Stories

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Murray Staines is in his second year playing with Penrith Cricket Club in the NSW Premier Cricket competition after playing all his cricket from an early age in Lithgow.

If you could change one thing about cricket, what would it be?

You should get a second chance when you’re batting. The amount of unlucky ways you can get out in cricket they should give you another crack

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/330/penrith-cricket-club/blog/2810/pocket-profile-murray-staines-penrith-cricket-club

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2 months ago

Parramatta District Cricket Club

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A conversation at training lit a spark which went on to see Randwick Petersham become the first Club side to form a partnership with an International team. In the subsequent seasons 9 Irish players have called 'County Coogee' home every summer through the Official Overseas Scholarship Programme.

Today also marks 10 years since that historic day at Coogee Oval when Randwick Petersham hosted Cricket Ireland in a 50 over warm up match for the 2015 Cricket World Cup and 2024-25 marks the Scholarship's 10th Anniversary. In 2017 the club toured Ireland and again in October 2022 hosted Ireland at Coogee prior to the T20 World Cup.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/258/randwick-petersham-cricket-club/blog/2811/randwick-petersham-cricket-club-and-cricket-ireland-10-year-anniversary

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2 months ago

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Off-spinning allrounder Bobby ‘RA’ Aitken was a gifted cricketer.

Between 1960 and 1988 Bob Aitken was one of the most well-known players on the Sydney First grade cricket stage – punctuating 26 seasons at Parramatta with a 2-season stint at the Sydney club. Throughout that period, he proved himself to be an outstanding player, but also won a reputation as a cantankerous, fierce and ultra-competitive opponent, especially when he had his fingers wrapped around a cricket ball plotting the downfall of the bloke holding the bat at the other end of the pitch.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/406/parramatta-district-cricket-club/blog/2809/parramatta-district-cricket-club-icon-robert-lsquobobbyrsquo-aitken

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2 months ago

Parramatta District Cricket Club

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Joey Gillard is Gordon District Cricket Club first grade wicket keeper and high order batter and the proud owner of first grade cap number 618.

Joey represented NSW Country Under 19s at the Australian National Championships in 2022-23.

Lets find out more about Joey's journey in the game so far.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/297/gordon-district-cricket-club/blog/2807/pocket-profile-joey-gillard-gordon-district-cricket-club

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2 months ago

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10 Followers

Leslie Walter Pye was an iconic cricketer with the Parramatta District Cricket Club, in a First Grade career that stretched from 1894/95 to 1918/19 (although he filled in for the firsts in a game during the 1921/22 at the age of 51 years scoring 21 runs and claiming 5/44 v. St George). The brilliant allrounder a skilful and stylish top-order batsman, a crafty leg-spinner and outstanding slips fieldsman – one of only two players to score 7,000+ runs and capture 300+ wickets in NSW Premier First Grade Cricket for the Parramatta Club (M.A. Wood was the other player).

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/406/parramatta-district-cricket-club/blog/2806/leslie-walter-pye-ndash-an-unsurpassed-performance

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2 months ago

Parramatta District Cricket Club

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Fred Snell was a Randwick man through and through. He was the most loyal of clubmen, the most reliable of players and the best of administrators. He was also Randwick’s oldest 1st Grade debutant.

Almost as a mark of respect, on 23 December 1962, Fred was selected in 1st Grade for the one-day match against Mosman at Mosman Oval. Fred batted no. 10 but was bowled after scoring 4 runs. Randwick won the match 191 to 144. Fred Snell may well have been one of Sydney Grade Cricket’s oldest 1st Grade debutants at age 49 years and 209 days.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/258/randwick-petersham-cricket-club/blog/2805/fred-snell-1913-83

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3 months ago

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The Parramatta District Club’s former champion opening bowler Billy Lothian, passed away at age 72, in April 2018 whilst residing in Mossman North Queensland.

Bill’s outstanding career with Parramatta (Cumberland) extended from 1963/64 to 1979/80 after which he retired and relocated to the Central Coast. On his 1st grade debut in 1965/66 he claimed 6/71 against Petersham and continued to play at that level until 1979/80, along the way establishing himself to be one of the club’s best ever fast bowlers, being the first paceman to capture ‘400+ Wickets’ in 1st grade for Parramatta.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/406/parramatta-district-cricket-club/blog/2804/william-lsquobillyrsquo-lothian-a-bowler-of-skill

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3 months ago

Belmont District Cricket Club

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Barry Holland had the rare distinction of not only taking most wickets for Petersham-Marrickville in his first season but also achieving what many Grade players failed to do in a full career—take a hat-trick. While his 49 wickets across three grades was the club’s top, that 1963-64 summer, his hat-trick came in 4th Grade in just his fourth match. Playing Gordon at Turramurra, Holland’s three wickets in three balls to finish with 3-15, helped bowl his team to victory.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/258/randwick-petersham-cricket-club/blog/2803/barry-holland

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3 months ago

Newcastle, Australia

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Pocket Profile - Andrew Quick - Belmont District Cricket Club

Tell us about your cricket journey.

I started playing for Belmont when I was 14, and then at 16, I roped my dad into coming out of retirement and went to play grade cricket with him at Belmont.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/1608/belmont-district-cricket-club/blog/2802/pocket-profile-andrew-quick-belmont-district-cricket-club

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3 months ago

Sutherland District Cricket Club

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On the weekend of 8-9 February, 2025, a group of former Gordon players got together at Chatswood Oval to celebrate exactly (to the day!!) fifty years since they won the Poidevin-Gray competition.

