Kingston Saints Affiliated with V.S.D.C.A. & C.M.C.A Kingston Saints is the playing name of the St. John Vianneys – St. Bede’s Old Collegians Cricket Club Inc. Celebrating 50 years of Cricket St. John Vianneys - St. Bede’s Old Collegians Cricket Club Inc. 50th Anniversary souvenir booklet 1961/62 to 2010/2011 1 Introduction St. John Vianney’s – St. Bede’s Old Collegians Cricket Club Inc. (St. John’s – St. Bede’s C.C.) was established in 1994 after the amalgamation of two clubs (St John Vianney’s Cricket Club and St Bede’s Old Collegians Cricket Club). These clubs were established in their own right in 1974 and 1961 respectively. Up until 1994 both clubs were affiliated with the F.D.C.A. in the Turf, Matting and Junior competitions. Both clubs were in the first grade turf competition but seeking better future options, voted to move to VTCA in 1994-95. Both clubs considered an amalgamation as a means of forming a strong local club ensuring future existence and growth. Since the amalgamation the Club joined the VTCA in 1994-95 season with the first eleven commencing its involvement in the South B1 division and in the following years progressed to the highest division available within the VTCA (Senior). In 2003 the club was accepted into the Victorian Sub District Cricket Association where it is looking forward to a long association. Kingston Saints (which is the playing name of the St. John Vianney’s – St. Bede’s Old Collegians Cricket Club Inc.), play in two different Competitions, our Senior Turf teams play in Sub District Cricket Association (VSDCA) and our Junior teams play in the City of Moorabbin Cricket Association (C.M.C.A), and both are very well developed competitions and the C.M.C.A. is a very good and safe competition for Juniors to learn and further their cricket game. 2 Genesis – by Leo Gamble In 1961 the F.D.C.A. decided to form a turf competition. The F.D.C.A. found that only a limited number of turf wickets were available. Mentone had a new turf wicket, laid in 1961, and Cheltenham had a pitch being laid just prior to the start of the 1961-62 season. Chelsea had a turf wicket on Chelsea Oval. It was decided to ask Mentone, Cheltenham and Chelsea to form two turf teams per club, and to seek the entry of a St. Bede’s team. Prior to that, St. Bede’s had teams in C and D grade matting since 1953-54, when it entered teams for students to gain experience playing alongside Brothers, some Old Collegians and a few interested parents. During the 1950s the side did well, making the finals in several seasons and winning pennants in C matting in 1959/60 and a junior pennant in 1955/56. The St. Bede’s oval was one of the few grounds in the suburbs around the Federal District that had a turf pitch. It was put down in 1938. When St. Bede’s was approached it was thought desirable to enter two teams to balance the competition. However, it was felt that the students would be hard pressed to field two teams against some of the best cricket clubs in the F.D.C.A. It was at this time that somebody hit on the idea of forming an Old Collegians team. It so happened that in 1961 several Old boy cricketers were available to play. Colin Carter, Leo Gamble, Laurie O’Toole (DLS Old Boy), Peter Shoppee, Peter Corboy, and Gerry Ryan were playing for St. Patrick’s matting team, which folded through lack of players at the end of 1960- 61. Leo gamble heard of the proposed turf team and discussed the matter with those St. Patrick’s players, and they all eventually came to practices organised in September 1961 at St. Bede’s. Jimmy Ryan was on the Old Collegians committee and he was interested in a team, as was John Rhoden, who was teaching at St. Bede’s. He was on the Old Collegians committee which agreed to buy the first kit of equipment. John played a part in sounding out other players, and he was keen on promoting the Old Boys’ team, even though he was a Mentone player, and remained so for some years. He captained one of the Mentone Teams in 1961-62. The rest of the team came together by personal contact. Jim Exton was Gamble’s brother–in-law. John Varney was a friend of Carter and Exton, as was Barry Lake. They were talked into leaving teams they played for and joining the new Old Boys’ Team. The attraction of playing on turf was a big factor in making them move. Nearly all had played turf cricket at school, but had gone back to matting leaving school. Ted Cusack was a Chelsea YCW player. Gamble wrote to him, and he jumped at the chance to play turf cricket, as did John Ilott, another local. Training was at St. Bede’s on Sunday Mornings in the handball courts during September 1961. