Almanac Cricket: A History of Cricket in Woomera 1948 – 2014, Part 6: 1980/81 – 1987/88

 

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 6: 1980/81 – 1987/88

 

1980-81

 

This season’s competition was between Centrals, Jazza, Village and Works.

 

In the grand final Village defeated Centrals. Village opening batsman John Shepherdson won the award for best player in the match.

 

Association awards were: batting aggregate, Chris Foster – Centrals; batting average, John Shepherdson – Village; bowling average and aggregate, Chris Foster – Centrals.

 

Jazza Cricket Club awarded Paddy O’Neill life membership.

 

 

1981-82

 

During the season, Bob Carey of Village scored 99 off 30 overs and Billy Jayne, also of Village, took 7/7 off 8 overs.

 

In 1981-82 Village won the competition for the 3^rd year in a row, equalling their performance of the early seventies.

 

Village under captain John Shepherdson won by 10 runs from the Jazza team. Man of the match was S Wilson of Jazza.

 

Association awards were: batting, B Carey – Village; bowling, Tim Wood – Centrals; best allrounder, Russell Campbell – Village; and fielding, B Russel – Village.

 

 

1982-83

 

 The whole of Woomera was shocked by the untimely death of Ronnie ‘Wiggles’ Weser on 18^th November 1982. Ronnie was a very well-known sportsperson who won 9 cricket premierships for Works in 1956-57, 1959-60, 1961-62, 1966-67, 1968-69, 1972-73, 1973-74, 1974-75 and 1975-76.

 

As a wicket-keeper he was a craftsman in his trade e.g. in the 1961-62 season he had 22 stumpings and took 15 catches. Usually, it is more catches than stumpings.

 

He also won 5 football premierships with Works in 1958, 1962, 1964, 1966 and 1968.

 

Ronnie was a Life Member of the Woomera Cricket Association and also of the Woomera Football League.

 

In later years he was best remembered for his dedication to junior coaching in both cricket and football and many a child in Woomera owed their future sporting career to Ronnie.

 

Some of the sympathy tributes received from members of the various sporting clubs around the Village included:

 

• The name Ronald Vivian Weser is firmly lodged in the hearts and minds of a lot of people in Woomera at the moment. For some, it will fade away, but for some of us, it will last forever.
• ‘Wiggles’ Weser will be missed in Woomera by a lot of people he loved, and we all loved him the same way. He shall be remembered by all the kids of this town as the guy who would rather help them than help himself.
• On behalf of the Jazza juniors I would like to express my regret at the sudden death of Ron Weser last week. Ron was a great contributor to the game of cricket and one of nature’s gentlemen. He will be sadly missed.
• I end this column on a sad note. We at Centrals mourn the death of Ron Weser, one of Woomera’s true sportsmen and a gentleman both on and off the sporting fields.
• Saturday was a sad day for Works junior cricket. Our loss to Jazza was overshadowed by a far greater loss, that of Ronnie Weser. I apologise for my inability to express the feeling of grief and sorrow that has touched us all, but I am sure of one thing Ronnie – we will never forget you.

 

During the season Village batsman, Bob Carey, scored 159 for Village. This was the first century to be achieved in the Association for 7 years. Village bowler Billy Jayne took 8/17 off 6.2 overs against Works.

 

In the grand final Jazza 1/82 defeated Village 81. Michael Henderson was captain of Jazza.

 

Association awards were: batting average and aggregate, John Shepherdson – Village; bowling average and aggregate, Tim Woods – Jazza; best allrounder, Stewart Wilson – Jazza; best fielder, Bill Russell – Village.

 

 

1983-84

 

In the grand final Jazza batted first and scored 110 all out. Wally Broome contributed 48. Best bowler for Works was M Owen with 3/18.

 

Works in reply could only score 50 all out with opener Underwood top scoring with 13. Best bowlers for Jazza were Tim Woods 3/13 and Wally Broome 4/17.

 

Wally Broome won the man of the match award.

 

Michael Henderson was again captain of Jazza.

 

Association awards were: batting average and aggregate, Wally Broome – Jazza, bowling average and aggregate, S Wilson – Jazza; best fielder shared between M Owen – Works and C Griffiths – Works.

 

 

1984-85

 

All of Woomera and especially the cricketing fraternity were saddened by the death of Jazza captain Mick Henderson on the 30^thOctober 1984.

 

Mick was one of the sons of Arthur Henderson the well-known Woomera cricketer who was murdered whilst playing cricket for Woomera at the Country Carnival in Adelaide in 1952 (see Part 2).

 

Like his two brothers John and Phid, Mick was a good all-round sportsman and excelled at both cricket and football. Besides his success with Jazza at cricket, he played in football premierships with Woomera North in 1977 and 1978.

