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Cricket In Portland (Part 1) By Noel Learmonth FRVHS Introduction This is not a complete history of the game in Portland (Victoria's oldest permanent agricultural settlement) but rather a collection of many cricket incidents centred around the life of the Portland Cricket Club and written at the request of that body. The task has not been an easy one, as old score sheets, minute books and other club records are practically non-existent; and all the material herein is from research in old newspaper files and the memory of one who has had the lifelong pleasure of participating in or watching the grandest of all world games. Part 1 needs some explanation. I set out to cover the whole period 1842 to 1969 but found it was more than I could cope with without a spell. If I took this break it would hold up information the Portland cricket circles was anxious to have. So I divide the the work into two parts: 1 - 1842 to 1914 when war interrupted such things as cricket. Then at my leisure take up, in my spare time, part 2 of the story, about 1920 to 1969. In this second part will be the decline of the Federals club and the re-establishment of the Colts C.C; our entry into Victorian Country Cricket Week and then Ballarat Country Week; visit of Northcote cricketers; and interesting incidents of the last 50 years of cricket. I conclude with sincere wishes to cricket readers. May they reach their century, clean bowl the opposing opening bat and never drop a catch. Cricket in Portland (Part 1) The first cricket club in Victoria, the Melbourne Cricket Club, was founded in 1838 and has a proud unbroken record to the present day. The Portland Cricket Club began late in 1841 or early 1842 and as fas as it is known has never been closed down (now known as the Gorae-Portland Cricket Club). They played a match, opponents and scores are lost, on "the Bluff" in March 1842. The members of the Portland Cricket Club met at Cronin's Golden Fleece Hotel (later Club) on November 19, 1842 and elected W. Frost secretary and T. H. Osborne president. These resolutions were adopted and would be strictly adhered to - 1. Rules and regulations be the same as last year, except no.11, which is to be erased. 2. Parties enrolling themselves as members shall pay to the secretary one guinea entrance moneyafter he has been admitted as a member. 3. Members meet on the old cricket ground to commence the season on December 26. This opening duly took place and the old cricket ground was Henty's Paddock near Whaler's Bluff. The Portland C.C. met and was defeated by a team chosen from men in the various survey camps after what is described as 'four hours severe contest'. Then 'the parties adjourned to Mr Wiggins' London Inn and regaled themselves in the greatest hilarity'. (The London Inn was in Gawler St, a stone building opposite the Forresters Hall). In January 1843, a second cricket club, the Normanby, was formed and among the rules was one fixing 3pm Thursdays for practise and one shilling fine for non-attendance. Francis Henty was president, Dr Byass secretary and C. P. Cooke treasurer. Now comes a long gap in our cricket records not broken until March 2, 1849. (Any Portland cricketers visiting Sydney could find missing records through Portland newspapers held by the Mitchell Library.) Another club, the Total Abstinence C.C. appears in Portland in March 1849 and in its match against the old established Portland C.C. we have the first fully recorded scores of a game in our town. The Guardian reports: "The utmost good feeling was cherished by both parties, nor did any occurence arise that could lead to an angry or protracted debate. Each club secured the services of a Kentish man for its umpires and their decisions were submitted to when once declared. Here are the scores as published: P.C.C. first innings Robinson c by Watson 2 J. Wilkinson run out 46 Allison b by Claxton 2 Dr McDonald c by Watson 2 Best b by Farr 9 Smith b by Claxton 16 Ed Henty c by Claxton 0 Moon b by Blay 9 S.G. Henty b by Claxton 5 Sodon not out 5 James Wiggins b by Claxton 0 Byes 12 Total 108 Second innings Wilkinson tipped wicket 12 Dr McDonald b by Claxton 15 Robinson not out 59 Best lbw 6 Allison lbw 7 E. Henty c by Clarke 3 Moon b by Claxton 7 Smith b by Claxton 5 S.G. Henty b by Claxton 7 Sodon b by Farr 3 J. Wiggins b by Farr 4 Byes 7 Total 135 P.T.A.C.C. first innings Farr b by Smith 0 Clarke b by Robinson 8 