Almanac Cricket: A History of Cricket in Woomera 1948 – 2014, Part 5: 1979/71 – 1979/80

David ‘Dick’ Turpin  is a Brisbane friend of Almanacker Allan Barden. During the late 60s early 70s David spent a few years working in Woomera when it was quite a thriving community.

 

David has researched and written a history of footy in Woomera from the years 1948 to 1992 which The Footy Almanac  published over 18 weeks earlier this year. You can read each part Here.

 

David has also completed a history of Woomera water polo and he has also written about baseball. 

 

Now it is the turn of cricket to receive  David’s extensive and authorative account in the Woomera from 1947 to 2014.

 

A History of Cricket in Woomera: 1947 to 2014

By David Turpin

 

Part 5: 1970/71 – 1979/80

 

1970-71

 

The next season 1970-71 saw Village again win the premiership, this time outright against a Staff Mess side.

 

Association awards for the season were: batting average and aggregate, Bob Brandt – Village;Bowling average and aggregate, Ivan Limb – Village; association record batting score 172, Bob Brandt – Village.

 

 

1971-72

 

Under the captaincy of Ivan Limb Village won their third premiership in a row and were undefeated for the season. Village scored 9 declared for 337 and their opponents Tjintilka scored 55 and 101 in each innings, a comprehensive outright win for Village. Steve Zehender took 2/8 and Ivan Limb 3/15 for Village. Tjintilka was previously Senior Mess with the word coming from an aboriginal dialect and meaning ‘cricket’. Village also cleaned up with the major trophy winners, Ivan Limb bowling aggregate with over 50 wickets and Bob Brandt batting average and aggregate. Peter Hardy also took a hattrick in only his second season.

 

 Card used in 1950-51 to record team points. No Excel or Lotus spreadsheets in those days.

 

 

1972-73

 

Village under the captaincy of Bob Brandt were minor round leaders and going for 4 in a row in the finals. Unfortunately for them, Works had other ideas and with Vern Cordes and Butch Leverington laying the foundation, scored 256 in the first innings. Village in their first innings scored 186. Works batted again however with no possibility of an outright win by either side Works were declared winners on the first innings.

 

Captain of the Works side was Geoff Parkinson.

 

Association awards for the season were: batting average and aggregate, best individual performance 110 not out, Bob Brandt – Village; bowling average and aggregate, Gary Hele – Village; best individual performance 8/35, Peter Williamson – J.S.C.; best fielder, Colin O’Donoghue – Centrals.

 

 

 Works Cricket Club – Pennant winners 1972-73

 

It needs to be said here that throughout the sixties and early seventies Works had a secret weapon in the form on one John Brian ‘Bluey’ Haigh. Bluey often filled in as a team member when Works were short of a player but most of the time he was happy to sit on the sidelines, taking refreshments and with his squeaky, throaty, raspy voice let out many loud ‘quacks’ when an opposition batsman was out for a duck (0). Bluey was way ahead of his time and invented the duck cry long before Channel 9 used it in their cricket coverage.

 

 

1973-74

 

1973-74 saw the return of David Cock to Woomera cricket and he again left his mark for the season. In the grand final, Centrals batted first and were all out for 84. Cock taking 4/23 off 14 overs and Leverington 2/8. And the end of the first day’s play Works was 1 for 154 in reply with Ronnie Weser 62 not out and Vladge Kurovec 63 not out. Eventually Works scored 333, with A Bishop 95, Ron Weser 82 and V Kurovec 83 being the main contributors. Centrals batted again and were 4/39 at stumps. Cock took 2/2 and Leverington 1/15. A comprehensive win to Works. Ronnie Weser was nearly 40 by this time and showed he was still a force to be reckoned with when he had a bat in his hand.

 

Andy Bishop was captain of Works.

 

 

1974-75

 

Works won their third title in a row in 1974-75 when they defeated Village in the grand final. Scores were Works 122, Village 62. Works bowler David Cock took 7/5 and won man of the match.

 

Works captain was Vladge Kurovec.

 

Association awards were: batting average and aggregate, Bob Brandt – Village; bowling average, Butch Leverington – Works; bowling aggregate, David Cock – Works; best fielder. Andy Bishop – Works.

 

 

1975-76

 

In 1975-76 Works played J.S.C. in the grand final. J.S.C. batted first and were all out for 38. Ron Weser now in his forties took an unbelievable 5 for 0 including a hat trick. Works in reply were 9 for 207 at the end of play. A fine win by Bob Boyle and his team. This was the first and only time in the history of the Association that a team won four pennants in a row. The closest was the A.T.U.-R.A.A.F. which won four in five years back in the fifties.

 

Association awards were: batting average, A Bishop – A.S.C.O.; bowling aggregate, Michael Hancock – Jazza; bowling average, G Cox – Centrals; best fielder, G Samies – Jazza; special award for double hat-trick, R Boyle – Works.

 

 

1976-77

 

This season Centrals won their first pennant defeating J.S.C. Batting first Centrals scored 100. J.S.C. tried hard but in the end scored just under the 100 runs required for victory. Captain of Centrals was K Jenkins.

 

 

Centrals Cricket Club – Pennant Winners 1976-76

 

 

1977-78

 

In 1977/78 Centrals again played J.S.C. in the grand final. Centrals made 160 with the best of the J.S.C. bowlers being Mullen with 5/49. In reply J.S.C. were all out for 82 with Wood taking 5/16. Another good win to Centrals capably led by Brian Murray.

 

Association winners for 1977/78 were: batting average, B Kubank – Centrals; batting aggregate, G Brenton; bowling average, Michael Hancock – Jazza; bowling aggregate – Russell Campbell.

 

 

1978-79

 

Teams competing were Centrals, Jazza, Village and Works.

 

In the grand final Jazza 111 defeated Centrals 107.

 

Trophy winners for the season were: batting aggregate, M Frost – Centrals; batting average, D Thomas – Works; bowling aggregate, B Nankervis – Works; bowling average, T Woods – Centrals.

 

 

1979-80

 

In 1979-80, the competition included a new team Nurrungar. Whilst they were competitive, in one match against Works they made 37 with Works bowler, G Weber, taking 7/17.

 

 In the 1^st semi-final Centrals defeated Works; in the 2^nd semi-final Village defeated Jazza; and in the preliminary final Centrals 7/195 defeated Jazza 86.

 

The grand final was an uninspiring affair with Village 1/47 defeating Centrals 46. Village were undefeated for the season and one of their opening bowlers, Bruce Nankervis, won the man of the match award with figures of 10 over, 5 maidens, 5 wickets for 8 runs. He was ably supported by Linc Mundy who took 5/12.

 

Centrals captain Chris Foster won the Association trophies for batting, bowling and best allrounder.

 

 

 

More stories from Woomera by David ‘Dick’ Turpin can be read Here.

 

 

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