Cricket dates back to 1920

Woy Woy Cricket Club is calling on former members to provide items of historical value as it celebrates 80 years of cricket on the Peninsula.

"Historians have found records dating back to 1920 which demonstrates that a Woy Woy Peninsula cricket team actively competed regularly in the Gosford District Cricket Association competition," said club publicity officer Mr Jim Martin.

"Information kindly supplied by Phil Dales, a local and long time delegate of the Central Coast Cricket Association, indicates that Woy Woy district was first represented by a team called Blackwall in the inaugural Gosford District Cricket Association 1920-1921 competition.

"The Blackwall team's first match was in round two against Kincumber."

Mr Martin said the players that were selected in the first Blackwall team were J Donohue, R Davis, R. Powell, H. Woodward, Rev E Tanner, G Davies, C Singleton, D Woodward, D Phipps, E Smith and G Annand.

"Unfortunately there were no scores available for this match," Mr Martin said.

"It seemed that life on the Woy Woy Peninsula, at that time, was a district evolving around waterfront activity where previous industries of the day were boat building and timber-getting.

"Blackwall had its own post office and shops, while the Woy Woy township proceeded to prosper as the train line become more vital and central to transport in the area rather than ferry or boat travel.

"Interestingly, a team wasn't entered in the 1921-1922 season however Blackwall did enter a first grade team again in the 1922-1923 season.

"Oddly there was then a five-year gap until the 1928-1929 season when the first Woy Woy team (rather than the name Blackwall) entered a first grade team.

"Woy Woy then continued to play a team regularly in the local district competition until the 1934-1935 season."

Mr Martin said Woy Woy reentered the competition in the 1937-1938 season but did not re-register until the end of the Second World War.

"Inexplicably, after the 1946-1947 season, Woy Woy did not enter a team until the 1953-1954 season where they entered a second grade side in the 54-55, 55-56 and 56-57 seasons.

"Woy Woy entered second and third grade teams in the 56-57, 57-58 and 58-59 seasons, then entered sides in all three grades in 1959-1960.

"Woy Woy didn't register any teams in the 1960-1961 season.

"However a turf pitch square was installed at Woy Woy Oval (behind Woolworths) by Gosford Shire Council in the 1961-1962 season.

"The first match to be played on this turf pitch was a second grade game between Woy Woy and Matcham-Holgate on October 7, 1961.

"Woy Woy has then consistently been involved in the Central Coast Cricket Association or equivalent as a participating club, fielding first, second and third teams continually since the 1961-1962 season to date."

According to Mr Martin, players of distinction who have played for the Woy Woy Cricket Club include former test player Ern Toshack, former test player M Ilyias (Pakistan) and Kevin Oxford (ex Balmain) who captained the one and only first grade winning team in the 1963-1964 season.

"Woy Woy have also had several junior and grade players who have gone on to play in the Sydney first grade competition including Bruce Mills, Glen Mills, Paul Mills (Northern Districts), David Hook, Kevin Thorpe (Wests) and Mark Austin (Mosman)," Mr Martin said.

"Other Sydney grade players to play with Woy Woy include Ian Howell (Manly), Scott Morton and Jason Moore (St George), Ian Fowler and Chris Lea (Northern Districts), Ben Riley and Steve and Peter Graham (Gordon), Quentin Donald (North Sydney and Northern Districts) and Noel Ellis (Blacktown, Randwick, Petersham).

"We currently have two young Woy Woy cricketers contributing in the Sydney competition: Alex Brown and Ricky Ellis."

To make a contribution to the 80 year history of Woy Woy Cricket Club, contact Jim Martin on 0414 410 893 or via email at seniors@woywoycricket.org.au.

Press release, 1 Dec 2008 Jim Martin, Woy Woy Cricket Club