Vale Bill Salmon St George DCC First Grade Player No. 202
St George Cricket Club | December 29, 2025
St George DCC First Grade Player No. 202 Bill Salmon passed peacefully on Christmas Day.
Bill came through the ranks of the Georges River-Penshurst District Cricket Association where he played for Peakhurst Waratahs. His obvious skills, particularly with the ball saw him play Green Shield for St George in 1952-53 where he captured 7 wickets at just 9.57. The season prior to this Bill was awarded the association bowling award with 45 wickets.
From here it appears that Bill played some Senior park cricket with Hurstville-Mortdale Cricket Club before giving Grade Cricket a go with the Waverley Club where he won a 4th Grade premiership in the season of 1956-57 and eventually played some First Grade cricket making his First Grade debut in 1958-59 and on two occasions took 5 wickets. His best was 6-49 against University. Ended up with 15 wickets at 18.20. Also debuting around that time was a fast bowler named Jack Gibson. They became friends with Jack finding fame later as a Rugby League “super” coach. In 59/60 Bill and Jack both took 12 wickets in first grade. Bill 12 at 27.41 and Jack 12 at 39.83.. In the season of 1960-61 he joined St George playing some games in 3rd Grade and rising up the ranks to be given an opportunity to play in a First Grade team that would go on to take out the premiership. That team contained such St George notables as Captain Warren Saunders, Brian Booth, Bill Watson, Norm O'Neill, Ray Flockton and Keith Francis.
His 2nd season at the club was a standout. He claimed 47 wickets of which 12 at 7.67 were claimed in Third Grade and 35 at 14.43 were in Second Grade. The Annual Report of 61-62 makes mention of Bills success. "Bill Salmon has a most successful season and was the leading wicket taker (in 2nds) with 35 wickets at an average of 14.43. His best performance came in the semi-final when he took 5 wickets for 53 and then shared in a 9th wicket partnership of 30 runs which won the match."
The team progressed to the Grand Final but lost against Bankstown Canterbury in a rain affected match that made batting difficult for the St George batsman.
His final season with St George was in 1964-65 where he claimed his 100th wicket at a very useful average of 17.51. With the bat he had a highest score of 43 in 2nd Grade.
Outside of cricket a young Bill Salmon lived opposite Hurstville Oval briefly before his parents settled in Mortdale. He attended St Declan’s primary during WW2 then won a Maths scholarship to St Marys Cathedral where he finished high school.
Bill and a mate eventually had the biggest milk run in the city through George and Pitt Streets as well as Kings Cross, providing milk to famous restaurants such as Les Girls, Spelson’s and Mars Steakhouse to name a few. He later worked for Esso Oil company and played in their highly competitive annual cricket match against Esso Victoria, who apparently had many well known stars.
Bill was well known in the Panania/Revesby/Padstow area through the family Caltex service station businesses he ran and as a devoted member of the St Christopher’s Parish. He was also a 1st grade tennis player but mostly he was a hard working family man who has left a great legacy.
The family tradition of cricket in the St George area was survived by son Mark as coach of numerous rep teams in recent times and Grandson Harry who had a distinguished junior career with St Joseph's Riverwood Cricket Club and many seasons of Rep Cricket for the St George DCA as well as taking out the St George DCA Junior Cricketer of the year in 2023-24. Harry played Green Shield for Randwick Petersham and is now in their grade set up and is also a talented Rugby League player who was until recently training with the St George Harold Matthews U17's squad. In his most recent game with Randwick Patersham last weekend, Harry scored 170 in Metro Cup which was the last innings played whilst his Grandfather Bill was alive. Very fitting.
The Club sends its deepest sympathies to the Salmon family at this sad time.
