Seniors – All Age

This season (2026/27) we are expecting:

• Registrations (on-line) open – mid-June 2026
• Season start:
  • Pre-season training – starts Saturday 25^th July 2026
  • Trial games – Saturday 12^th September (format of games to be decided by Association)
  • 1^st Competition game – Saturday 26^th September

Christmas / New Year break

Last game: Saturday 19^th December 2026

Recommences: Saturday 9^th January 2027

• Finals in mid / late March 2027.

Pre-season training

Pre-season training starts on Saturday 25^th July 2026 at the WPH Sports Club nets (103 Newline Road) and finishes on Saturday 5^th September 2026 – the last weekend before the season starts.

When can I register?

On-line Registrations open in early / mid-June 2026. Only registered players will be considered for selection.

Note: When Registrations open please don’t delay. Last season (2025/26) we closed Registrations before the season started and this is expected again this season.

How do I register?

Register via our website – Register here  

How do I get the playing uniform?

Everyone is required to wear a Club playing shirt and Club cap / sun hat. Old favourities are not Club endorsed and should not be worn.

There are 2 methods of collection:

1. In-store collection at Kingsgrove Sports Nth Parramatta:

The preferred collection method is that you personally visit the Kingsgrove Sports Store at 570 Church St, North Parramatta to ensure you get the correct fitting shirt

You can collect the shirts on any day of the week but please avoid Saturday collection as this is their busiest day of the week.

 Note: remember to bring along a copy of your PlayHQ Registration Tax Invoice which shows your name so that it can be checked-off at the store.

The golden rule is that ‘no Tax Invoice then no shirt’.

2. Order on-line

Order via the dedicated page on Kingsgrove’s website – Kingsgrove Sports

There is a delivery option at the online checkout  to have any purchase to your preferred address.

The season is as follows:

• Two pre-season worm-up games on 13^th & 20^th September 2025
• Then the main competition starts on Saturday 27^th September 2025
• Games start at 1.00 pm and generally finish at around 6.00 pm – the requirement being that a minimum of 70 overs in a day must be bowled
• For most grades, 14 x Rounds are played on Saturday’s with a Semi Final (1 Vs 4 and 2 Vs 3) and Final in each Grade.  These games are a mixture of two-dayers (Saturday – Saturday) and one-dayers
• For 2025/26, the Association are trialling a season of one-day games only, for the D1 and D2 grades
• Competition is played up to and including Saturday 20^th December 2025. We then have a break over Christmas and then restart with a one-day game on Saturday 10^th January 2026
• The Semi Finals will likely be played on mid-March 2026 with the Final played the following weekend over Saturday / Sunday.

The 2026/27 Season format is yet to be determined by the Association. Using last season (2025/26) as a guide:

• Association organised Trial games run on Saturday 12^th and 19^th September 2026
• The normal competition likely starts on Saturday 26^th September 2026
• Competition format:
  • All Grades, except D1 play a mixture of 1-Day and 2-Day games
  • D1 Grade last season played 1-Day games exclusively
  • Semi Final (1 Vs 4 and 2 Vs 3) with a Final
• Starting time:
  • Games start at 1.00 pm and generally finish at around 6.00 pm – the requirement being that a minimum of 70 overs in a day must be bowled
  • 1-Day games are played over 35-overs a side
• Competition is played up to and including Saturday 19^th December 2026. We then have a break over Christmas and then restart with a one-day game on Saturday 9^th January 2027
• Semi Finals will likely be played on mid-March 2026 with the Final played the following weekend over Saturday / Sunday.

After the game we encourage everyone to come back to the upgraded WPH Sports Club (103 New Line Road).

Everyone is welcome, including the younger players who can have a cool drink in the general Club area.

Introduction

WPHCCC has adopted a “Code of Conduct” policy across the Club. The Code for Seniors has been adapted but the intent is the same – let everyone play and enjoy their cricket.

The Code is our way of acknowledging the importance of the Preamble to the MCC Laws of Cricket – ‘The Spirit of Cricket’.

Player’s Code

• We play to win but we play by the rules and spirit of the game at all times
• If someone is scoring runs against us you don’t have to “give it to him”. Positively encourage our bowlers and fielders to get him out.
• Respect – your Captain, team-mates and opposition. Decisions made by the Captain will always take into consideration what is best for the Team rather than an individual. If any player has an issue with decisions, our Director – Seniors, should be approached to discuss the issue
• Sledging is off limits.
• If someone in our team is acting like a moron “call” the behaviour.
• Never argue with umpires. Leave it to your Captain to question difficult decisions
• No tantrums. Verbal abuse of officials and sledging other players, deliberately distracting or provoking an opponent is unacceptable behaviour
• Don’t be a victim and take it out on others. When (it will happen!) you get a bad decision ‘cop it’ and get on with the game. The Umpire is / was probably one of your mates
• Umpires make mistakes. If there is a lack of consistency the Captain can ask for the Umpire to be replaced with proper respect. Never challenge the Umpire’s integrity
• “Walking” when “Out” is your decision. If you don’t walk then fine, but don’t carry on like a victim when you get a “bad one”
• Non-attendance at games after being selected is not on – let your Captain know well before the game. It is your responsibility not the Captain’s.