Newton c by Smith 0 Claxton b by Smith 2 Watson lbw 0 Blay c by Smith 8 Heazlewood c by Robinson 6 R. Jennings not out 10 Field b by Smith 0 A. F. Barrett b by Robinson 4 Bates b by Robinson 0 Byes 8 Total 46 Second innings Newton c by Smith 36 Watson b by Robinson 2 Claxton b by Smith 0 Clarke b by Robinson 0 Heazlewood run out 0 A.F. Barrett c by Smith 0 R. Jennings b by Smith 0 Farr b by Smith 3 Blay b by Smith 2 Field b by Robinson 0 Bates not out 2 Byes 2 Total 47 The Portland Cricket Club's victory by 150 runs was well-earned if members observed their rule "Days of practise are Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 5 o'clock, Monday and Friday evenings at 4 o'clock" In August 1849, Wade surveyed the cricket ground on the bluff and this was Portland's home ground until the borough council turned it into a camping ground for cars and caravans in 1938. Sometimes a cricket ball or football went over the cliff, but it is a pity such an old established sports ground was not preserved for its original use. Here are some of the rules which governed the game as played in these years:- "If the hand be above the shoulder in delivery the umpire shall call 'no ball'. "No more than two balls shall be allowed for the sake of practise. "Or with any part of his business he stop the ball, which in the opinion of the umpire at the bowler's wicket shall have been delivered in a straight line to the striker's wicket and would have hit it. "Umpires must not stand more than six yards from the wicket. "If in running either of the strikers fall to the ground his bat in hand or any part of his person over the popping crease, the umpire for every such failure shall deduct two runs from the number intended to have been run, because the striker not having run home in the first instance cannot have started in the second from the proper goal." Umpires in these early games were appointed one for (and by) each side. For instance we find Mr Henty umpiring for the Portland club and Dr Byass for the survey camps. It is not intended (indeed with the data available it would be impossible) to give a year to year history of the Portland Cricket Club but during the next 50 years - up to 1900 - the club continued to function with many ups and downs. Many interesting incidents in connection with the game during this period are worth recording, some of which now follow. Long distances and transport difficulties confined matches to those between local clubs such as those already recorded. The strongest of these, and one which lasted many years, was the South Portland Cricket Club established January 20, 1862. One local game Portland v Union Club was abandoned on January 1 1850 because the Union men objected to the umpire chosen by their opponents. Each club played a scratch match on their respective grounds. A game against against Belfast (Port Fairy) was proposed to be played on March 25, 1850, at Earles 'Half Way House'. This was an early hotel about two miles on Portland side of the Fitzroy River mouth. But no further mention of it is made so probably the match against Belfast late in 1861 is the first inter-town cricket match for the Portland club. No results are given and we only know of its existence by a report in the Guardian on February 18, 1862. "The return match between 11 of the Belfast Club and a like number of Portland was decided yesterday on the Portland Cricket Ground." As this is the first inter-town match of which we have full particulars a copy is given from the Guardian. "The day was kept as a public holiday. From an early hour pedestrian and equestrians might be seen winding their way to the scene of the contest. Portland first innings T. Redford c Dobson, b Young 5 J. Aram b Young 19 J. Radford c Young, b Dobson 21 J. Butler c Street, b Dobson 38 T. Hudspeth b Young 6 H. Anderson c Andrew, b Dobson 0 F. C. Oswald b Young 3 C. Croaker c Dobson, b Young 5 J. Finn c Watts b Dobson 10 A.E. Anderson not out 3 Moon b Dobson 0 Sundries 7 Total 117 Second innings T. Redford b Dobson 3 Aran Stumped Watts 0 Redferne c Haurigan b Watt 0 Butler c Young 9 Hudspeth b Dodson 4 H. Anderson c Dobson b Andrews 14 Oswald b Dobson 4 Crooker c and b Andrews 9 Finn b Dobson 4 A.E. Anderson not out 7 Moon c Hawkins b Dobson 0 Sundries 8 Total 55 Belfast first innings J. Scott b Butler 0 P. Andrews b Redfern 0 W. Young Stp Redfern 3 J. Dobson not out 23 W. Hawkins c Hudspeth b Redfern 1 J. Watt b Butler 1 W. Street b Redfern 