WEST TORRENS DISTRICT CLUB

The West Torrens Cricket Club has been in existence for 137 years and, consequently, is the oldest cricket club in . It began in 1862 as the Hindmarsh Cricket Club and changed its name to West Torrens in 1897 at the insistence of the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) and has had its headquarters at three different locations

Early years (1862 – 1897) In the early days of cricket in South Australia, there was no organized or programmed competition. There was a rather haphazard system of organizing matches. Most games were “challenges” – usually played for money. Club secretaries would simply issue challenges through the newspapers or by posting notices in hotels. Some of the other clubs involved were Eastern Suburbs (Norwood), Railways, Queenstown and Alberton, Port Adelaide Senior and United Tradesmen.

One of these cricket clubs, the forerunner of the present West Torrens District Cricket Club, was the Hindmarsh Cricket Club. The “Bricks”, as the club was commonly known, was formed in 1862. The club colours were originally white with a red sash but, in 1879 this was changed to cardinal and gold. The first meeting at which minutes were recorded took place at the home of James Kemp sen. on March 20 th .

Little is known of the Hindmarsh Cricket Club until 1871 when the club became one of the foundation members of the South Australian Cricketing Association. The club temporarily withdrew from the Association due to lack of funds but rejoined when a programme of matches was arranged for the first time in 1873 – 74. Other clubs that took part in this first competition were Kensington, Kent, North Adelaide Young Men (the “Holy Boys”), Norwood, Quidnuncs and South Adelaide. Three other member clubs were Adelaide, Stepney and the Register but they did not compete.

The first match of the Hindmarsh Cricket Club played in the South Australian Cricketing Association was played at Lindsay Circus (later called Hindmarsh Oval) and resulted in a loss when Kent scored 111 runs to Hindmarsh “Bricks” 66 runs. The club was forced to withdraw before the next match as it did not have the required number of members to allow participation in matches.

A new club, the Thebarton Cricket Club, entered the SACA in 1874-75 but only competed for one season. It appears that the club sprang up during the 1840’s. The Register newspaper reported that a challenge match between Thebarton and Walkerville for a “guinea a bat” was played at Hindmarsh Oval on 30 th November 1846. A notice of this match had been posted in The Great Town of Lincoln Inn at Thebarton. A large crowd attended this “healthy and gentlemanly game”.

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A report in The Advertiser of 18 th September 1875 indicated that a “meeting was held at the Wheatsheaf Inn, Thebarton on Wednesday to unwind the Thebarton Cricket Club. That being done, a new club was formed called the West Torrens Cricket Club”. Other cricketing associations had, by now, sprung up and West Torrens, whose colours were white with a blue stripe and whose subscription was 8 shillings, played challenge matches until it became a foundation member of the National Cricketing association in 1877-78. Other cricket clubs in the Association were United Tradesmen, Surrey, Central, Garrick, Union and Hilton clubs. Mr. E.C. Haddrick of George Street, Thebarton was the new secretary of the West Torrens Cricket Club.

By 1884 there seems to be no trace of this West Torrens Club so, apparently, there is no connection with the present club. Other clubs in the area about this time were the Bowden Tyros (established in 1872) who played in the Adelaide and Suburban Cricket Association – membership was 2 shillings and threepence per week, and also the Hindmarsh Literary Cricket Club which competed in the Goodfellow Challenge Cup Association.

By 1896-97 only Hindmarsh, North Adelaide Young Men, Norwood and South Adelaide remained of the original 1871 SACA clubs.

Until this time players could play for any club that they wished. However the SACA introduced Electorate (district) cricket for the 1897-98 season. There were to be seven Electorate clubs representing and named after the seven metropolitan parliamentary electorates, and players were compelled to play for the club in whose electorate they resided. The clubs were West Torrens, Port Adelaide, Sturt, East Torrens, North Adelaide, East Adelaide and West Adelaide. East Adelaide and West Adelaide amalgamated in 1905-06 to form the Adelaide District Cricket Club and North Adelaide later merged with the Prospect Cricket Association to become the Prospect District Cricket Club.

Beyond 1897 It appears that only one club from the former SACA competition remained intact with the birth of the electorate (or district) competition. This was Hindmarsh which, other than the change of name to West Torrens, kept its original identity. The club retained its players and officials and continued to use Lindsay Circus, a piece of public parkland, as its headquarters. Lindsay Circus became Hindmarsh Oval, which was officially opened on February 18 th 1905. The same delegates to the SACA, James Chittleborough and Frank King (later Mayor) who had represented Hindmarsh for many years, continued to represent West Torrens. The Chronicle of April 24 th 1886 reported that “the Hindmarsh Club was re- organised at the beginning of the season when the sensible course was adopted of restricting the selection to local men”. This made the club unique at the time as, although other clubs had suburban location names, a great many of their

2 players resided elsewhere and thus were compelled to move to new clubs in 1897.

