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6 months ago



Western Suburbs District Cricket Club 2nd Grade team to play Manly Warringah District Cricket Club at Pratten Park on Saturday 6 January 2018.

Manly won the toss and sent Western Suburbs into bat and Western Suburbs were bowled out for 127 off 41.1 overs.
In reply Manly were bowled out for 80 with Pakistan and BBL fast bowler Harris Rauf taking 4 for 12 off 9 overs. He took all 4 wickets in one over bowling each batter. He took a wicket on the first ball, third ball, fifth ball and again with his sixth ball.

Back Row - Liam Sparke, Michael Tudehope, John Rush, Darren Bourke, Lee Maggs, Connor Jackson, Connor Blaxall Hill.
Front row - Haris Rauf, Daniel Hayes, Sam Pararajasingham, Tom Burt

Match scorecard -

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6 months ago



Nic Bills: My Greatest Grade XI

Nic Bills has had fantastic Grade Cricket career which still has plenty of tomorrows. Over 15 years, he’s been involved in some fierce battles. He’s racked up more than 500 wickets and lifted eight premiership trophies across all formats. North Sydney, Manly, Mosman, Sydney – he’s worn the colours of them all, adding a bit of his own history to each club along the way.

With all those experiences fresh in his memory, Bills now shares his best XI from the ranks of Sydney grade cricket – a team shaped by years of gritty competition.

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6 months ago



In the winter of 2015, Daniel Rixon broke his thumb playing Aussie Rules for St.George. As a result, he missed the start of the 2015-16 season as he waited for the injury to recover. In order to prove his fitness to resume in 1st Grade, he came back through 2nd Grade in Round 6 vs Hawkesbury at Owen Earle Oval. At the time, he had played 261 matches for Sutherland, including 221 in 1sts, with a highest score of 95, made in 1sts the previous season.

He certainly proved that he had fully recovered from his thumb injury, opening the batting and smashing a club record score for 2nd Grade with 272 off 248 balls

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6 months ago



A Milestone in NSW Cricket: Steve Rixon and Peter Toohey Celebrating 50 Years

Two great mates, born just 55 days and 417 kilometres apart in regional NSW, made their first-class debut for New South Wales on this day, 50 years ago—October 25, 1974.

Steve Rixon, hailing from Albury, and Peter Toohey, from Blayney, donned the iconic NSW Baggy Blue for the first time, facing Queensland at the Gabba. Though NSW fell short, losing by 9 wickets, the game marked the beginning of two remarkable careers that would soon rise above the early setback. Both Rixon and Toohey went on to represent Australia at the highest level—Test cricket.

Their shared journey extended beyond state cricket, as both men played together at Western Suburbs District Cricket Club in Sydney. In an extraordinary twist, they even made their Test debuts side by side, both taking the field for Australia against India at the Gabba during the first Test of the 1977-78 series.

This time, their fortunes were much brighter. Rixon (Australian player number 287) made his mark behind the stumps with 5 catches, while Toohey (Australian player number 288) impressed with the bat, scoring 82 and 57, helping Australia to a 16-run victory.

Cricket brought Rixon and Toohey together and fifty years later, we look back with admiration on the achievements of these two great mates.

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6 months ago



Glenn Evans "Trunk" One of the greatest characters in our Club's history.

More stories have been told about Trunk than any other cricketer in the last 40 years. From falling asleep at Gully, to finishing the KFC in his bag that had been there since the end of last season, to his tricks on the field and at the bar, Trunk was special.

He could also play. A left-arm wrist spinner who hit the ball hard, Trunk took 394 wickets for the club between 1983 and 2002 and sits 17th on our all-time wicket takers list.

He was also a dynamic, if inconsistent, left-hand batter. Having said that, his 135 against Mosman in Round 1 of 1994/95 will still go down as one of the most gritty innings seen at Manly.

He and brother Warren are the only set of brothers to have taken 300 wickets for the club.

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6 months ago



With the change in residential boundaries following Marrickville DCC’s admission to 1st Grade in 1921-22, a number of players were forced to change clubs. One of those was 22 year-old right-hand batsman and leg-break bowler, Allen Thatcher who had played the previous two seasons with Petersham 1st Grade. He had previously made his debut in the top grade with Western Suburbs when he was aged 19. He moved to the Marrickville club and was a member of its first 1st Grade team.

Born in Sydney on 17 April 1899, Allen Norman Thatcher had shown great promise as a cricketer at a young age. However when he was 17, he enlisted in the World War I effort and was posted to France where he was badly injured and gassed a year later. When he recovered, he played for a team of overseas cricketers against a strong Public Schools XI at Lord’s in 1918, taking 13 wickets for only 38 runs to emphasise his undoubted ability.

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6 months ago



October 12, 1917, The Gordon cricketers at the First battle of Passchendaele

The First Battle of Passchendaele on 12 October 1917 was one of the most tragic events in Australian military history and the most likely of all Australian engagements that could have been avoided.

Incredibly, the 3rd and 4th Divisions at Passchendaele contained four Gordon cricketers: Johnnie Moyes, who was following on after Polygon Wood as the Major in charge of the 48th Battalion within the 4th Division, Harry Watts, who was backing up for a second innings after Broodseinde with the artillery, Dr Gother Clarke, who had opened his innings at the Battle of Messines and a newcomer, Harold Lilja, making his debut.

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6 months ago



Penrith Cricket Club - Glenn Bradley #141

I played my junior cricket for Colyton-St Clair Colts and then St Clair Hawks when they were established in the early 90s. Despite trialling each year, I only made my first rep team in U13s in what was a very strong team. I started at Penrith CC in Greenies and 5s and managed to work my way up to my 1st grade debut in 1998/99. In 2005, I was lucky enough to have a season for Broxbourne CC in Hertfordshire, UK, which was bloody fantastic. I came back to Sydney and moved clubs to Blacktown CC and played a season of 1s there before joining the NSW Police and had to give up playing at 26 because of roster issues and working weekends.

