| Questions and Answers

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27 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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St George Cricket Club

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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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St George Cricket Club

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St George DCC President, Kevin Greene has been awarded a Cricket NSW Life Membership. He was presented his Life Membership on Monday 15th of September at the CNSW AGM. Also awarded Life Memberships were NSW and Australian greats Alex Blackwell and Len Pascoe.

Kevin has been a tireless servant of our great game for many a decade and as you will see below is thoroughly deserving of such prestigious recognition.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/275/st-george-cricket-club/blog/3251/kevin-green-earns-cnsw-life-membership

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Parramatta District Cricket Club

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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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Armidale Waratahs (The Tahs)

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10 Followers

Jack Treanor – A Leg-spinner of the highest order

Jack Cassimar Treanor was born on 17th August 1922 at Darlinghurst and died on 7th November 1993 at East Ballina, NSW. He was a right-hand leg-spin bowler and moderate left-handed batsman.

Treanor bowled in a similar manner to the former great Test leg-spinner Bill O’Reilly, pushing the ball quickly through the air and bowling with great accuracy. Not being a big spinner of the ball, he relied on trapping the batsman around the crease line – utilizing a combination of the accuracy, nip off the pitch and a bouncing top-spinner to detonate the batsman’s downfall. A dedicated bowler he had ‘scant respect’ for batsmen – ‘they were his sworn enemies’.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/406/parramatta-district-cricket-club/blog/3243/jack-treanor-ndash-a-leg-spinner-of-the-highest-order

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Founder

Armidale, Australia

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8 Followers

The Tahs (formerly Waratahs Cricket Club of Armidale) are thrilled to report on the progress being made by the first recipient of our Ian Campbell Scholarship.
Brooke Moran, a 14 year allrounder from Armidale, this week had the first of her dreams come true, training with Manly Warringah District Cricket Club's women's team and then having a one on one session with Hannah Darlington. As a result, Brooke has accepted an offer to be part of the Manly Waratahs pathways program.
The Tahs are a non playing club which was formed among the remnants of Waratahs, long after the club ceased to exist as a playing entity. It aims to promote well being and support for its members and to encourage junior development through its Ian Campbell Scholarship.
Manly Warringah Waratahs have generously offered their support of the scholarship by providing an opportunity for a young country cricketer to be exposed to a higher level of cricket experience and advice from the players they look up to.
Read more about Brooke's experience thanks to the two Waratahs clubs.
https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/1223/armidale-waratahs-the-tahs/blog/3240/brooke-moran-2025-waratahs-ian-campbell-scholarship-winner

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Burnside West Christchurch University Cricket Club

Christchurch, New Zealand

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The Burnside West Christchurch University Championship side heads into the 2025/26 season with plenty of confidence after a remarkable 2024/25 campaign.

Last summer was one to remember. The team lifted both the 2-Day Championship and the T20 trophy, while also reaching the semi-finals of the 50-over competition. The two-day title was all but wrapped up before Christmas, though a post–white ball break slump meant a nervous wait on the final afternoon. In contrast, the T20 final was a dominant performance — a 92-run victory on Hagley Oval.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/1832/burnside-west-christchurch-university-cricket-club/blog/3236/the-preview-bwcucc-championship

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Burnside West Christchurch University Cricket Club

Christchurch, New Zealand

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The Foxes are preparing to bounce back in 2025/26 after a testing campaign last year. Injuries struck hard, with as many as five core players sidelined for much of the season, leaving the squad short-handed and forcing casual players into permanent roles.

Despite the setbacks, the squad grew in depth, and the side is now set to reap the rewards with a return to full strength this season. With over 1,700 games of experience across the squad, plus players pushing for over-age representative honours, the Foxes have no shortage of skill, knowledge, and motivation.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/1832/burnside-west-christchurch-university-cricket-club/blog/3235/the-preview-bwcucc-masters-foxes

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20 Followers

Penrith Cricket Club: Team of the first decade

When Penrith Cricket Club looked back on its turbulent but triumphant first decade, there was one question guaranteed to spark debate in ‘Half-A-Bar’: who makes the Team of the Decade?

Former First Grade captain and later national selector John Benaud (Australian selector 1988–93, NSW selector 1997–2002) offered his view at the time and admitted it was a side bound to get tongues wagging.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/330/penrith-cricket-club/blog/3238/penrith-cricket-club-team-of-the-first-decade

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Gordon District Cricket Club

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20 Followers

As part of its ongoing Youth Cricket Development program, the Penrith Club promoted a match against Parramatta Club at the famous Bradman Oval, Bowral. The match, between the Penrith Cubs and the Parramatta AW Green Shield Squad, will be played annually on the second Sunday in October. Organisers think there can be no better venue to increase the awareness of the boys to the true traditions of the great game of cricket. The nearby, newly refurbished Bradman Museum is a great attraction for boys and parents alike.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/330/penrith-cricket-club/blog/3234/penrith-youth-cricket-at-bradman-2010-11

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13 Likes
27 Followers

The Day Victor Trumper Changed his Name

One afternoon in early September 1960, I was changing before net practice at Chatswood Oval. A rather tall, strong-looking fellow was doing the same. I hadn’t seen him before, so I introduced myself; he said his name was Vic Turner, and we started chatting pleasantly for a few minutes. He then said his name was actually Vic Trumper but, because of expectations people might have and to save embarrassment, he preferred to be called Vic Turner.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/297/gordon-district-cricket-club/blog/3233/the-day-victor-trumper-changed-his-name

