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last year



Part 3 - The history of St George District Cricket Club 1941-42 to 1950-51

The St George District Cricket Club boasts a proud history which has now extended beyond a century.

When the club entered the first-grade competition in 1921-22, few could have predicted the success and prestige that would accompany it in the ensuing century. As the club celebrates its centenary of first grade across the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons there is an opportunity to celebrate many of the outstanding performances and moments that have occurred.

With this in view, it was decided to compile a list of 100 moments in 100 years.

Here's Part 3

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last year

In the early 70s I was playing for Central Cumberland District Cricket Club (CCDCC) against Balmain at the SCG. Balmain and NSW opening batsmen, Tony Steele, was in superb form and I have never heard a batsman sledge a fielding side the way Tony did that day. He would say things like " easy", "that is crap", "don't bowl that shit to me" etc. as he hit another boundary. He didn't shut up.

Our opening bowler, Bill Lothian, moved me to fine leg right on the boundary near the Brewongle Stand. Tony Steele saw this field change and practised playing a hook shot to which I cheekily responded by pretending to take a catch. Tony saw this a just gave a mocking laugh. Two balls later, Billy bowled a short ball which Tony hooked. I did not have to move, the catch was hit straight to me (it would have been a six these days). I really enjoyed mimicing Tony's mocking laugh as he trudged off the field.

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It's 1975 and Tony Grieg, Waverley's captain, conspires with the players from the opposing team, Randwick, to play a trick on a fieldsman in the gloom of a Rothman’s Knock Out limited over match at Waverley Oval.

Tony bowls, the Randwick batsman Billy Knowles hooks and Tony screams to the visually challenged fieldsman who is fielding in the dark at deep fine leg, “Hournie Catch it, Catch it”. Hournie of course runs around in circles looking for the ball but it can’t be seen. At least by Hournie.

After an agonising twenty or so seconds and a fruitless search for the ball Hournie looks up and sees Greigy sitting on the pitch laughing his head off holding the ball up in the air.

The crowd and opposing team are also laughing because Greigy had cooked up a
scheme to bowl a “dummy” and for the batsman to play a ‘dummy’ hook shot. Everyone was in on the act except Hournie.

Tony dined out on that at many Waverley functions for years after.

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last year



Tony Greig’s first game for Waverley in season 1975-76: Waverley 33 and 86. St George 1-36 and 0-24.

Second game; tame draw

Third game versus Gordon, was one of the best games I have played in.

Greig won the toss and chose to bowl

Gordon were 8 for 18 and then fast bowler Barry Thompson hit four sixes. Gordon all out for 52. Greig 7 for 38.

The team insisted Greig bat at number six so he could bat on a dry wicket the following week.

End of first over Greig not out nought having faced one ball. Waverley four wickets for one run. Len Richardson (NSW & QLD opener) 0; Ron Crippen (NSW opener & number 3) 0; Greg Besomo 0; Bruce Francis 0. Barry Thompson four wickets for one run.

Stumps Waverley chasing 52 were 8 for 48 with Dennis Hourn and Dick Rowland the not out batsmen with David Hourn to follow.

Following week: Waverley dismissed for 60.

Gordon second innings 125. David Hourn 7 for 54.

Waverley 6 for 121 won outright. Greig 63 and Mick Beningfield 23 not out.

Waverley 10 points and running second in competition

Every over felt like I imagine the last over of a twenty/20 match would feel.

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last year



A Catch and a Handshake

It is well documented in Manning cricket and the St George District Cricket Club about the career of Jon Jobson.

His ability as a junior in the Manning caught the eye of judges further afield. A talent scout from Saints sounded out Jon and his family about his cricketing future in the early 1970s.

However, we shall step back in time a decade or so.

The NSW Sheffield Shield team was heading north to play Queensland in a Shield encounter. A stopover game in Taree was planned against a Manning/Mid Coast XII. It was October, 1962.

Among a galaxy of state stars, the team included Brian Booth and Warren Saunders, St George clubmen. To add further appeal to the match, the Shield side included Johnny Martin, a local Manning champion.

