WANGARATTA & DISTRICT CRICKET ASSOCIATION 2008/09 PRESENTATION NIGHT & HALL OF FAME Written by – Kevin B. Hill 25th March, 2009 Stuart Elkington Born 23 rd December 1945 Clubs : Whorouly & Wangaratta WDCA Record: : Games 236 1959/60 to 1983/84 : Runs 6515 Average 27.61 : Centuries 9 : ½ Centuries 33 : Wickets 744 Average 12.12 :Chronicle Trophy (5) 1965/66, 1970/71, 1971/72, 1977/78, 1980/81 : Cricketer of the Year (2) 1977/78, 1978/79 : Batting Average (1) 1977/78 112.4 :Batting Aggregate (1) 1977/78 780 runs :Bowling Aggregate (3) 1965/66 (46), 1970/71 (48), 1981/82 (47) : 5 Wicket Hauls 53 : Premierships (3) 1971/72, 1974/75, 1981/82 Melbourne Country Week: 11 Trips as a player, between 1964 & 1982 (29 games) : (2) 5 Wicket Hauls – 5/56 v Ballarat, 5/78 v Warrnambool : Captain 1981 & 1982 Bendigo Country Week: 6 trips as a player between 1962 & 1973 : 2 Centuries – 146 v Tyrrell, 109 v Castlemaine : 1 ½ Century : Best Bowling 8/39 v Emu Valley, 6/40 v Donald : Captain 1973 North East Cup : 50 Games, 1143 runs, 120 wickets @11.44 : 1 Century – 134* v O & K : Best Bowling 8/45 v O & K, 7/46 v O & K North East Colts : 1 Century – 106 v Albury Border : Best Bowling 8/41 v Yarrawonga District Cricket : 4 First XI games for Melbourne University : Also played District Cricket for Kensington ( SACA) and University of Tasmania (12) (TCA) Stuart Elkington Stuart Elkington He was just 14 when he played his first game for Whorouly, helping the veteran Wils Nicol to stave off defeat in a determined stand. He was more or less born to cricket, his family’s strong links to the game ensuring that Stuart Elkington would follow in that tradition. When his troublesome hips forced him to limp off the Memorial Oval for the last time in 1984, Elkington had left an indelible imprint on record books. He had played 233 games for Whorouly; taken 754 wickets (277 more than the next best) scored 6348 runs and played a central role in 3 premierships. But that tells only part of the story. “Stuie” was one of the characters of cricket. A nonchalant personality he was vital to the chemistry of representative teams. As the “straight man” to GregRosser, he lightened many a situation when spirits were sagging. He has the distinction of playing District cricket in 3 states – with Melbourne University, Adelaide club Kensington and University of Tasmania in Hobart. Elkington is the best performed wrist spinner at club or representative level for the past half century. He was able to “run through” sides, as evidenced by 15 “bags” of seven or more wickets in his career. With a longish approach to the crease and a rolling gait, his leg spinners turned prodigiously and were well controlled. He received no favors from the Whorouly track, as it was usually a batsman’s paradise. Once settled, he was extremely difficult to dislodge from the crease. A strong puller and cutter, he would bat anywhere from one to eight in the order, whatever the situation demanded. Stuart’s only WDCA season away from Whorouly was in 1969/70, when the Maroons were unable to muster a side and he played part of the year with Wangaratta. He hammered 3 centuries in a dream 1977/78 season, scoring 785 runs at an average of 112.44 and taking 23 wickets. His 585 runs and 58 wickets in 1971/72 helped to propel Whorouly to the flag. And if you needed proof of his influence in the big games, have a look at his bowling figures in Whorouly’s winning Grand Finals- 7/36 against United in 1971/72, 6/22 against Rovers in 1974/75 and 6/17 v City Colts in 1981/82. Stuart thrived at Bendigo Country Week, where he could occasionally enjoy the social life at night and throw himself into his cricket on a usually blisteringly hot day. He and Greg Rosser produced a monumental 257 run stand against Tyrell on the fourth day of what had been a typically hard week, in 1965. Having already taken 4/18 to dismiss the Mallee team for 105, he and Rosser opened and began a race to reach 50, then 100. Rosser was dismissed for 112, but Elkington triumphed with 148* in Wangaratta 2/302. Always a serviceable player in his 11 trips to Melbourne Country Week, he captained the side in 1981 and 1982. His spin bowling was a vital component of any Country Week team. Stuart Elkington’s considerable individual achievements (5 Chronicle Trophies and 2 Cricketer of the Year awards, among them) are matched by his reputation as an excellent team player and his contribution to Wangaratta Cricket. ALEC FRASER Born :25 th December 1908 - Died 13 th September 1983 