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BLACKBURN NORTH CRICKET CLUB - A BRIEF HISTORY

The following brief is essentially extracted from Box Hill Reporter District CA's centenary book titled "100 Years Not Out ...". Although originally published in 1994 the following transcript includes a number of more recent updates.


"Blackburn North Cricket Club was born out of post-war Box Hill, largely from the efforts of brothers Bob and Frank Boyles, Perc Yeomans and Stan Botheras. Oral history suggests that as early as 1947/48 matches were arranged independently and played on a rolled earth wicket covered with coconut matting in the area north of Box Hill Brickworks' quarry (locally known as Surrey Dive - behind the Brougham St homes of Yeomans and Botheras). That said, the Club's recorded history begins on 16 August 1948 at Perc Yeomans' home, 27 Brougham St Box Hill, when it was constituted as "Meadow Cricket Club", being named after a tennis club in the 'Mallee' where Stan Botheras had been a member. The first committee was W. Barnett (President, Assistant Secretary), R. Boyles (Secretary), D. Ferguson (Treasurer - replaced by D. Cashen on 4 October), S. Botheras, N. O'Grady, E. Cooper, B. Curling, and G. Gordon. The Club played at Herbert Oval until at least 1951/52. By 1953/54 at least one team was playing at Surrey Park opposite the old Box Hill Baths until 1966.


Success for the 1st XI came in 1955/56 with a premiership led by Bob Boyles in his last season followed by a decade long premiership drought for the team due to retirement of experienced players. Persistence and commitment on the part of Harrold Patterson saw the Club's first Under-16 team established in 1963/64. By the late 1970s the Club had 8 junior teams. The Senior 1st XI team won a second premiership in 1964/65.


At a meeting held on 18 August 1965 at 30 Elmhurst Rd Blackburn, the home of then President Len Toogood, Meadow Cricket Club became "Blackburn North Cricket Club" following negotiations between Secretary John Hird and the Blackburn North Progress Association. This also resulted in a pecuniary benefit to the Club in the order of £100. In 1965/66 the Senior 2nd XI played at Blackburn High School and the following season all senior and junior teams moved to the newly completed Koonung Reserve (initially only the East Oval), renamed to the "Len Toogood Oval", on the 12th October 2002.


Blackburn North grew with the region, both on and off the field, and by 1978 fielded 6 senior and 8 junior teams, renting up to 8 grounds for competition. During the 1980s the Club had mixed fortunes and fell away to just 2 senior teams with no juniors in 1990/91. Blackburn North Cricket Club has yet to win a premiership in the BHRDCA's top grade but has an impressive collection of successes in all other grades, both senior and junior.


From 1976/77 Ron Reid (former Ceylon opening bat once described by Sir Garfield Sobers as that country's 'Don Bradman') chose to play a considerable part of his later career in the 1st XI at Blackburn North CC. Current players excepted, other greats include Bob Bone, Vic Johnson, Butch Parks, Bobby Cain, Norm Parsons, Len Toogood, Jim Krepp, John Hird, Leo Newey (jnr/snr), Peter Hall (jnr/snr), Mark Sundberg (jnr), John & David Bick (jnrs), Tim Murphy (jnr), and Barry Morrison.


In 2023 the Club celebrated its 75th Jubilee Year with a major function at the clubrooms. Teams of the Decades were announced and awarded along with the Club’s Best Ever Team from 1948 – 2020. The members of this team included Ben Davis (c), Anthony Henshaw (vc), Trevor Barnes, Jason Brooker (wk), Dean Burton, Robert Cann, Leigh Odermatt, David Porter, Ron Reid, Karl Taylor, Anthony Uhr-Henry, and David Wayman. For more information on the Teams of the Decade please refer to the relevant tab on the website under “Our Club.”


Senior 1st XI premierships have been won in 1955/56, 1964/65, 1975/76, 1987/88, 1992/93, 2005/06, 2009/10 and 2016/17.