Lindsay Circus was used by the club from its inception but significant work on the ground was not undertaken until the event of district (electorate) cricket. This was probably due to the fact that most of the First XI matches were played at (North and South) and the Neutral Ground (now Adelaide Oval No. 2). The ground was allowed to deteriorate, though the Hindmarsh Second XI played their matches there on an asphalt pitch. On the introduction of electorate cricket, clubs were encouraged to upgrade their own grounds and First XI matches resumed at Hindmarsh Oval in 1905. West Torrens Cricket Club moved to in 1921 as the Hindmarsh Council was unable to finance the turfing of the , while the Thebarton Council offered the use of its oval at the same fee as Hindmarsh and would include turfing the wickets. The club, however, retained Hindmarsh Oval until 1959 as a second ground until soccer took over.

Anecdotes

 William Jones – early devotee of sledging against players & umpires  1895-96 rules – toss for then toss for ends At Adelaide Oval – under and over chairs – 4 - over the fence – 5 At Kensington Oval – under the chairs – 4 - over the chairs – 5 - over the fence – 6

3 Electorate Cricket 1897 – World War 1

 First Match – all out for 10 runs at Adelaide Oval No.2 (neutral ground)  First – H.J. Day against Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval No.2  Grounds used – Adelaide North & South, Neutral Ground, Cathedral Ground - later used Unley, Alberton, Norwood and Hindmarsh  First victory – against Port Adelaide at Neutral Ground  First season – finished sixth with -1 point  First Century at Hindmarsh Oval – Bert Day (B) and Sam Dimmid (A)  1905-06 – saw the formation of West Torrens Cricket Association comprising West Hindmarsh, Thebarton Literary, Bowden United, Ridleyton Blockers, Robert Street Literary, Fulham, Metropolitan and Mile End. This lasted one season probably because clubs disbanded.  Other clubs in the area were – Bowden, All Saints, Montefiore, Welland, Brompton Methodist, Hindmarsh Place, Torrensville, Free Gardeners Lodge as well as Fulham and Grange  Jack O’Connor – first Test player from West Torrens

BETWEEN the WARS

 Many senior players did not continue after the war – there was not a lot of young players around with the casualties of war – with death and many being incapacitated. For example, the Bowden club (an amalgamation of Bowden Tyros and Bowden Vics that played in the Adelaide and Suburban Association had to disband  Perce Coombe, aged 40, had to open the bowling with his quick leg breaks  West Torrens had little success in the 1920’s – however  Andy Smith transferred from East Torrens due to his employment at Horwood Bagshaw at Mile End and he had a big influence, not only on West Torrens, but also on the SACA  Dr. Charles Dolling – had been a GP at Millicent and Streaky Bay and toured with the 1912 Australian team. He was selected to tour South Africa in 1914. Dr. Dolling practiced in and Wales after World War 1, returned to South Australia in 1921 and set up practice in Station Place, Bowden (he died in his surgery in North Terrace, aged 49, after a stroke)  Hugh Bridgman – took the first hat trick and made the first century at Thebarton Oval. He was a state coach, selector, and player and was said to be one of the best all- rounders West Torrens has ever seen. Hugh was a leading SACA administrator.

4 Both Andy and Hugh developed a junior program quite simple by today’s standards but revolutionary in the late 1920’s – a program that soon reapt rewards for West Torrens.

1940 – 1950’s  Bruce Dooland and Ron Hamence – toured New Zealand and played tests against England and India  Ron Hamence – went to England in 1948  Bruce Dooland – played in England for East Lancashire and Nottinghamshire  Ron Hamence – retired from after 1948 and State cricket after 1952. He made a century on debut and a century on his last innings (even Sir Donald Bradman could not do this)  Graeme Hole – played in 1953  Phil Ridings – served West Torrens/South Australia/Australia - captained SA seventy nine times - In 1950 he was vice-captain of Australian Second XI that toured New Zealand - In 1950-51 he played for Australia against England - In 1953 he toured England with the Australian team - President of SACA, chairman ACB, SA and Australian selector and played in three premiership teams for West Torrens in the 1950’s  Brian Pittman – only case of HTBT at Kensington Oval in February 1957.  Ross McLennan – took all ten wickets in an innings at Thebarton Oval in February 1958 (the last batsman was run out but recalled)  West Torrens had 5 players in the state team in 1950-51