Clubs : Wangaratta, East Wangaratta, Footballers Combines, St Patrick’s, Magpies. WDCA Record : Games 189 – 1928/29 to 1955/56 : Runs 7131 – Average 37.53 : Centuries 15 : ½ Centuries 37 : Batting Average – 1932/33 (50.0), 1954/55 (69.7) : Premierships (3) 1933/34, 1934/35, 1938/39 Melbourne Country Week : 10 Trips as a player between 1929 & 1950 : Centuries 5 (Shares record with B. Grant) : ½ Centuries 9 (including 8 scores over 80) : Twice scored over 300 runs for the week. : Shares record opening stand (250 v Wimmera) with Clem Fisher. : Played in 3 Country Week Premiership teams & was captain 1949 & 1950. Representative Honors : North East v N.S.W. at Benalla 1937 :WDCA Life Member ALEC FRASER The great opening combinations in world cricket roll off the tongue quite easily – Hobbs & Sutcliffe,Morris and Barnes; Haynes and Greenidge; Lawry and Simpson; Langer and Hayden……… Wangaratta laid claim to its own pair of record breakers in the era preceding World War 2 – Fisher and Fraser. Much has been said of the redoubtable Clem Fisher and his role in local cricket history, but his opening partner in representative fixtures was a player of the highest quality. Whilst Fisher was a ruthless, win at all costs cricketer who wouldn’t mind stretching the rules of the game if it could achieve victory, Alec Fraser was the direct antithesis. Universally admired for his sportsmanship, he was gentle, quiet and easy going. But he and Clem just clicked. They came together at Country Week in 1929 and rarely failed to give Wangaratta the start they needed over the next decade. Their stand of 243 against Yallourn-Traralgon in 1934 took Wangaratta to a total of 2/319 (Fraser 158*). They again got away to a “flyer” in the semi final against Swan Hill. Two days later, in a score of 8/398, Fraser retired on 119. Their unbeaten stand of 250 against Wimmera in 1937 remains the WDCA Country Week record. Fraser, nicknamed “Tony” by his team mates presented a veritable brick wall to the best of opening bowlers. Technically correct, patient and stylish, he coped easily with the lift in standard at Country Week. In 41 matches, from 1929 to 1950, he scored 80 or more on 13 occasions. This included five centuries. Born in Albury, Alec Fraser showed exceptional promise as a youngster and was labelled the “next Ponsford” by the Border Morning Mail. He made his football and cricket debuts with Wangaratta in the same year – 1928. He was to become a champion Magpie mid fielder over the next 14 years, playing over 200 games and coaching Wangaratta in 1940 for the princely sum of 2 pounds 10 shillings per week. He also ran professionally with a deal of success and always looked forward to competing against the big names at the Wangaratta Carnival. Alec christened the newly laid Show grounds wicket in 1928, by becoming the first century maker on the turf that he was to call his own for most of the next 28 years. That was the first of 15 centuries and 37 half centuries in 189 games of WDCA cricket. Alec was finally enticed to try his luck with St Kilda Football Club in 1931. He farewelled the locals with a knock of 135 against Everton and moved to Melbourne. He played 3 games rounds (6, 7 & 8) with the Saints, but was happy to return home during the season. One of the highlights of Wangaratta cricket pre-war, was an annual Easter fixture against one of the visiting District teams. In 1934 Hawthorn-East Melbourne, taking advantage of a superb wicket at the Show grounds amassed 340. In reply, Wangaratta’s total of 408 was led by Fraser’s majestic 95. Consistency was the keynote of Alec Fraser’s career, as evidenced by his 7131 runs in club cricket. Frasers first batting average was won in 1932/33; his last was 22 years later, in 1954/55, when he averaged 69.7. consistency was the keynote of his career, as evidenced by 7131 runs in club cricket. His first two premierships, in the early 30’s were with Wangaratta. By 1938/39 he had transferred to Footballers and his 104 in a team total of 319 guided his side to an easy victory over Maroons in a Final. With the advent of war, Alec took his family to Melbourne and turned out with Balwyn. He won the batting average in both of the years he played and his score of 182 in 1944/45 still remains the record for the sub-district club. Upon the reform of the WDCA in 1946/47, he was appointed captain of the newly- formed St Patricks Club. Some observers regarded his century in the 1949/50 semi-final (104 out of 173) as his best ever knock in Wangaratta.