One member of the Manning side was Andy Jobson, Jon’s dad.

Warren and Brian peppered the local attack to the tune of 89 and 97 respectively, Brian Booth eventually falling to a catch by none other than Andy Jobson.

This interlude in play may have fallen innocently on young Jon, in the crowd at less than seven years of age.
The catch was Part 1 of the intervening connection of fate.

The talent scout from St George to meet and discuss Jon’s future with his family happened to be Brian Booth several years later.

The family handshake to join Saints became Part 2 of an engrossing and fateful turn of events.

Jon’s time during a fine career took effect under the guidance of both Warren and Brian, years earlier as opponents of Dad Andy.

Jon’s roles in his new club included that of a fine batsman, 1st Grade Premiership Captain, Club President, CEO, and Life Member and St George CC Hall of Fame.

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last year



I was still at school when I first met the great Neil Marks.

There was some discussion between my school principal at St Leo's College, the truly inspirational Brother Brian Berg, and Neil about whether I should be playing grade cricket or continuing to focus on school cricket. As much as I felt I let down Brother Berg, I decided to focus on grade cricket with the Club. I had always wanted to represent Northern District Cricket Club based at what was then known as Waitara Park, later known as Mark Taylor Oval.

What an education. I was blessed to have Brian Berg as a school principal and cricket mentor. He was the most brilliant school principal, an Australian Schoolboys selector and manager, rolled a terrific wicket at the school #1 oval himself, took the First X1 away for country trips and had us stay in a local pub and engage with the locals rather than be billeted out, and a wonderful advocate for the Western Suburbs District Cricket Club and the legendary Wally Welham which was challenging! Imagine that sort of leadership from a Christian Brother! But that was the wonderful Brian Berg. Education was about like experiences.

And then to have the privilege of spending so much time with Neil was just more priceless life experience

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last year



Neil Marks’s “hole-in the-heart” issues back in 1959, was big news in Australia.

That the new "young Bradman" from the previous season - after 7 innings for NSW he was averaging 98 - would be flying to the famed Mayo Clinic in America for an operation, drew a widespread, collective, outpouring of concern - including from me as a kid growing up in the (then) country town of Gosford.

So too did the news that the operation was a success, but that first class cricket for Neil, let alone playing for Australia, was out of the question.

The year before, In early December 1958 in Brisbane, a new-look Australian team was facing off against Ashes' holder England - and. cricket was dominating the air-waves. Australia had a new young captain in Richie Benaud and Australia’s newest sporting superstar Norm O’Neill was making his test debut.

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last year



The plastic green bowl sits on a ledge just inside the entrance to my mother’s home. Once, many years ago---indeed way back to my childhood---it was used for mixing salad, but nowadays, it holds nothing but golf balls that are in various stages of decay. They are dusty and scuffed, one is split, and another has evolved into a pimpled egg. Certainly not one of them is in good enough condition to grace a tee. However, it’s probable that is where they all spent their finer days before they surrendered to the same fate: plonked in a paddock to pass the seasons with the galvanised burr, prickly pears, and thistles.

My mum (who is closing in on Bradman's average) lives on a piece of dirt on the outskirts of the Australian country town, Gunnedah, in north west New South Wales. Its name comes from the local Indigenous Kamilaroi people. Translated, it is the ‘place of white stones’, a coincidence for an area in which Titlelists, Srixons, and Top Flites can be randomly found well away from the golf course.

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At 71 years of age Grahame Davies from Tamworth in New South uttered 5 words to a Doctor in Sydney, “there goes my cricket career.”

The Doctor, replied “No you’ll be able to play.”

“Bullshit“ said Grahame.

The surgeon put Grahame onto a social worker who in turn introduced him to the President of the Amputee Society. The President was double amputee, a runner, who still ran.

The words from the Doctor and then meeting the President gave Grahame hope and a degree of confidence to create his own Mt Everest.