3 T. Haurigan c Hudspeth b Butler 1 Williams b Butler 16 E.G. Yorke b Butler 0 W. Redford b Butler 1 Sundries 13 Total 63 Second innings Young c Redford b Redfern 2 Williams c Anderson 0 Hawkins b Butler 4 Dobson b Redfern 4 Street 0 Scott b Butler 3 Watt b Redfern 5 Haurigan b Butler 1 Andrews 1 Yorke b Redfern 2 Redford 0 Sundries 19 Total 42 Portland won by 68 runs. As a suitable finale to the proceedings the competition was wound up by a supper at Mac's Hotel." The first match against Warrnambool appears on January 4, 1865 in Portland where the locals were defeated by an innings and 12 runs, 63 and 70 to 145. A game against Hamilton is mentioned on Christmas Day, 1880, but no result is given. All these home games were played on the Portland Cricket Ground, now Centenary Caravan Park. Football was also staged in this area, which recalls to my memory a football incident of 1904. The Heywood visiting team was having a particularly rough spin from a local umpire who was living up to his pre-match statement that he "wouldn't give Heywood a free kick all day". Just before half-time a big burly half-cast from Heywood received a 'free' where the east boundary ran along the cliff edge. The writer of these notes asked during the interval "what did you get a free for Paddy?" and received this reply "I told the b** if he didn't give me a free, I'd chuck him over the bloody cliff before he took two steps". The whistle blew. But that one belongs to a different game, so here is a cricket one to balance it. About the same year a big red-headed batsman from Tyrendarra was given out lbw and wouldn't leave the wicket. After considerable argument I walked down from the other wicket and said "You'll have to go out, the umpire says so and he is final". The batsman replied "I'm not out, it hit me above the knee, I'll show you". And he pulled down his pants to show a red blotch on his thigh. Considerably pacified he walked off with a parting shot at the umpire "You'd give me out for a pint of beer". Ah well, we have our memories but they won't help conclude the cricket of early Portland. The Portland Cricket Club's ground today, Hanlon Park (it is actually Alexandra Park nowadays) was originally known as "The Prisoners", presumably it had been cleared etc by prison labour. It was gazetted as the Hurd St Reserve on November 13, 1865, but little was done to it until March 1880 when it was levelled and all trees removed to make the ground fit for recreation purposes. Then in 1908, so many improvements were seen to be needed at the bluff cricket ground that the Hurd St Reserve was likely to be chosen for sport. In February 1920, a large public meeting agreed to improve the reserve and this was done at two working bees when over 200 Portlanders did the bulk of the work and with the liberal gift from the late Mr A.W. Row of the grandstand (which still stands today) turned a rubbish tip into the fine ground of today. Only the very oldest of us can remember the wickets we played on in the last days of the 19th century. Matting was sometimes used on ground from which all the grass had been chipped off with spades. The poorer clubs could not afford matting and it was bare ground for all. Then came the asphalt chain-long strip from which some fast bowlers' deliveries reached the wicket-keeper's boundary on the first bounce. On some Queensland wickets of this class, blankets were laid under the matting. I remember this as being very effective in taming the ultra fast bouncer. Wickets of various material have now replaced all these ear;ly surfaces which were of such assistance to bowlers. So it is not surprising to find that before 1900 a batsman's score of over 50 was quite rare. The first century hit by a district batsman appears to be that of of the fine aboriginal cricketer Fred Reid who made 107 in a Mission Station v Heywood match on March 28, 1903. Then came another aboriginal player, Jack King, playing for Tyrendarra who belted the Heywood bowlers for 148 not out in January 1905. The first century for the Portland Cricket Club was made by Syd Campbell (later a doctor who was killed at Gallipoli) who made 101 not out against Bridgewater on January 10, 1905. Alex Tulloh was probably the best batsman Portland can claim as being a local product. He was captain of Portland Federals (in later life he was an Australian naval chaplain). After many good scores against district teams he finished his Portland cricket career with 