Stories

last year

Manly Warringah District Cricket Club

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

33 Likes
22 Followers

The 2005/06 season was a landmark year for the Manly Cricket Club. Not only did the club enjoy significant on-field success, but it also witnessed the early rise of a generational talent in Steve Smith - albeit in Sutherland colours.

The season began with an impressive run of form, as Manly secured four wins from five matches against Sutherland. Highlights included Merchant’s maiden first-grade century for Manly, and a young Steve Smith scoring 97 for Sutherland in a third-grade clash. Despite Smith’s efforts, Manly, the reigning champions, emerged victorious.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/338/manly-warringah-district-cricket-club/blog/3279/season-200506-and-the-emergence-of-steve-smith

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last year

Penrith Cricket Club

Sydney, Australia

20 Likes
20 Followers

The Cumberland Connection - Volume 1 History of Penrith Cricket Club

Geographically, it was always a given that there would be some movement of players between the western Sydney ‘counties’ of Nepean and Cumberland, especially in view of the early Howell family history.

In a later era, the Benaud family had links with the Nepean District. In 1922/23, a young Lou Benaud (father of Richie and John) was playing in a B Grade match, Penrith Waratahs v St Marys, and took all 20 wickets to fall

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/330/penrith-cricket-club/blog/3285/the-cumberland-connection-volume-1-history-of-penrith-cricket-club

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last year

Gordon District Cricket Club

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

15 Likes
33 Followers

The start of play on October 12 in the First Test Match between Pakistan and South Africa at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore saw Rod Tucker standing in his 96th Test, going past Daryl Harper for the most test matches officiated by an Australian umpire.

A left-handed batsman and right-arm medium pacer, Rod was a fine cricketer before he began his umpiring career. He debuted (Cap #499) for Gordon on 22/9/2001 at Killara Oval vs UNSW

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/297/gordon-district-cricket-club/blog/3284/rod-tucker-quotbudgie

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last year

Manly Warringah District Cricket Club

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

33 Likes
22 Followers

Legacy of 1st Grade Wicketkeepers 1999-2014

Over the years, the Manly Warringah District Cricket Club has been home to numerous players with first-class experience. However, a particularly unique statistic stands out: between 1999 and 2014, the club had five first-class wicketkeepers don the gloves at various stages.

The first in this distinguished line was club legend Craig Glassock, who served as both captain and wicketkeeper throughout the 1990s and was a cornerstone of Manly’s first-grade side

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/338/manly-warringah-district-cricket-club/blog/3280/legacy-of-1st-grade-wicketkeepers-1999-2014

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last year

Penrith Cricket Club

Sydney, Australia

20 Likes
20 Followers

My Darling Penrith Cricket Club - Michael Wholohan

As we look back on our 50th anniversary, we look at the poem created by Michael Wholohan for our 50th anniversary.
My Darling
Penrith Cricket Club

The mighty Penrith Cricket Club has made it to 50 years.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/330/penrith-cricket-club/blog/3282/my-darling-penrith-cricket-club-michael-wholohan

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last year

Manly Warringah District Cricket Club

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

33 Likes
22 Followers

Matthew Phelps Runs Record

In the 1999/2000 season, Matthew Phelps set a new benchmark in Manly first-grade cricket history by scoring an unbeaten 233 - the highest individual score ever recorded at that level for the club.

The innings took place at Manly Oval during an early-season match against local rivals North Sydney, who were captained at the time by former Waratahs legend and future Manly coach, Phil Marks.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/338/manly-warringah-district-cricket-club/blog/3276/matthew-phelps-runs-record

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last year

Manly Warringah District Cricket Club

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

33 Likes
22 Followers

Between the 1996/97 and 2005/06 seasons, the Manly 1st Grade team—one of the strongest on paper in the club’s history—epitomised the adage that premierships are hard to win.

Over that 10-year period, the team secured the minor premiership three times and reached the finals on three other occasions. However, despite consistently strong performances, they were unable to capture the ultimate prize, with a number of heartbreaking finals losses marking the era.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/338/manly-warringah-district-cricket-club/blog/3275/manly-in-the-90s

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last year

Gordon District Cricket Club

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

15 Likes
33 Followers

Lloyd Wilson: Reflections on Playing for Gordon

My best memories of Chatswood Oval and Trumper Pavilion were many renditions of the Gordon song in the dressing-room, with the opposition and sometimes even umpire Fred Tilley – he loved it! Also, many nights at committee and selection meetings in the pavilion.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/297/gordon-district-cricket-club/blog/3273/lloyd-wilson-reflections-on-playing-for-gordon

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last year

Gordon District Cricket Club

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

15 Likes
33 Followers

EDITORS NOTE: Fergus Munro first played for Gordon in Green Shield 1955-56 and PoidevinGray Shield 1956-58. He then played for Sydney University before returning to Gordon for the 1964-65 season in First Grade then moving to London where he played for Hampstead CC for many seasons.

