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2 years ago
Paul Ryan
Paul Ryan
Founder
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
503 Likes
513 Followers



Greg Rowell - dream big

Greg Rowell was a fast bowler who played first class cricket for New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania. In 46 first class games he took 147 wickets at an average of 30.98 and in 27 one day games he took 27 wickets at 34.03.

What was the best win you were involved in?

Perth 1994/95 QLD v WA. People forget what a hard gig Perth was in the 90’s. We were behind first innings. I had never had a good game in Perth prior to that but started to get the hang of it in that game and whole team just got into the slog and we got a tight win. Great celebrations and a big moment for that group of players to grow in confidence in a memorable year.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/32/paul-ryan/blog/1162/greg-rowell-dream-big
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2 years ago
St George Cricket Club
St George Cricket Club
Sydney, Australia
53 Likes
54 Followers



The remarkable cricket career of St George's Ernie Laidler

“He was immaculately groomed, he never had a hair out of place. His playing whites were always cleaner than others, he cleaned his gloves, his pads… he was immaculate in everything he did.”

These are the words of St George Cricket Club Patron Warren Saunders when describing First Grade player No. 63, Ernie Laidler.

Ernie was a wicket keeper and made his first grade debut in 1928-29.

In what became a remarkable career he remained the clubs first choice keeper for the next 30 years when at the age of 47 and after the 1957-58 season, he put his keeping gloves in his kit bag for the last time.

“I rated him very highly, he was outstanding and every bit as good if not better than Bert Oldfield.”

The kind words were spoken of Ernie by the great Bill “Tiger” O’Reilly.

Tiger O’Reilly was a team mate of Ernie’s and formed a wonderful partnership as O’Reilly mesmerised batsman at all levels. O’Reilly forms part of a select group of 12 men who were selected in the Australian men’s Team of the Century.

Sadly, Ernie never got to wear a baggy green or the baggy blue of NSW. Despite the Tiger O’Reilly’s personal opinion, NSW selectors were set on Oldfield until 1938 and then Ron Saggers who toured with Bradman’s 1948 invincibles to England.

In 1942-43 Ernie was selected for a NSWCA team to play the Australian Services team and in subsequent years became a NSW State selector.

For St George he captained the first grade team for 8 seasons and sits above all of the clubs wicket keepers with 557 first grade dismissals including 320 catches and an astonishing 237 stumping’s, many of whom would’ve come from the bowling of Tiger O’Reilly.

He also scored 2859 runs including a highest score of 100 not out.

Loyalty, stability and integrity were characteristics Ernie also displayed outside cricket as he worked as a Life Insurance Agent for AMP for over 25 years.

Whilst we reminisce Ernie’s career, there is a wonderful historical piece to the story from the clubs perspective, as the club’s 2nd grade keeper George Barter, was Ernie’s understudy for over 20 years.

George was determined to play first grade and his dedication and loyalty was rewarded when he made his debut after Ernie retired, at the age of 43.

Remarkable, we salute First Grade player No.63

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2 years ago
Bob Wilson
Bob Wilson
Forster, New South Wales, Australia
3 Likes
0 Followers



The Waverley District Cricket Club now the Eastern Suburbs Cricket has a proud history on the field and a proud and interesting history off it.

Playing for Waverley meant it didn’t matter if you were a first grade player or a lower grade cricketer you all enjoyed the success and mateship of each other’s company after the game. Here are few off field stories from the good old days of the Waverley Cricket Club.

The famous Back Room underneath the grandstand at Waverley Oval was the clubhouse and was the only cricket club in Sydney that served cold tap beer dating back to the 1960’s and probably even before.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/980/bob-wilson/blog/1159/memories-of-the-back-room-at-waverley-oval
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2 years ago
Paul Ryan
Paul Ryan
Founder
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
503 Likes
513 Followers



Walter Taylor and Dad opened the batting for Uralla in the Armidale competition before our family moved to Armidale and Dad started playing with St Peters.

