET
Sandgroper Cricket is a Perth based cricket club competing in the Global Spirit of Cricket T20 tournament for over 50 year old players in Australia.
Our Vision
The Sandgropers vision is to establish the cricket team as a leading and respected organization that fosters the 'spirit of cricket', a passion for the sport, promoting player development and inspiring the local community.
Number 1 - (2024 Captain)
Anthony Barranca
Anthony is an opening batsman, wicket keeper and recently captained the Australian Over 50s side in a quad series in New Zealand against New Zealand, New Zealand A and the USA. He also played in the 2023 World Cup for Australia and scored a 100 on that tour.
Number 4
Ben Warren
Ben hails out of the Bay of Plenty in New Zealand and represents the New Zealand A side in the Over 50 Australian national carnivals and was a professional overseas player in the 1990's.
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Still playing grade cricket in New Zealand and bolsters and already well socked top order.
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Ben won a man of the match in the 2024 tournament.
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Number 7
Johnny Budalich
Johnny is a right arm leg spinner that has played over 300 1st grade games for the Balcatta cricket club in Western Australia and is the leading wicket take with over 800 wickets. He won cricketer of the year for the association in the 2023-24.
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Johhny was the leading wicket taker and named bowler of the 2024 tournament, won one mane of the match and took 14 wickets at 11.71.
Number 10
Craig Calliess
Craig currently plays A3 grade Adelaide Turf for Para Hills and has represented South Australia in Division 3 and Division 2 cricket in the most recent national carnivals.
A medium right arm bowler and middle order batsman that moves across the ground exceptionally well and values his fitness and a quality all rounder for the squad.
Number 13
Todd Zani
Todd has played for WA in 3 National Carnivals and has vice captained and captained at those titles. He had the highest batting average of the Sandgropers at the 2024 tournament with an average of 45.67 and won the man of the match in our first game.​
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He is the captain of the Joondalup North Perth side in the Premier Masters cricket competition and still playing 3rd grade for North Perth in Suburban Turf where he won the batting aggregate and averages in 2023-24.
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Todd is a Director/Shareholder of Sandgroper Cricket.
Number 16
Michael Beer
Michael is a former President of the Over 50's/55's veteran cricket sides in Western Australia and was the Division 3 captain at the 2023 national carnival.
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He is a right arm medium bowler and lower order bat and part owner of the Sandgropers.
Our Players
Number 2 - (2024 Vice Captain)
Stephen Gollan
Stephen is a 4 time Australian Representative at Over 50 World Cup tournaments and won a World Cup title in 2018.
He is a 6 time national Western Australian representative and also won a national title with Western Australia.
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Number 5
Jamie Lee
A country cricketer from Pinjarra in Western Australia and originally comes from New Zealand and represented in New Zealand in one day cricket.
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Was the Sandgropers leading run scorer in the 2024 tournament and made the team of the tournament and averaged 44.83 and won three man of the match awards.
Number 8
Simon Milton
Simon is a wicket-keeper/batsman picked as a backup for the Sandgropers captain and represented Australia in the Over 40's in 2023 and has just turned 50 and will debut in Over 50s cricket at this carnival.
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Simon was a last minute replacement for our injured captain in 2024 and went onto become the leading wicketkeeper at the tournament and named in the team of the tournament.
Number 11
Nic Cullinane
Nic represented Victoria in Division 1 at last year's national championships and recently toured as part of the Spirit of Cricket party and made a handy 72 against Australia on the tour of New Zealand.
A medium right arm bowler and opening batsman.
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Was part of the winning Victorian Division 1 team at the Nationals.
Number 14
Colin Bakeberg
Colin debuted at the 2023 National Championships for Western Australia, ironically playing in the Division 2 Sandgropers and is a right arm medium opening bowler that bowls a "heavy ball".
A tall and charismatic South African with a wicked sense of humour and will fit in well with his team mates on the tour!
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Colin is a Director/Shareholder of Sandgroper Cricket.
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Number 17 (2025 Captain)
Gerard Wyeth
Gerard is 3x WA National Player, 2022 national Championship Player of the Tournament, 2024 Australia A Representative and was selected int the 2024 SOC Team of the Tournament.
Gerard narrowly missed out on being drafted by the Gropers in the 2024 draft and the Gropers weren't going to let that happen again.
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A talented all-rounder who will captain the side in 2025
Number 3
Robert Nicholls
A left arm medium fast bowling
all-rounder that played premier cricket in both South Australia and New South Wales and was a league pro in in the United Kingdom.
Will make his debut for Western Australia in the 2024 national titles.
Number 6
Paul Whybird
Paul has represented Victoria as the last two Over 40's tournaments and was an Australian Over 50's representative at the World Cp in 2023.
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Has played first class cricket in Australia and the United Kingdom and is an opening batsman and opening bowler with his local side.
Number 9
Johnny Crognale
Johnny is a left arm orthodox off spinner and middle to lower order batsman that lives in Harvey in the south west of Western Australia.
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Will play against his brother at the Spirit of Cricket T20 tournament with his sibling Dom, being picked up by an opposing side.
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Johny won a man of the match award at the 2024 tournament.
Number 12
David Newham
David is a Division 2 player with New South Wales and is an opening batsman and medium pace bowler.
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He captain's the Macarthur side in the Over 50's in NSW and is still playing 3rd grade in the local cricket in the region.
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Number 15
Craig Broomhall
Craig debuted for Western Australia in the 2023 nationals and is a right arm medium bowler and right hand batsman and is still playing local cricket in Perth for North Peth Cricket Club and has played for 30+ years as an all-rounder.
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Craig won two man of the match awards at the 2023 national championships and will be a handy player, when required.
Number 18 (2025 Vice Captain)
Jason Hamling
Jason is a 4x WA National Player and is the current WA Veterans Cricket Chairman and won the North Perth Champion Cricketer in his first year at the Suburban Turf Club.
A fit, tall left arm bowler whom can also bat high in the order and will be a valuable addition to the Team.
Number 20
Luke Jessop
Number 19 (Marquee Player)
Michael Veletta
Veletta, a dynamic right-hand batsman and wicketkeeper, brings a wealth of experience at the highest level. Between 1987 and 1990, he played 8 Test matches and 21 ODIs for Australia, alongside a stellar domestic career that included 127 first-class matches, 114 Sheffield Shield appearances, and 41 domestic one-day games for Western Australia.
His standout moment came in the 1987 World Cup Final, where he played a pivotal role in Australia’s maiden World Cup win, smashing 45 off 31 balls against England in a match remembered by cricket fans around the world.
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Luke is competitive beast who originated from Boulder in regional WA but more recently has spent 15 years in South Hedland in the North West and plays for the Joondalup Masters side and also for the North Perth Cricket Club WA.
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Bowls leg spin but can also bowl medium pace and has a rocket arm in the field and always good for a sneaky run out or two.
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Being a country lad, really good on the banter and plays with the right spirit of cricket and will fit right into the squad.
GET IN TOUCH
For any inquiries or feedback, feel free to reach out to us at accounts@sandgropercricket.com.
We'd love to hear from you!