112 against the Portland Cricket Club on January 15, 1908, 141 not out against Portland C.C. in December 1905 and 121 for Portland against Hamilton on January 2, 1909. When you turn to bowling there are some amazing figures. In June 1862, Portland 155 beat Hamilton 26 and 67. Butler took seven wickets in Hamilton's first innings and 10, all clean bowled, in the second. From 1881 to 1884, the Portland club possessed two bowlers who swept all before them. In the summers of 1881-82 A. Dempster took 88 wickets at an average of 3.1 and J. Phillips 96 wickets at 3.3. The following season their figures were Dempster 63 wickets for 3.2 and Phillips 45 for 5.5. Against Mt Gambier in October 1882, Phillips took 10 wickets for four runs in the visitor's score of 22. In the early days, transport difficulties were against organised games and matches were usually arranged by a direct challenge from one club to another. The first known competition we can trace in which the Portland club took part was in 1884-85. Portland, Hamilton, Byaduk and Karrabeal (and probably others) competed for the Skene Trophy which was won by Hamilton. Then in 1895 a trophy was presented by E. Cope. Portland, Condah, Branxholme and Drumborg are known to have competed but the results are not available. Then in 1904, a controlling body of Portland district cricket was formed, the South West Cricket Association, with C. Skene president and Noel Learmonth secretary. All following associations carried on from this foundation, the only break being during the war years 1914-18 and 1939-45. The first clubs in this original association were Portland Federals, Heywood, Mission Station, Tyrendarra and Rovers (Homerton). Tyrendarra won the trophy with an undefeated season. For some unknown reason Portland Cricket Club did not compete in this association, but they played several games against clubs in that body. The winners, Tyrendarra, had first appeared in district cricket about 1895 and since that date have never failed to field a team, at times a very strong one. Descendants of many early players Arnotts, Taylors and Peters, still figure in Tyrendarra teams of today. For the first 70 years of cricket, total team scores were low and the side making 100 was usually certain of victory. These low totals were balanced in a game Heywood v Hamilton on January 25, 1913, when Hamilton closed at 6-403 and disposed of Heywood for 349. No individual scores are given except Billie Carter from the Condah Mission Station, playing for Heywood, who made 92. While on big district scores, a Western Victoria team closed at 6-562 (Lawrence 201, Smith 133) against Mt Gambier 1-141 (Morgan 91 n.o., McEachern 43 n.o.) on April 6, 1906. Occasionally a Melbourne club would send a team to meet the locals, a real highlight for the latter, who picked members from any surrounding club. The first Melbourne players to visit Portland was a team from East Melbourne which came by coastal steamer at Easter, 1877. They played 12 against 19 locals and won a two-day game by five wickets. The scores being Portland 35 and 131, East Melbourne 117 and 5-50. Very few on either side made double figures and in Portland's first innings 11 batsmen failed to score. East Melbourne bowler Lineker reaped a harvest taking 11-15 and 10-43. We had to wait until Easter 1882 for the next metropolitan visit. Then South St Kilda came by the now-connected railway and had the misfortune to meet bowler Phillips in one of his good days and was routed for 46 and 25, Phillips' figures being 5-19 and 7-9. Portland made 56 and 34, thus winning by 19 runs. A team from the Melbourne Cricket Club was our next visitor on April 13, 1903. It played a Portland team of 15 which scored 75 against 82 and 8-146 knocked up by the visitors. Portland players and their scores were A. Kitson 5, N. White 14, A. King 3, F. Reid 4, F. Stewart 2, A. Tulloh 12, H. Dusting 12, N. Maxwell 6, J. Beauvaise 1, O. Lightbody 6, F. Sleeman 0, L. Manning 1, P. Kennedy 0, J. Long 1, A. Jones 0. Then next year was a cricket highlight. The MCC sent down another team led by the Australian X1 captain Warwick Armstrong. Besides the 'Big Fella' , the 12 players contained several of the club's first pennant X1 and was the strongest combination to have visited Portland. The interest in the match justified a record of the scores, though, unfortunately, the bowlers figures are missing. MCC (12) A. Aitken b Male 4 M. Irwin Stp Beauvaise b Tulloh 67 