My first recollection of Chatswood Oval and Trumper Pavilion was in about 1954 when I was selected to play in Gordon’s AW Green Shield side, managed by Ray Jones, and ‘required to practice there’.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/297/gordon-district-cricket-club/blog/3272/fergus-munro-reflections-on-playing-for-gordon

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last year

Armidale Waratahs (The Tahs)

Founder

Armidale, Australia

4 Likes
8 Followers

Waratahs Cricket Club of Armidale - now The Tahs Inc - has an interesting and very accessible history.
With one of the most extensive set of club records of any Australian sporting club, our history is revered and often looked over. It always informed each new group of custodians and linked players over the ages, revering with great equity each member of the Waratahs family.
One of the reasons this ethos was developed and maintained were its leaders, on and off the field. Another was the creation of the Yearbook, issued annually at the Presentation Dinner since 1972. After the speeches were finished and the trophies handed out, a quiet would always descend over the room as everyone first checked their stats, then read the reports and finally thumbed through the records section to see what performances had joined the pantheon of the greats.
Read more ...

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/1223/armidale-waratahs-the-tahs/blog/3269/presidents-and-yearbooks

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last year

Penrith Cricket Club

Sydney, Australia

20 Likes
20 Followers

Emergence of a Future Captain in a Winning Campaign: 2009/2010

A quote from the youngest (Ryan Gibson): "Blakey, it's taken you over 50 games in PG'd to win this comp, I've won it in 5 games."

Right off the bat, I'm going to say, this season the boys deserved to win this competition. The achieved victory was a culmination of a few seasons' work/preparation. Led beautifully through 2 different skippers over the past 2 seasons, the lads this season slowly warmed into the comp, before blowing away 3 strong teams in the Finals.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/330/penrith-cricket-club/blog/3262/emergence-of-a-future-captain-in-a-winning-campaign-20092010

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last year

Gordon District Cricket Club

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

15 Likes
33 Followers

Neil Harvey at Gordon District Cricket Club

Much has been written about Neil Harvey since his arrival on the cricketing world scene with the 1948 Bradman Invincibles team.

What is not talked about much are the five seasons Neil played for the Gordon club from 1958-59 to 1962-63.

Neil Harvey was a senior figure in the Australian team when he came to Sydney from Melbourne in 1958-59 and joined Gordon, aged almost 30.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/297/gordon-district-cricket-club/blog/3258/neil-harvey-at-gordon-district-cricket-club

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last year

St George Cricket Club

Sydney, Australia

56 Likes
54 Followers

The Annual O’Reilly Oration was held in the Booth Saunders Pavilion on Friday 19 September. A full house of 126 heard from guest speaker, St George Life Member, Moises Henriques. He was later joined in a panel discussion by Cricket Australia Chair, Mike Baird AO and Cricket NSW Chair, John Knox.

The O’Reilly Oration was inaugurated in 2005 as a way of remembering the enormous contribution that Bill O’Reilly made to St George DCC and indeed the game across Australia and the world. Speakers have always been encouraged to follow in the O’Reilly tradition of providing forthright, considered opinions that challenge the status quo. That tradition continued in 2025.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/275/st-george-cricket-club/blog/3257/moises-henriques-delivers-the-oreilly-oration-2025-st-george-district-cricket-club

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last year

St George Cricket Club

Sydney, Australia

56 Likes
54 Followers

23 September 1911, Mayor Blackshaw bowled the first cricket ball at the official opening of Hurstville Oval, with St George XV playing a First Grade X1. Les Blackshaw worked tirelessly to have a suitable first grade cricket oval in the district, not only as an Alderman but also through fundraising and volunteering to tend the soil and plant fifty trees, mainly along the Dora Street boundary.

