Geelong hosts National Cricket Inclusion Championships

Cr Pat Murnane, Cr Sarah Mansfield and Member for South Barwon Darren Cheeseman support Geelong cricketer Travis Zimmer, who represented Victoria in the championships.

LAST week, Geelong hosted the National Cricket Inclusion Championships (NCIC) for the fourth consecutive year.

This year nine separate ovals across Geelong helped hold the five-day competition.

Chair of the City of Greater Geelong’s social inclusion portfolio Cr Sarah Mansfield said she was pleased Geelong would continue to host the event.

“We are proud to be hosting this important tournament for the fourth year in a row. It’s definitely one of my favourite sporting events on the Geelong calendar.”

There are three different categories the state sides field teams in at the event: Blind and Low Vision, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and Intellectual Disability. This is the second year to include Women’s Deaf and Hard of Hearing grade, which sees Victoria play three games against a Combined All-Stars team.

Victoria won two of the three games, with the other being cancelled due to poor weather.

The Male Deaf and Hard of Hearing grade was won by New South Wales, defeating South Australia in the grand final by eight wickets.

New South Wales won their third consecutive Blind and Low Vision final. Just like last year they defeated South Australia in the grand final, with Oscar J. Stubbs and Lindsay Heaven’s unbeaten 125-run partnership securing a nine-wicket victory.

South Australia had the misfortune of falling to their third grand final defeat on Friday afternoon in the Intellectual Disability Grade, as Victoria claimed a six-wicket victory.