1960 – 1970’s  Jack Carr – captained last premiership team in 1961 – 62 (since then West Torrens have lost eight grand finals)  Two fast bowlers – West Torrens had two fast bowlers of note in Hitchcox (Pitchcox) and Trethewey (Throthrowey)  1968-69 – West Torrens, chasing a total of 100 runs at declared at 8/9  Rex Blundell – took seven stumpings in an innings which is a world record (in Guinness Book of Records)  – makes A grade debut for West Torrens in 1972-73 season  1976-77 – David Hookes makes five consecutive centuries in six innings for South Australia (a century in each innings of five consecutive games). This was only the second time this had occurred after Tom Hayward in Surrey

5  1977-78 – Jeff Crowe arrived from new Zealand and stayed for five years  1979 – new clubrooms opened and played.

1980 – 1990’s  1985 – 86 – fast bowler, Gladstone Small (born in but played for Warwickshire) came to play for West Torrens  1988-89 – cricket was played at King’s reserve (“Circus to Pughole”)  1990–91 – West Torrens had five players in the state side in Hookes, Crowe, Curtin, Lewis and Duigan  West Torrens shifts to Henley Memorial Oval

West Torrens Identities  Butcher Parry – coached Tasmania in 1931-32, South in 1934-35 and Prahran in the 1950’s  Charlie Walker – came from Coglin Street Mission Cricket Club. In 1930 went to England and in 1934-35 went to Prospect  Bert Hearfield – C grade/state  Ron Hamence – youngest ever to play A grade cricket at 15 years and 25 days  Harold Sincock – two sons that played cricket for South Australia and one (David) played for Australia  Danger Waite – in a preliminary final match at Adelaide Oval against Port Adelaide he made 339 (37 fours and two sixes) in 434 minutes  Wally Fails  Bruce Dooland  Ross Stanford – made the world record score (416 ) as a schoolboy when Lockleys Primary School scored 5/574 against Richmond Primary School on December 2 nd 1931  Ridings family – father Rowland had four sons  Phil  Ken (died Bay of Biscay flying Sunderlands)  Rowly (sole survivor POW)  Syd (wounded)  Eddie Bell

FAMOUS HINDMARSH CRICKETERS

No. 2 in a series by Denis Brien “AFFIE” JARVIS Arthur Harwood (“Affie”) Jarvis (1860 – 1933) was the only cricketer from the Hindmarsh Club to play Test cricket. He was one of Australia’s first - keepers, unlucky to be a contemporary of the famous John McCarthy Blackman

6 who some authors compared with Phar Lap, Les Darcy and Boy Charlton as legendary folk heroes.

The nick-name “Affie” came from a nephew who, through an unfortunate lisp couldn’t pronounce Arthur. He first kept wicket for SA at 17 (second youngest ever after Clem Hill at 17 years and 23 days) and was a member of -80,’86,’88 and ’93 Australian touring sides. Clarence Moody, in his 1897 “Cricket Album”, recalls that on his day Jarvis was “superlatively brilliant but not as reliable as the Victorian stumper Blackman. The feature of his wicket-keeping was the dexterity with which he took the ball on the leg side”.

George Giffen wrote that “Affie” did not have a single unsound finger. My father disputes this having met Jarvis in his later years when he was a visitor to the Southwark Hotel in the mid-twenties. My father remembers the old keeper having gnarled fingers on both hands. Contemporaries at the Southwark in those days recalled that in his cricketing days “Affie” worked in the brickyards and practiced at lunchtime by having his workmates throw him half bricks.

He made 3234 first class runs, with a top score of 98 not out against NSW in 1894-95 and took 115 catches and made 83 stumpings in first class matches. In 11 tests he made 303 runs, caught 9 and 9. In 1886 Blackman, and in 1888 Jarvis, fielded while the other kept wicket (4 tests). In a match for the 1886 Australian team on its way to England, he had the unique distinction of stumping 5 and catching 12 against Eighteen of Canterbury at , NZ. Another, but rather dubious claim to fame, was making a “king pair” against the MCC at Lords in 1893, bowled by C.J. Kortright in each innings. This seems to bear out Moody’s other comment that Jarvis was a successful quick scoring batsman on the true Australian wickets but never justified expectations on English pitches.

“Affie’s” son, Harwood, also kept wickets for West Torrens and SA in 1905 – 06. Unfortunately, being predominately a wicket-keeper, the name of A.H. Jarvis does not appear on our honour board.

From information supplied by the West Torrens Historical Society

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