This was the beginning of a lifetime association with St George District Cricket for Blackshaw. Spanning 61 years until 1968, Blackshaw became known as “Father of Cricket in the District”, according to St George District Cricket Club.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/275/st-george-cricket-club/blog/3252/mayor-blackshaw-and-hurstville-oval

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last year

Gordon District Cricket Club

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

15 Likes
33 Followers

Pocket Profile - Luke Jacobs - Gordon District Cricket Club

Who are your favourite cricketers? Ryan Harris – wasn’t the fastest or the scariest and would bowl through immense pain from injuries and was super consistent.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/297/gordon-district-cricket-club/blog/3255/pocket-profile-luke-jacobs-gordon-district-cricket-club

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last year

Armidale Waratahs (The Tahs)

Founder

Armidale, Australia

4 Likes
8 Followers

In 1976, GRAHAM FROST (#333) made 26 on debut for B grade v Centrals in a one day game. In what was the first game in an 18 year career for Waratahs, which although spanning every grade, was dominated by his outstanding performances in A/1st grade.

Originally a middle order player, he soon became a regular opener in the top grade, his batting marked by his elegance and grace. Frosty is the 5th highest run scorer overall for Waratahs (4,781 runs) and also the 5th highest in 1sts (2,974). He made 5 hundreds for the club and famously 6 scores in the 90's. He batted in 10 century partnership (two each with the Rogers - Sattler and Roan), including the highest partnership ever recorded for Waratahs, 293 unbeaten with Tim Muldoon (#296). He is one of only three batsmen to score more than 150 twice. He six times won end of season batting trophies.

Frosty had safe hands in the outfield but was a very reluctant wicketkeeper, only taking the gloves when there was no one else. Despite that, he twice held 5 catches in an innings behind the stumps. His 131 catches for the club trail only Albert Hofkamp (#476), Alan Gray (#26) and Terry Betts (#205).

The organiser of the reunion dinner which led to the formation of The Tahs Inc in 2023, he has always been a clubman first. Its no surprise that when more than seventy ex Waratahs players voted in 2010 for the best Waratahs side ever, he was included.

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last year

Parramatta District Cricket Club

Sydney, Australia

9 Likes
10 Followers

Jim Stone enjoyed a long fruitful wicket snaffling career with the Parramatta District Cricket Club (then known as Central Cumberland), commencing with the Club’s Shires team in 1927/28 and finishing in Second grade in1947/48.

Second grade was his playground, and he harvested a bumper crop of wickets at that level, over a prolonged period he was outstandingly consistent and prolific. The crafty leg-spinner and handy lower-order batsman set bowling records in Second grade for Parramatta that have stood the test of time. The most career wickets in 2nd grade 565 wickets @ 14.75, the best bowling average in a season 8.73, claimed 50+ wickets in a season on five occasions, and captured ten wickets in a match four times.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/406/parramatta-district-cricket-club/blog/3253/james-stone-jim-ndash-a-second-grade-legend-parramatta-district-cricket-club

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last year

Gordon District Cricket Club

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

15 Likes
33 Followers

Having written two books about the Gordon cricketers who fought in World War I and World War II, there are of course many stories of bravery and heroism. Not suggesting in any way that Basil Sheidow was not brave or would have been a hero given the opportunity, his service in World War II was definitely ‘unusual’.

Being keen to serve his country, Basil looked at the study opportunities he might be able to secure to give him a reasonably safe role in the war in the UK. While having no known skills in this profession, he decided on studying to be a ‘nursing orderly’ and upon receiving a certificate, he enlisted. Unable to find an AIF division to take him the enlistment officer decided he should go into the Airforce and be posted to the UK.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/297/gordon-district-cricket-club/blog/3248/basil-sheidow-they-liked-his-administration-and-so-did-gordon

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last year

St George Cricket Club

Sydney, Australia

56 Likes
54 Followers

Bill O Reilly in Sydney 1st Grade Cricket

With the Annual O'Reilly Oration event held last Friday in the Booth Saunders Pavilion at Hurstville Oval we thought we would take the opportunity to celebrate the life and times of one of The Saints greatest representatives. Over the next week we'll feature a number articles outlining his amazing accomplishments on and off the field.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/275/st-george-cricket-club/blog/3247/bill-o-reilly-in-sydney-1st-grade-cricket

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last year

Penrith Cricket Club

Sydney, Australia

20 Likes
20 Followers

Very tall and rather gangly, Peter Clough could be a deceptively quick and bouncy fast-medium bowler. Because his action looked awkward, even ungainly, a tangle of arms and pumping legs, batsmen often underestimated the genuine threat posed by his immaculate line and length. In 1978/79 he played for a Combined Universities team against the England touring team and struck the famous Geoff Boycott in the head with a bouncer.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/330/penrith-cricket-club/blog/3244/peter-clough-penrith-cricket-club

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