Noteworthy performances include -


Highest team scores:
6/545cc v Box Hill Nth (R6 3rd Open XI - 2007/08), 434 v Vermont (S-Final 1st Open XI - 1964/65)


Highest opening partnership: (Between the two opening batsmen)
186 (S-Final 1st Open XI - 1964/65) - L. Toogood (105) and J. Nicey (86).
(Individual scores of each player are their innings totals, not simply contributions to the partnership).


Highest 1st wicket partnership:
TBA


Highest individual scores:
Senior - D. Porter 215, J. Clydsdale 215, R. Bone 195no (1948/49).
Junior - P. Hall 198no (1st U16 XI - 1966/67)


Most wickets in a season:
L. Toogood (70)


Most Club Championship Perpetual Trophies:
(Donated by the Blackburn North Progress Association)

L. Toogood (5 - 1969/70, 1970/71, 1971/72, 1978/79, 1982/83)


Most Open "1st XI Team Championship"/"Steve McKenzie 1st XI Champion" Trophies:
T. Barnes (5 - 1989/90, 1990/91, 1991/92, 1992/93, 1996/97)
D. Burton (5 - 2004/05, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10)
L. Odermatt (5 - 2012/13, 2013/14, 2015/16, 2017/18, 2019/20)


Most Len Toogood Trophies:
(Perpetual trophy awarded to the Jnr Club Champion each season)
G. Uhr-Henry (4 - 1984/85, 1985/86, 1986/87, 1987/88)
T. Murphy (3 - 1978/79, 1979/80, 1980/81)
R. Baglin (2 - 1981/82, 1982/83)
D. Burton (2 - 1997/98, 1998/99)
Matt. Keeble (2 - 2001/02, 2002/03)


Hat-tricks:
Senior - L. Toogood (2 - 29 Nov 1969), A. Tynan (2 - 28 Feb 1976, 1979/80), L. Odermatt (2 - 2015/15, 2017/18), S. (Butch) Parks (1953/54), T. Lempke (1953/54), C. Rae, C. Vine, A. Uhr-Henry, A. (Tony) Watson (2001/02), D. Fernando (2018/19)
Junior - P. Toogood (U16), A. Collier (U16)


Longest Serving Executives:
(In years or part thereof up to & including 2024/25)
Presidents.
01 - L. Toogood - 33 years (2 honorary)
02 - R. Kainey - 9 years
03 - B. Curling - 7 years

04 - S Minns - 4 years
05 - B Barnett - 3 years


Secretaries.
01 - J. Toogood - 16 years
02 - R. Boyles - 8 years
03 - P. Rumpff - 6 years
04 - S. McKenzie - 5 years
05  - J Urand - 5 years


Treasurers.
01 - A. Petrovic - 6 years
02 - C. Stillman - 5 years
03 - K. Charman - 4 years


Vice Presidents.
01 - S. Botheras - 7 years
02 - P. Toogood - 6 years
03 - P. Hooper - 4 years

04 - D Porter - 4 years


Totals.
01 - L. Toogood - 35 years (33 as President [2 honorary]; 2 as Treasurer)
02 - J. Toogood - 16 years (16 as Secretary; 3 as Vice President [all concurrent]: 1 as President [concurrent])
03 - R. Kainey - 9 years (9 as President; 5 as Secretary [all concurrent]: 2 as Treasurer [both concurrent])
04 - R. Boyles - 8 years (8 as Secretary; 2 as Treasurer [both concurrent])

05 - D. Watts - 8 years (1 as President; 4 as Secretary; 3 as Treasurer [ concurrent]; 3 as Vice-President

06 - S. Botheras - 8 years (7 as Vice President; 1 as President)

07 - B. Curling - 7 years (7 as President)
08 - C. Stillman - 7 years (5 as Treasurer; 1 as Secretary; 1 as Vice President)

09 - A. Petrovic - 7 years (6 as Treasurer; 2 as President [1 concurrent])
10 - S. Minns - 6 years (4 as President; 3 as Treasurer [1 concurrent])
11 - P. Rumpff - 6 years (6 as Secretary)
12 - S. McKenzie - 6 years (5 as Secretary; 1 as President)
13 - P. Toogood - 6 years (6 as Vice President)

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