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Parramatta District Cricket Club

33 Likes
21 Followers

The curious case of Nat Hill

There are certain teammates who, when you think of them, simply make you smile - and Nat Hill was undoubtedly one of those. A talented cricketer and an exceptional team player, Nat brought energy, humour, and a genuine love for the game to every Saturday. One of his trademark antics was the now-famous ‘Oh’ play - a moment of light-hearted gamesmanship where he would signal teammates with an “O” above his head, prompting the entire team to bellow “Oh!” the next time a batter shouldered arms. It was a harmless bit of mischief that often-sowed seeds of doubt in opposing batters and gave his teammates a much-needed laugh during long spells in the field.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/338/manly-warringah-district-cricket-club/blog/3221/the-curious-case-of-nat-hill

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Western Suburbs District Cricket Club Sydney

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10 Followers

Hayden Goulstone is a spirited young spinner, still developing his trade with the bulk of his cricket lying ahead of him, but he has already joined a select band of Parramatta District Cricket Club off-spinners who played important roles in helping the club to win the coveted NSW Premier Cricket’s First Grade Premiership - former Test bowler W.P. ‘Old Bill’ Howell (1899/00), State player W.H. ‘Young Bill’ Howell (1932/33), the club’s highest wicket-taker Bobby Aitken (1964/65) and Hayden Goulstone (2022/23 & 2024/25).

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/406/parramatta-district-cricket-club/blog/3232/hayden-goulstone-ndash-a-spirited-off-spinner

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93 Followers

RIP Eddie Harling

On the eve of what would have been his 58th season following Western Suburbs DCC, club stalwart Eddie Harling passed away in his Corrimal home at age 82 on 10 September 2025.

A Yorkshire native, Eddie arrived in Australia in 1967 as an assisted migrant, due his credentials as an Electrical Engineer. His started with the Sydney County Council.

Eddie originally settled in Ashfield, where he played some park cricket in his initial time in Australia before becoming a regular at Pratten Park and wherever Wests played cricket.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/161/western-suburbs-district-cricket-club-sydney/blog/3231/rip-eddie-harling

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Parramatta District Cricket Club

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21 Followers

Michael Bevan

While it’s rare today for international—and even state—players to participate regularly in grade cricket, this wasn’t always the case. Up until the early 2000s, it was common to see Australian representatives turning out for their grade clubs a few times each season. Bankstown boasted the Waugh twins, Northern District had Mark Taylor, UNSW fielded Michael Slater, Mosman had the Lee brothers, Sutherland had Glenn McGrath, and at Manly, we were fortunate to have the original finisher - Michael Bevan.

After transferring to Manly from Campbelltown—where he had already established a reputation for match-winning performances—Bevan became a key figure for the club over several seasons.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/338/manly-warringah-district-cricket-club/blog/3223/michael-bevan

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10 Followers

At start of the 2021/22 season Ryan Hackney, then a young NSW contracted player, transferred his allegiance from the Penrith District Cricket Club to Parramatta, in search of a new challenge and to enhance his prospects of NSW first-class selection – in both these pursuits he was ultimately successful.

Ryan is the consummate opening batsman – in many ways the old style opener who blunts the attack – at the crease the left-hander is quiet in demeanour, fully switched on to the job ahead, unruffled, possesses loads of concentration and loves batting for long periods.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/406/parramatta-district-cricket-club/blog/3228/ryan-hackney-ndash-the-consummate-opener

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33 Likes
21 Followers

Nine-Wicket Hauls for Bradstreet and O'Keefe

Taking a five-wicket haul in any form of cricket is a significant achievement — even more so at First Grade level. To claim nine wickets in a single innings, however, is something truly exceptional.

Over the past 30 years, Manly has been fortunate enough to witness two such performances at First Grade level - both by club legends who also captained their state: Shawn Bradstreet and Stephen O’Keefe.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/338/manly-warringah-district-cricket-club/blog/3222/nine-wicket-hauls-for-bradstreet-and-okeefe

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Victorian Premier Cricket

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20 Followers

Goodbye to a friend.... A Tribute to Bill Ball

Following World War II, Bill went to school at Hurlstone Agricultural College at Glenfield, where he played rugby in the winter and cricket in the summer.

After school, his first cricket “Club” was the Bungarribee Cricket Club, based on the Church of England Church that was located on the Great Western Highway at Blacktown. The land of that Church was adjacent to what is now known as the H.E. Laybutt Fields of the Blacktown Workers Club.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/330/penrith-cricket-club/blog/3227/goodbye-to-a-friend-a-tribute-to-bill-ball

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Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

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5 Followers

Victoria Men's Premier Cricket Clubs - player movements, gains and losses for 2025-26

As the 18 Victoria Premier Cricket Clubs start their preseason preparations for the 2025-26 season the rumour mill is in full swing in terms of player movements and clubs gains and losses.

We’ve been in touch with the representatives of each club and here’s what we’ve been able to establish so far.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/1249/victorian-premier-cricket/blog/3226/victoria-mens-premier-cricket-clubs-player-movements-gains-and-losses-for-2025-26

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