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6 months ago



It was the last weekend in October 1905 and the fledgling Gordon First Grade side were playing their 4th match since their entry into the competition against North Sydney at Chatswood Oval.

Joining the Gordon team for the first time in this match was the former Test cricketer Frank Iredale who at the age of 38 had come over to Gordon from Norths along with the 19 year old Charlie Macartney. North Sydney scored 136 with Charlie taking 6 for 36 and Dr. Gother Clarke, who tragically died 12 years later in the Battle of Passchendaele in World War 1, taking 3 for 43. Gordon replied with 187 with Robert Hickson scoring 77. All three players and the rivalry had begun.

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6 months ago



On the 5th of December 1965, Australian greats Ray Lindwall, Arthur Morris and Keith Miller appeared in a testimonial, single wicket match at Manly Oval.

The day also included Richie Benaud, Doug Walters and Jim Burke. It was won by Manly all-rounder Terry Lee who defeated St George Batsman Billy Watson 32 to 10 in the final.

Lindwall, who flew down from Brisbane for the match, broke down after only 4 balls, and had to be helped off Manly Oval. The Daily Telegraph ran this unfortunate article, which made things look a little worse than what it was. The perceived 'blood' on Lindwall's shirt is actually mud.

We have not got the bottom of the exact format, but it looks to have been a 3 over match-up between individual players, with the player who loses each match-up eliminated at that time, and the winner progressing to the next round.

An estimated crowd of 1,500 people were on-hand to watch the event.

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6 months ago



St George DCC First Grade Player No.156 Victor Michael

From the First Grade Player Series



Victor "Vic" Michael was a very promising cricketer who attending the Crown Street School in Surry Hills. He came to St George from the Paddington Club in 1948 with an amazing record as a schoolboy cricketer and a very bright future predicted for him. In 1952 at Drummoyne Oval he broke the PG’s (U21's) record by scoring 210 which included a record breaking 297 run partnership with his lifelong friend Warren Saunders. Both records still stand to this day.

Unfortunately his work commitments with D. & W. Murray Limited did not allow him to train. He did still manage to knock out a very good career in 1st Grade which included a premiership victory in 1952-53.

In First Grade he had 164 innings scoring 3735 runs with a highest score of 144 not out. He also scored 898 runs in 2nd Grade to end up with 4633 runs for the club all up.

He was remembered by Warren Saunders as a gifted and natural sportsman who was also very handy at Tennis, Golf and Snooker and more importantly an all round good bloke to have at the club for many years.

Vic Michael, late of Mortdale, passed away in February 2019 at the age of 86.

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6 months ago



Penrith Cricket Club - Emma Hughes #43

I started playing cricket with my brother at 8 years old at Macquarie Junior Cricket club in Dubbo. Then I started playing Margaret Peden Shield for Penrith. From there I played for Western Zone, NSW Country and Macquarie Cricket Club 3rd grade at 13 years old. Cricket has ended up taking me to play for many cricket teams over the years, including Canterbury Cricket Club (Men’s and Women’s) in England, Kent Cricket, Penrith Women's First Grade, Macquarie Cricket Club Men’s First Grade, Sydney Sixers and New South Wales Breakers.

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6 months ago



In Randwick’s booklet titled “Randwick Cricket-the First 100 Years” produced in 2000 to celebrate the club’s centenary, Randwick legend Phil Tresidder commented on Charlie McLaughlin who he classed as his favourite cricketer when he was a boy. Tresidder wrote: “Charlie was a super athlete and the fastest bowler I ever expected to see. Dark black hair, he raced in like an Olympic sprinter and with a flurry of arms hurled himself at the batsman. Unfortunately, accuracy and Charlie were comparative strangers. State selectors passed him by but the Coogee Beach ladies couldn’t hide their admiration.”

Charles John McLaughlin was born in 1919 and played junior cricket before joining Randwick. His introduction to the club, however, was far from traditional.

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7 months ago



Prince Patel is an exciting top-order batsman for Western Suburbs District Cricket Club who achieved four scores of fifty-plus in his debut season at the club.

Last season, Prince amassed 552 runs at an average of 29.05, including a top score of 78 against Campbelltown-Camden in Round 16.

He was also the highest run-scorer in fifth grade for Western Suburbs, as well as the second-highest run-scorer in the club's AW Green Shield side, which made it through to the quarterfinals.

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7 months ago



UTS North Sydney's James Moore has illustrated all the qualities of a top-class batsman early in his First Grade career. He hits the ball hard, has delicate hands, and is developing into a fantastic thinker when constructing innings. Pair that with his ability to keep wickets; the future is bright for the young man whose roots lie in Bankstown.

Behind the belligerent blade of Moorey is a fantastic team and club man who would go into the trenches for the ten blokes by his side. He runs the fines post-game, and it is fair to say that a career in law and order is probably not on the horizon. But one thing is for sure, he loves the game more than most.

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7 months ago



The following article is an extract from our 2006 publication “Cricket in Black and White: 110 Not Out: The history of the Western Suburbs District Cricket Club”.

As soon as the 2000-01 season opened, it was obvious that Western Suburbs' young team had developed beyond promising into a genuine contender for the premiership. Michael Clarke began the season with a brilliant 108 against Mosman, leading his side to a comfortable victory. Andrew Sargeant compiled a nerveless half-century to seal victory over Bankstown in the next match, and in the third round, against Fairfield, new captain Michael Swan (68) and Clarke (86) were outstanding in another winning side.

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