• Shackleton: the original abandoned cricket pitch. Photo by Les Everett
The idea was hatched at the Western Australian Wheatbelt town of Shackleton in October 2019. Forty or so years earlier I’d played cricket at the place. The pitch was still there along with the practice nets and even the footy goalposts but live sporting action had long since ceased.
• The pitch at Boilup between Kojonup and Collie. Photo by Les Everett
Last week I spent a few minutes in the ABC Perth studio with Breakfast presenter Ivo Da Silva talking, of course, about abandoned cricket pitches.
A similar chat in October on ABC Goldfields-Esperance led to some great finds around Kalgoorlie, Boulder, Leonora and Coolgardie. This time the audience was statewide and as I listened to flood and fire warnings on the drive to East Perth I realised many would have other things on their minds.
Still, as with each of the radio (and TV and newspaper and social media) spots I’ve done while ‘working’ on this project the response was immediate and wide-ranging.
This time, however, the tips received might have reinforced the point that there are lots of unused cricket pitches in WA – and I’ve seen most of them.