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!!!!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3 1961-62 – by Leo Gamble The following made up the club for this historic first season:- Colin Carter – Captain, Batsman John Varney – vice captain, wicket keeper Jim Exton – batsman Leo Gamble – Batsman, medium pace bowler Ted Cusack – Batsman, medium pace bowler Barry Lake – Batsman, spin bowler Peter Shoppee – Batsman Jim Ryan –spin bowler Gerry Ryan – Slogger, spin bowler Les Hamilton – Slogger, spin bowler John Kerr – Fast bowler John Ilott – Wicket Keeper, batsman Laurie O’Toole – Fast Bowler Alan Riddle – Batsman St. Bede’s Old Collegians were drawn against Cheltenham(2) for the first game, but Cheltenham’s pitch had not been finished , so it was agreed to play on Mentone Oval on the Sunday between the two Saturdays of the second round. So the Club’s first match was against Chelsea (2) on the second Saturday of the season on the front oval. The match was in doubt as drizzle fell intermittently after lunch. When play could begin SBOC batted first. Chelsea had a fast bowler called Hodgoon, who played some games at South Melbourne district club. He was a fast bowler with a long run and a big physique, so Gamble and Cusack were very nervous padding up to open on a damp pitch in dull light. As it turned out, Hodgoon made an elementary error on such a wicket; he bowled many short pitched deliveries which came off the wet pitch at a lazy pace, and the openers helped themselves to many boundaries on the little ground. The openers put on 85, but the side collapsed and made about 150, which Chelsea made reasonably easily the following week on a better pitch in dry conditions. The next game was against Cheltenham (2), the game which had earlier been postponed. Cheltenham was dismissed in 33 overs of their allotted 35 for about 130. St. Bede’s O. C., batted second, cruised along, and after 32 overs were 5/118, seeming to be well in control with 13 to win off 3 overs. Colin Carter and Jim Exton were both in top form, with Colin over 50 and Jim over 30. At this stage Laurie Rose, Cheltenham’s Captain, informed the umpire that there was just one over left because Cheltenham had batted only 33 overs. A halt was called to play while discussions occurred. John Rhoden, a spectator at the match, and a fellow F.D.C.A. executive member with Rose, began remonstrating with Rose, Saying “You know the rules; you’re on the executive. Why don’t you stick to them?” Rose was heard to call Rhoden “Mr Association”, and the atmosphere became distinctly cooler. The umpire ruled in S.B.O.C.’s favour. It all became academic in the next over, when Jim Exton clouted an enormous 6 over mid-wicket into the wall of the pavilion. He followed this with a square cut for 4. The rest was easy, and the team picked up a few runs to win the match. By early November the weather had turned dry and warm, and the Mentone wicket was a batting paradise. S.B.O.C. was drawn to play Mentone (2), captained by John Rhoden. Rhoden won the toss and Mentone batted and ended up with 262. The team’s spirits were rather low the following week. It was felt anything over 200 was a tough target; anything over 250 was nearly impossible. Cusack and Gamble opened and the latter leg-glanced the first ball for 4. From then on things ran our way. The opening stand ran to 125 in quick time. Gamble went for 76 and Cusack 52. A newcomer, Alan Riddle, came in and hit a stylish 69, while Carter and Exton added handy scores. At 6 for 259, Barry Lake cracked a pull over mid-wicket for 4, and we led by one run. The team was terrified that the score books would not add up correctly, so the message went out to hit a few more runs. Despite much slogging and desperate hitting we couldn’t add a single run to the 263. Four wickets fell for nought. The books were checked and re-checked, but our single run victory remained. There was much jubilation and both sides were agreed it had been a remarkable match. John Rhoden was good humouredly accused of wanting the Old Boys to win! The following game was against Mentone (1), and S.B.O.C.