 

Some of the sympathy tributes received from members of the various sporting clubs around the Village included:

 

• Before the game between Works and Jazza both teams formed two lines for two minutes silence for the loss during the week of Mick Henderson, last year’s Jazza skipper. Mick’s passing away after a long illness is not only a loss for the Jazza Cricket Club but cricket in Woomera will be all the poorer without him. The Works Cricket team and club members extend deepest sympathy to Janice and his family.
• The Woomera Cricket Association would like to extend deepest sympathy to Janice Henderson and family at the sad loss of their dearly beloved husband and father, who will be greatly missed by all his friends.
• All of us at Jazza offer our deepest sympathy to Janice and family following their sad loss.
• Mick Henderson will be sadly missed by members of the Koolymilka Sports Club and the people of the Woomera community.
• It was a terrible blow to hear that Michael Henderson had passed away. We the members of the Centrals Sports Club, offer our sympathy to Janice and family.

 

The Association got off to a shaky start in 1984-85 with no nominations for executive positions. Eventually veteran administrator Pat Cullinan was elected President and Fred Coad was elected vice-President.

 

During the season Stuart Wilson of Works scored 100 not out in a game for Works and Bill Jayne of Village took 7/9 in a game against Centrals.

 

In the grand final Works defeated Jazza by 5 wickets. Jazza made 83. Successful bowlers for Works were Stu Wilson 4/16 and Mark Owen 2/9. Peter Mullen 21 and Geoff Whitby 20 were top scorers for Jazza. For Works the leading batsmen were Stu Wilson, Chris Griffiths, Steve Zehender and John Shepherdson who was also captain.  Peter Mullen and Dave David each took 2 wickets for Jazza. Man of the match award was won by Works player Chris Griffiths.

 

This was Works first grand final win since 1974/75 and celebrations continued well into the night.

 

Association awards were: batting, Stu Wilson – Works; bowling, Billy Jayne – Village.

 

 

1985-86

 

In 1985-86 Village dropped out of the competition to be replaced by a JDSCS (Joint Defence Space Communications Station) team.

 

In the 1^st semi-final Centrals 9/150 defeated JDSCS 46; in the 2^nd semi-final Works 7/117 defeated Jazza 78; in the preliminary final Jazza 9/103 defeated Centrals 9/100; and in the grand final Works 4/63 defeated Jazza 62. Stu Wilson of Works took 6/15 off 8.3 overs.

 

A second successive premiership for John Shepherdson and his team.

 

Association awards were: batting average, Stuart Wilson – Works 46; batting aggregate, Greg Fuss – Jazza 349; bowling average Bill Jayne – Works 4.6; bowling aggregate Bill Jayne – Works 32; best fieldsman, Tom Blackie – Jazza; most catches E Burgess 9; player of the finals, Mark Owens – Works; and catch of the final series Rodger Nottage.

 

At the Jazza end-of-year celebrations, Club President Brian Hemming announced that each year it would be awarding the Mick Henderson Memorial Shield to the outstanding club person(s). The winner in the first year, showing true dedication to the club cause, was Barry Whittle.

 

 

1986-87

 

This year a new team Roxby Districts joined the competition.

 

Points at the end of the season were: Works 62.4, Roxby 62, Jazza 50, Centrals 26.8 and JDSCS 10.8.

 

During the season Wally Broome of Jazza scored two centuries 111 and 112 not out. Billy Jayne of

 

Works had bowling figures of 7/17, 7/12, 4/21 and 5/11.

 

In the 1^st semi-final Centrals 124 defeated Jazza 121; in the 2^nd semi-final Roxby 132 defeated Works 131; in the preliminary final Centrals 6/117 defeated Works 111; and in the grand final Roxby Districts 5/71 defeated Centrals 68.

 

Association awards were: batting average and aggregate, Wally Broome – Jazza, bowling average and aggregate, Billy Jayne – Works; best fielders, D King and S Durnham. Special mention went to M Owens and C Payne for their hat tricks during the season.

 

At Jazza, the Mick Henderson Memorial Shield was awarded to Brian and Marlene Hemming for their long-time service to the club.    

 

 

 1987-88

 

The same 5 teams contested the 1987-88 season.

 

Points at the end of the season were: Works 66, Jazza 51, Centrals 30, Roxby 27 and JDSCS 6.

 

In the 1^st semi-final Roxby defeated Centrals; in the 2^nd semi-final Jazza 5/194 defeated Works 151; in the preliminary final Works defeated Roxby; and in the grand final Jazza 0/113 defeated Works 108.

 

Garry Bush took 2/26 and Chris Foster 4/14 for Jazza.

 

Jazza presented the Mick Henderson Memorial Shield to Shirley Smoker, their long-time scorer.

 

 

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

 

 

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