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last year



Cameron Lawes is this week’s Manly Rentals Waratah in History. A white line fever fast bowler, Cameron was a big part of our club in the late 90’s and early 2000’s until his move up to greener pastures in Newcastle.

The man affectionately known as “Lawson” (Cameron Lawson, pad up) bowled quick and batted strong, and if not for injury could have played a lot higher level cricket.

Cameron had a great passion for our club, and was one of the leaders who helped set the club on its way around the turn of the century.

Take a read through Cameron’s time at the club.

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Born in Deniliquin NSW Simon O Donnell was a multi-talented athlete who ended a promising Australian rules football career to focus on his cricket. He played a major role in Australia s resurgence as a dominating side and was a member of their World Cup winning side in 1987.

12 interesting facts about the Australian all-rounder, who like Yuvraj Singh, battled cancer and made a strong comeback to the national side.

1. Born on Australia Day

January 26 is the Australia Day, which is the official national day of the country. The day is of utmost significance to Australians as it marks the anniversary of the arrival of the first fleet of British ships in New South Wales in 1788. O Donnell was born on this day, which was the 175th anniversary. Not a bad day to be born on, it s a national holiday.

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Sutherland District Cricket Club team of the first 50 years

6 March 2015 at the Sutherland District Cricket Club 50th Anniversary dinner Sutherland DCC announced their “Team of the first 50 years.”

From left to right:
Mark Chapman, Steve Smith, Phil Jaques, Steve Rixon, Stuart Clark, Tony Clark, John Dyson, Lisa Griffith (Ted Cottons daughter), Kristen Davidson (Norm O'Neills daughter), Rodney Davison
Absent: Andrew Hilditch, Glenn McGrath

The Sutherland team in batting order announced:
1. John Dyson
2. Andrew Hilditch
3. Norm O’Neill
4. Phil Jaques
5. Steven Smith
6. Rod Davison
7. Steve Rixon – wicket keeper
8. Ted Cotton
9. Mark Chapman
10. Stuart Clark
11. Glenn McGrath
Tony Clark (12th man).

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On Saturday 29 January 2022 Ben Carruthers played his final game for the Bears.

Ben has been an influential figure at the Ballina Bears for 20 years. He started as a junior and worked his way up to the top grade and hasn’t looked back since. He has scored 100’s, taken 5-fa’s, and taken two hat tricks during this time with us. Ben has been one of the most talented players to have ever played at our club.

Ben finished with 5,500 grade runs and 150 plus wickets. He played some match-winning innings one, and took some of the most incredible catches you’ll se.

As a parting gift, Ben was awarded his Life Membership at the Bears for all the work he has done throughout his time. He will also walk away at the leading run scorer in Bears history.

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An epic final - St George v Cumberland at Sydney Cricket Ground 1965-66

Doug Walters aged 19 will play his last game for two years – his birthdate has meant conscription into the Army on National Service – and no amount of lobbying will get the new superstar of world cricket out of it.

He is in cracking form. He’s had a season every cricketer dreams about. It’s not just his two debut test centuries – he’s rung up another four for NSW – plus two in Sydney Grade – including one against St George where Cumberland had by far the best of drawn one-dayer.

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last year



John Dunk is a well-known and highly respected member of the cricket and business community across the regional and rural communities of New South Wales.

He’s a farmer, Insurance broker and continues to have a lifelong love of cricket. He’s travelled to just about every corner of NSW to play the game and played grade cricket in Sydney for Western Suburbs.

John made his debut for Western Suburbs in 4th grade during the 1969-70 season. It didn’t take long for John to impress when he took 8 for 44 in a game and for the two seasons 1969-70 and 1970-71 John played at Wests he played in 4th grade, 3rd Grade, and 2nd grade. He scored 349 runs and took 57 wickets at an incredible average of 10.09.

John opened the bowling in the Poidevin Gray Under 21 competition with Western Suburbs first grade opening bowler Gary Gilmour who went on to play first class cricket for NSW and Test Cricket for Australia.

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