In 1974-75, Gordon won the Northern Division of the comp.
Names under the 2025 photo:

Back row: Peter Olsen Dick Huey (scorer), Piet Baird, David Meagher

Front row: Steve McDowell, John Dedman (captain), Jim Cattlin (coach), Michael Falk, Jim Cameron, John Crawford.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/297/gordon-district-cricket-club/blog/2800/gordon-1974-75-pgs-reunion

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3 months ago

Sylvania, Australia

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22 Followers

Steve Smith has now scored 10271 runs in 206 innings, at an average of 56.75. The only player to have averaged more in his first 206 innings is Ricky Ponting (10365 runs at 57.58). The only player to have scored more than 10000 runs with a higher average is Kumar Sangakkara, with 12400 runs at 57.41.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/294/sutherland-district-cricket-club/blog/2801/steve-smith-update-batting-and-fielding

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3 months ago

Penrith Cricket Club

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AW Green Shield success led to my selection in the NSW U/17 team. I was very honoured to play twice, even more in the second year when made captain. In the first year I was the young one, the ‘newbie’ on the block, given the job of short leg—under the lid and in the firing line!—and batting at Nos. 7 or 8, and bowling the odd over. It was an awesome experience, kitted up with Blues gear, boarding the plane to Brisbane, staying together as a team at a local University.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/330/penrith-cricket-club/blog/2799/that-winning-feeling-geoff-sullivan

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3 months ago

Sutherland District Cricket Club

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A first-class cricket all-rounder, who learnt his early cricket with Petersham-Marrickville, Damien Wright had the distinction of playing a major role in the winning of a Sheffield Shield competition. And while he was born and bred in NSW, his performance was not for his home State but for Tasmania. It was the 2006-07 season, with Tasmania playing NSW at Hobart. After top-scoring with 67 in the first innings, he demolished the NSW middle order in the second, taking a brilliant 5-13 to give Tasmania its first win in the competition.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/258/randwick-petersham-cricket-club/blog/2798/damien-wright

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3 months ago

Sylvania, Australia

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22 Followers

When Steve Smith held a sharp chance to his left at second slip off Mitchell Starc late in the day yesterday, it was his 197th catch in Tests, going past Ricky Ponting’s previous record of 196 for the most catches by an Australian fieldsman in Test cricket. What is remarkable about this achievement is that Steve set the new record in his 116th Test, whereas Ponting played 168 Tests (taking his 196th catch in his 167th Test).

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/294/sutherland-district-cricket-club/blog/2795/steve-smith-breaks-australian-record-for-most-test-catches-by-a-fielder

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3 months ago

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25 Followers

Gordon 1974-75 Poidevin-Gray Premiership

The 1974-75 season was very successful for Gordon. They won the Club Championship by a huge margin and all Grade teams reached the semi-finals (only the top four went through to the playoffs in those days). Unfortunately, only one of those sides won their premiership but it was, nevertheless, a wonderful year.

The Poidevin-Gray side also had a great season.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/297/gordon-district-cricket-club/blog/2797/gordon-1974-75-poidevin-gray-premiership

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3 months ago

Belmont District Cricket Club

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When you look at the highest runs scorers for Gordon you naturally expect to see famous names like Charlie Macartney, Sid Carroll and Jack Potter and not the man who played his last game for the club in 2022. The one and only Damon Livermore.

Damon retired at the end of the 2016/17 season with a total of 10,049 runs at an average of 30.27. His total runs include 2550 runs in First Grade and the rest mainly in seconds and thirds.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/297/gordon-district-cricket-club/blog/2796/damon-livermore-a-gordon-run-machine

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3 months ago

Newcastle, Australia

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Belmont District Cricket Club President's Report and 1st Grade Report 1990/91

It is with much pleasure I write this report. The results of the first grade being, with the exception of the TOM LOCKER CUP, the best that could have been. Our achievements were a complete team effort with everyone contributing to the cause. The willingness & availability of players for all games throughout the season is a tribute to the keeness of this clubs players. It is with this in mind I note the reduction of the CUP competition for next season to accommodate some of our less industrious members of the N.D.C.A.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/1608/belmont-district-cricket-club/blog/2794/belmont-district-cricket-club-presidents-report-and-1st-grade-report-199091

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3 months ago

Penrith Cricket Club

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Daniel Dent, more commonly known as 'Tinman' has played over 30 seasons for Penrith. Throughout this time Danny has scored over 7,000 runs and taken over 500 wickets. Riding the highs and lows of grade cricket, Tinman is still playing and giving back to the club with his experience and wisdom to help younger players evolve.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/330/penrith-cricket-club/blog/2792/daniel-dent-aka-tinman-penrith-cricket-club

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3 months ago

St George Cricket Club

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54 Followers

This week-end sees St George take on Parramatta in Round 14 of the Belvidere Cup.

After the passing of St George legend Brian Booth in 2023 it was decided that these two great clubs would contest their yearly battle in the Belvidere Cup for a trophy named in honour of two of the clubs greats, Brian Booth (St George) and Doug Walters (Parramatta).

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/275/st-george-cricket-club/blog/2793/booth-and-walters-country-boys-who-made-it-in-the-big-time

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3 months ago

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