• Differences in race and ability/disability are irrelevant – treat everyone with respect and dignity
• Please be aware that Juniors role model your behaviour. Things like smoking, bad language, and temper are given legitimacy by your actions.

Captain’s and Umpires Code

• Captains are Leaders. You cast a “long shadow” – please be aware of it
• Act on unsporting behaviour, from both sides, and promote respect for all opponents.
• Your behaviour and comments should be positive and supportive – you set an example.
• Anyone participating as an umpire, is, according to the Laws of Cricket, deemed to be an umpire. Accordingly, there are responsibilities imposed on them by the Laws: o Firstly, the person must act as a qualified umpire – conducting themselves in a dignified way, give decisions in an unbiased and impartial manner and not become involved in lengthy conversations with the players on the field. o Secondly, the players are to show proper respect to that person and the decisions given as they would a qualified umpire.

Penalties

• People who choose to play for our Club do so knowing our expectations on behaviour. Should there be breaches of our Code the Club’s Disciplinary Committee will look at issues referred to it as necessary.

Our Club is a strong supporter of the Cricket Australia standards where children are involved. Checkout our dedicated section of the website on Child Protection & Safety for a detailed explanation – here

Typically, in the first week of May we have our Presentation Night.

It is a big night and a great opportunity to remember past achievements and even sometimes attempt to rewrite history.

It is the highlight of the year with a big turnout and a fun night/morning!

This season will revert to ‘normal’.

Two day games

• Matches start at 1.00pm on Saturdays. We would like you to be at the game by 12.30 pm at the latest
• A minimum of 70 overs are bowled which usually takes us through to around 6.00pm. 

One day games

• Matches start at 1.00pm
• Each side faces 35 overs.

Top 4 grades

The top 4 Grades (A1, A2, B1 & B2) will be graded based on performance (typically previous season stats), ability, a view to the future development of the player within the Club and team balance (i.e., ensuring there is a good spread of batting & bowling resources to allow teams to be competitive).

The A1 and A2 grades will typically be comprised of a squad of approximately 24 full time players. All players in this squad are expected to be available for either team as selected throughout the season.

The intention is to have a 1-squad mentality and create competition for positions throughout the season.

The selectors will endeavour to ensure our best players are placed in this squad.

Remaining grades

Grades C1 and below will be selected on similar criteria, with the addition of:

• Player ratings from Association
• Allowance for playing with mates
• Assessment of player ability by the selection committee – A Grade standard players for example need to play in the right Grades
• Player goals (e.g., develop younger players with the potential to play higher Grades in a more challenging grade, play older players in less challenging grades).

Other guidelines:

• Fathers & sons / mothers & daughters are encouraged, particularly for groups new to Seniors
• As we have a good number of older players (say 45+ years), efforts will be made to spread the older players with higher ratings across lower grades to balance experience and mentor younger players
• While we encourage keeping mates together, we are keen to ensure all players integrate into the Club. We promote knowledge sharing from experienced players as well as foster an environment where players may occasionally need to fill-in with other teams throughout the season.

Our recent Club Player Survey confirmed that the strongest reason for playing is to play with mates. So, we’ve tried our best to make that happen, but also make the teams work.

Players also need to be at a similar standard, and the teams need to have a reasonable balance between batting, bowling and keeping. However, as you move up the grades, the selections become more and more weighted towards merit.

Combining all of that is an impossible jigsaw, but I think we’re finding combinations that will work really well. We’ll also have two pre-season warm-up games to help us refine if need be.

We won’t know the grades for each team until mid-September.

The next step is for the Association to assess all the submissions from each club, and rank them in order of strength. The 8 strongest will play A1, then next 8 in A2, etc. We’ll update this page as soon as we know.

One of the reasons that WPHCCC has been so successful (and grown so large) over the years is that, when you play for WPHCCC, you play for a club rather than an individual team.

Whatever level you are at, there’s a great team there, waiting for you. And as that changes, there’s enough fluidity and options to find a new great team for you, to fit your new needs.

During the season we will need to shuffle players around to fill gaps and make sure all teams are able to compete. Embrace those opportunities! These may be next year’s team mates that you’re playing with.

Here are some umpiring notes particularly regarding laws for no-balls and wides.

here

To read this file you will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader. here