W. Armstrong c Beauvaise b Quinton 62 C. Down b Thompson 32 S.A. Aitken run out 36 H.H.M. Church b Sleeman 8 R.G. Johnson Stp Beauvaise b Sleeman 34 C. Laver Stp Beauvaise b Sleeman 11 D. Williams c Sleeman b White 2 D. White b Sleeman 6 J.G. Robertson not out 7 G. Merrett run out 4 Sundries 10 Total 283 Portland (16) A. Kitson b Male 3 N. White b Armstrong 5 F. Sleeman b Armstrong 18 A. Tulloh stp Down b Armstrong 12 F. Papley b Aitken 0 W. Quinton b Aitken 0 J. Beauvaise b Aitken 7 Rev Thomson b Aitken 0 A.E. Jones b Armstrong 3 Dr W. Docker b Armstrong 1 P. Carrison c Johnson b Aitken 7 P. Kennedy b Aitken 4 L. Righetti c Williams b Aitken 0 O. Lightbody b Armstrong 0 T. Edrich not out 0 J. Hale b Armstrong 0 Sundries 16 Total 70 Throughout Part 1 of our story there is no doubt that the Portland Cricket Club functioned from year to year as an active playing body. It was too great a task to examine every newspaper issued in these 72 years, but the writer did peruse tham at four-year intervals and at times in between and in all cases the PCC is mentioned except 1911, which gives a cricket blank. The Colts Cricket Club of today (1969) is said to be celebrating its 100th birthday having been founded in 1869. When asked for information about this claim the secretary brought me a most valuable and interesting old document which I trust will be preserved among Portland records. It was a report of the first meeting of the Colts Cricket Club December 3, 1869. With this as a guide the following information has been unearthed. A match was played - PCC v 16 Colts end of November, 1869. The scores being Colts 40 and 40, Portland 48 and 5-33. This was followed by the 'formation of a second cricket club in our town', at a meeting on Dec 3, 1869 and a further meeting on December 23 when office bearers were elected - Prseident G. Tulloh, vice-president H.F. Holmes, treasurer H. Morrison, secretary T. Tulloh (fatjher of Alex Tulloh already mentioned in these notes), committee F and J Beglin, J. Miller, S. Drew and C Mehaffy. The Colts first match was against '16 all-comers of South Portland' on December 26, 1869 when it won by an innings and 22 runs. So the Colts Cricket Club was launced on the cricket world. But, its life seems to have been a short one because after this victory the only reference to the CCC in the local press is its annual meeting on October 13, 1870 with G. Tulloh as president and T. Tulloh secretary. A team was picked to play Portland C.C. on November 31 1870. If this game was ever played there is no report of the result. In November 1872, the Colts were challenged by the Portland C.C., no game is reported as being played and the Portland Colts C.C. seems to have faded out of existence. Certainly there was no club of that name from 1900 to 1905 as the writer knows from personal connection with the game. What the Guardian describes as a second cricket club in the town, the Federal C.C. was founded at a meeting on November 25, 1892 and developed into a very strong combination with players lead by Alex Tulloh, Syd Campbell, J. Hale and T. Quinlivan. In one match against Tyrendarra, March 1910, Jack Hale bagged 7 wickets for 9 runs and Quinlivan had many good figures. The Federal C.C. reached its peak in 1909 when it won the H.M. Campbell trophy with an unbeaten record. The following year it was beaten by Portland 49 to 79. Then it faded put and we hear no more of the Federal C.C. By November 25, 1912 we read that there was not sufficient support or players to run two cricket clubs in the town so the Federals agreed to combine with Portland and endeavour to revive the game. So exit Federals. The newly-formed combined team elected H.M.J. Campbell as president, A.E. Jones and P. McCabe vice-presidents and Fred Papley secretary. On January 11, 1912, it started off witha good win against the strong Merino C.C. 133 to 82 and once more the game was on the upgrade. The club found itself overloaded with players and divided into three groups - Australs, Bohemians and Caledonians - knwn for short as the A B and C. They played games among themselves. Another town cricket club, the Freezer, is first mentioned in December 1909 and flourished right through to the late 1960s. In these pre-war days Bridgewater was the oldest established club in the vicinity of Portland and seldom a season passed without a game and a 'return'. Players such as the Kennedys (there were seven of this family in one 'Cape' team), the