From about 1958 and for many years they formed a formidable opening partnership and once shared a partnership of 305 against Waratahs on 27 January 1962. Dad’s 23rd birthday. Walter was 44.

Walter Taylor, a grazier from Kentucky, is considered one of the finest ever batsman from Northern NSW. He represented Armidale, Northern Tablelands and Northern NSW for many decades.

In 1939 he toured Tasmania with the Northern NSW team and in 1958 played for New England against a NSW touring team that included Richie Benaud.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/32/paul-ryan/blog/1157/305-opening-partnership-dad-and-mr-taylor
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2 years ago
Graham Mackie
Graham Mackie
Yamba, NSW, Australia
19 Likes
2 Followers



Frogan's Cricket tales

I first started when I went to grade in 1968 going down before cricket started at Chatswood Oval for the Saturday Morning Coaching Classes run by Clyde Coltman and from then on it remained a passion for the next 40 years. I remained on the committee at West Pymble and coached their U/16’s and then Brian Taber suggested I sit for my level 1 Coaching Certificate.

After finishing Art School in 1972 I took up a Teachers College Scholarship at Sydney Teachers College majoring in Art and Health Education.

I went and saw Brian Booth the Head of PE and he suggested I take cricket in second semester. I turned up for the 1st class and sat in the front row. Brian spoke about what we were going to do and then said this half goes with me and the other half go with Graham pointing to me. He had not said a word so I think Brian Taber and him got together and my coaching journey was off and running.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/192/graham-mackie/blog/118/frogans-cricket-tales
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2 years ago
Bruce Francis
Bruce Francis
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
3 Likes
1 Followers



Bruce Francis - Greatest ever NSW cricket XI

I have assumed my team will initially be playing the other states for the right to play the top county from England and top provinces from India, Pakistan, South Africa and New Zealand. Therefore, the batsmen had to be able to handle Lillee, McKenzie and Massie at the Gabba and the Indian spinners in India. I have assumed that helmets were banned.

Norm O'Neill got a guernsey because he was my all-time favourite and because no one has ever looked better. Bob Simpson was the unlucky omission.

To win a "Test" you have to take 20 wickets. As all teams would have exceptionally strong batting line-ups, I have chosen five bowlers.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/1035/bruce-francis/blog/1152/bruce-francis-greatest-ever-nsw-cricket-xi
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2 years ago
Paul Ryan
Paul Ryan
Founder
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
503 Likes
513 Followers



Martin Haywood - from Canberra to the Baggy Blue

Martin Haywood is a former NSW middle-order batsman who played 13 first-class games and 10 one day games for NSW after making his debut in 1991/92.

In 300 first grade innings in Sydney Martin scored 10,035 runs at an average of 37.86 including 25 hundreds and 50 half-centuries.

Winning 2nd grade final with Mosman was up there. Playing with Shoaib Akhtar at Hurstville Oval. Winning the Sheffield Shield Final in 1993/94 against Tasmania was great fun and I have some great memories of my time playing in Scotland and England for 6 years.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/32/paul-ryan/blog/1151/martin-haywood-from-canberra-to-the-baggy-blue
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2 years ago
Randwick Petersham Cricket Club
Randwick Petersham Cricket Club
Sydney, Australia
40 Likes
43 Followers



The word “enigma” is described in the Collins Dictionary as “mystery, conundrum, problem, puzzle, riddle, teaser”. David Knox was probably all of those. An athlete of unquestionable ability, he could have been a star in any sport he chose. Rugby was his passion however, and he was certainly a star in that code playing 13 times for Australia between 1985 and 1997 and being a member of the 1991 World Cup squad. He also played in eight 1st Grade Randwick Rugby premierships while scoring a record 2,842 points–the highest point scorer in Australian club rugby. In 1994 he kicked 12 goals against Drummoyne. He also scored 130 points for the Australian Wallabies.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/258/randwick-petersham-cricket-club/blog/1150/david-knox-unquestionable-ability
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