What happened to Jack Pratten?
Western Suburbs District Cricket Club Sydney | October 17, 2025
When 20 year old left hander Harjas Singh recently scored an extraordinary 314 from 141 balls in a 1st Grade limited overs game, he hit 35 sixes, many of them out of the ground at Western Suburbs' home ground, Pratten Park. I knew the name, "Pratten." I also had a feeling that JE Pratten, another left hander, had played just one season for Sydney University Cricket Club. So, I went in search of JE Pratten. What happened to him?
Why was Grade Cricket played on a Monday in 1921?
On Monday 3 October 1921, a 19 year old Engineering undergraduate, a left hand batsman formerly of Sydney Grammar School, John Edmund Pratten (often known as "Jack" or "Jackie"), Sydney University 1st Grade cap no188, strode out to the middle of the SCG to bat for the first time in a 1st Grade match. Sydney University vs Petersham. Why was this game played on a Monday?
In 1856, Victorian stonemasons demanded a reduction in working hours and eventually won the right to claim an eight hour working day.
In Sydney in the 1890s, unions demanded more regular hours of labour.
In 1916, the 'Eight Hours Act' was passed in NSW. The first Monday in October was marked by a holiday and by parades marching down George Street.
Sydney University vs Petersham. Round 1. Day 1. 1921-22.
On Saturday 1 October, Petersham collapsed to University's steady bowling. When future Australian representative, Sam Everett, making his debut in 1st Grade, joined BG Long, the SCG scoreboard told a dismal story. Petersham was 9 for 110. In the next 64 minutes, however, Everett (51) and Long (79 not out) took advantage of University's ragged fielding and ineffective bowling to add 134 for the last wicket. On the second day, University had to chase Petersham's total of 244.
Eight Hour Day
On Monday 3 October, University's opener Max Hesslein was bowled for 0 in the first over. At school, Hesslein and Pratten had often batted together for Sydney Grammar. In four seasons in the Grammar 1st XI, Pratten had dominated, scoring a remarkable 1529 runs at 50.97 and taking 105 wickets at 10.5 with his left hand slows as Sydney Grammar won the GPS Cricket premiership in all four seasons.
At the SCG, Pratten joined 24 year old Harry Owen ("Juja") Rock, a medical student, and a veteran of the Great War which left him seriously injured with a dislocated cartilage in his knee. Swathed in cotton bandages, Rock was to score 613 runs @51.1 in this, his third season in 1st Grade. Later, in limited opportunities in Sheffield Shield games, Rock was to average over 100 for NSW.
On Eight Hour Day, Rock was dropped on 0. The second wicket partnership, however, prospered. In 108 minutes, Rock and Pratten added 146 in increasingly confident fashion before Rock was dismissed for 71. University's captain, "Mick" Bardsley, who had also been educated at Sydney Grammar School, then shepherded his young companion who was tantalisingly close to a century on debut. Pratten, however, fell four short (96 in 155 minutes with ten boundaries). University batted on and finished the day with 6 for 322 and a decisive win on the 1st innings.
All the talk, however, was about University's "new champion".
What happened to Jack Pratten (1902-1989) after such a stunning debut?
Simply stated, he played seven more games for University in 1st Grade and scored 42 runs before being replaced by Edgar Rofe. Pratten went down to 2nd Grade where his first five innings produced only 75 runs. His bowling, so productive at school, was not required. In his final innings for Sydney University, he hit a commanding 114 against St George. Then, he reappears elsewhere.
PRATTEN PARK. THE PRATTEN FAMILY.
In 1910, Ashfield Council created and named a new ground at Ashfield. Pratten Park, named for Herbert Edward Pratten (1865-1928), the Mayor of Ashfield and Jack Pratten's father, became the home of Western Suburbs Cricket Club (formerly known as "Burwood") and for many decades it was the home ground of Western Suburbs Rugby League Club.
HE Pratten was born in England but he emigrated to Sydney in 1884 and established various successful businesses. He married Agnes Wright (1867-1943) and they were to have five children of whom Jack was the fourth.
HE Pratten served on the Ashfield Municipal Council, including a term as Mayor. In 1917, he was elected to the Australian Senate, representing NSW for the Nationalist Party. After he resigned from the Senate, he was elected to the House of Representatives in 1922 for the Division of Martin and, under the Prime Ministership of Stanley Bruce, was elevated to Cabinet as Minister for Trade and Customs and Minister for Health before dying in office on his birthday in 1928. His connection with Pratten Park included his time as Patron of Western Suburbs CC from 1920 until 1928.
HE Pratten's older son, Herbert Graham ("Bert") Pratten (1892-1979) played 1st Grade for Burwood and then Wests from 1910 until 1920 (1st Grade cap no129; 2512 runs @33.49) as a reliable middle order batsman who played five games for NSW (221 runs @24.55). His career was interrupted when he enlisted in the 1st AIF in 1916 before being discharged and returning to Australia in 1917 suffering from "trench fever."
WHAT HAPPENED TO JACK PRATTEN?
In 1922, for some reason, Jack discontinued his Engineering studies at Sydney University, despite passing first year with a Credit in one subject. Thus, he was no longer eligible to play cricket with Sydney University.
In the 1922-23 season, he's found representing North Sydney (Norths 1st Grade cap no187), where his brother Bert had also continued his Grade career from 1920-21.
Jack, the former cricket prodigy at Sydney Grammar, however, struggled to hang onto a 1st Grade place at North Sydney. In 1st Grade, he scored 131 runs @26.2. When he was demoted to 2nd Grade, his dazzling form returned as he averaged 86.75 in scoring 347 runs including 114 not out against Mosman when opened and carried his bat.
This was his second and last season in Grade Cricket.
1st Grade:
University 1921-22. 8-1-96-148-21.1
Norths 1922-23. 7-2-46no-191-26.2
Total. 15-3-96-339-28.3
2nd Grade:
University 1921-22. 6-1-114-189-37.8
Norths 1922-23. 5-1-114no-347-86.75
Total. 11-2-114no-536-59.6
He had finished his Grade Cricket career.
A MOVE TO YASS.
Jack Pratten left Sydney and went "on the land." He eventually owned properties "Sugarloaf" and then "Walgrove" and, in 1931, married Joyce Richards. They were to have four children including one who died in infancy. He made a great success of his life as a pastoralist. His wool clip often brought record prices for 25 years.
Did he play cricket again? There's no evidence that he did.
EPILOGUE
Jack Pratten lived until he was 87. He showed considerable talent at school which did not quite translate to Grade Cricket. Then he left Sydney behind for a prosperous time on the land.
But, Western Suburbs 1st Grade continues to play its home games at the ground named after his father, Pratten Park, where in October 2025, young Harjas Singh created havoc while rewriting history.
James Rodgers
Acknowledgements:
Jim Cattlin, Sydney Grammar School.
Michael Falk, CricketNSW Library.
Sydney Grammar Archives.
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