Whites, the Kitsons and the Lighbodys were all class country cricketers. Tyrendarra we have already dealt with. By far the most enthusiastic and exciting band of cricketers were those from the Condah Mission Station. They had one serious handicap - they could not agree among themselves and their best men were often playing against them for Tyrendarra, Heywood, Myamyn, Milltown and Condah. What a team these aborigines could have fielded in the years prior to World War I. Here are a few of them to begin with - Fred Reid, Angus King, Jack King, Billie Carter, Wallie Carter, Ebon Lovett, Dick King and Henry Alberts. Any of them fit to find a place in a Melbourne Pennant side. There was always something unorthodox turning up when visiting teams played at the Mission. For instance, if two of their opponents were well set and bashing the aboriginal bowlers around, their gins would light a fire on the windward side and pile on green boughs. "White fellow no like smoke" was the battle cry. We certainly did not. One Mission batsman was the quickest footed player I have ever seen. To all bowling he stood with both feet outside the crease and with his bat over his shoulder. He was only stumped once (by Angus King) and then the umpire said "not out". Such is cricket. But if we reminisce we will never finish our literary innings. Heywood was the only other club to play Portland C.C. regularly and the first mention we have of the game in that town is March 13, 1855 when some Heywood men were picked in a country team to play Portland. When the SW Cricket Association was formed in 1904, Heywood was one of the original clubs and leading players were Righette, Sleeman, Kitson, McLellan and Parratt. The latter with his 'twisters' once took all 10 wickets against Tyrendarra. In these times most country batsmen could play fast bowling all day. Every young fellow who came on to bowl (they were never coached) hurled them down and batsmen were accustomed to the type. But let a slow spinner such as Parratt, Angus King or Jack Hale come on and their opponents floundered like a flea in a bowl of cream. As we near the end of our journey through old cricket records there are a few that have been overlooked and should be listed. Several Ladies cricket clubs were founded in 1905, two in Portland and one each in Heywood, Narrawong and Tyrendarra. Their standard of play was a real credit to them and only the approach of war closed them down. Two individual players of the Portland Cricket Club have thus far missed the limelight and, even if late, should be brought on the stage. Peter McKever was one of the best bowlers in Western Victoria. He was a left-arm medium-pacer. He later went to Melbourne and was ground bowler (for anyone who wanted practise) for the Melbourne Cricket Club. He has the distinction of being recorded in the score sheet while playing for Portland -"McKeever given out by the umpire 9". He hit the ball twice and started to run. Frank Allan is the other cricketer who deserves special mention. A wonderful left-arm bowler he is the only Portland Cricket Club representative of the period under review who played international cricket; going to England with the 1878 Australian team. I think he was in the Lands Office here and played several games with Portland, always with useful bowling figures. (In the Complete Who's Who of Test Cricketers written by Christopher Martin-Jenkins 1987, the following entry refers to Frank Allan. "Allan, Francis Erskine 1849-1917. Known as 'The Bowler of the Century' he was the first of the great Australian bowlers. Left-arm medium-pace with abundant spin and a remarkable 'curl' or swerve, he was immediately famous in inter-colonial matches. Not fully fit when coming to England with the first Australian team in 1878 - though in the whole length of the tour he took no fewer than 217 wickets for 1832 runs - his sole test was at Melbourne in 1878-79 when he scored 5 and took 4-80" - Ian Lewis PDCA Secretary 2005) There is little else to tell. The 1914 season was played with the Portland Cricket Club once more standing out of the SW Cricket Association matches, though playing regular games against visitors, civil servants etc. Then came the first world war, closing down cricket, and many of our district's young cricketers went out to the sterner fight, some never to return. To their honoured memory these few notes are humbly dedicated.
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