Merewether District Cricket Club

MEREWETHER Dictrict Cricket Club celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2010-2011 as part of the Newcastle District Cricket Association after forming in 1921.

The NDCA started in 1889 with 15 affiliated clubs and one of the foundation clubs was Burwood which was a forerunner to the Merewether club.

Merewether fielded first grade teams for two seasons in 1899 and 1900 before disappearing until it was one of six clubs granted district boundaries in 1921.

Stockton and Northern Districts Cricket Club remains the only foundation club left in the NDCA but Merewether is also one of the oldest clubs.

J.R Townson was Merewether's first captain and the ground inside the Mitchell Park complex, Townson Oval, was named after him.

Members of the Bramble family switched from the Ironclads club to join Merewether in 1921 and formed the basis of the first grade teams in the formative years.

The Brambles also set up a family culture that remains in the proud sea-side club today and together with brothers George and Jim Wells created success on and off the field.

Merewether set the amazing record of playing in 10 consecutive first grade finals from 1922-23 to 1931-32, winning the first three and two others.

George Wells was the first Town Clerk of Greater Newcastle Council in 1938 and later became treasurer and secretary of the Newcastle Jockey Club.

Merewether's affiliation with the NJC is still alive and well and one of the current sponsors of the cricket club is Phil Maher Bookmaking Services which works the rails at the Broadmeadow racecourse.

One of the standout players in the ealry history of the Merewether club was leg-spinner Ernie "Cobber" O'Brien who still holds the NDCA record for the most outstanding bowling performance.

Ernie took 10-30 in a match in the 1926-27 season and the next best is Hugh Marjoribanks' 10-67 in 1958-59 for Waratah-Mayfield and they remain the only bowlers to take all 10 wickets in an innings, in any NDCA match.

Merewether, Newcastle, NSW Country and Australian Country XI representative fast bowler Duncan McIlveen took 9-30 against Cardiff-Boolaroo in a match in the 1999-2000 season to be also near the top of the outstanding bowling performances list.

Many names are synonymous with the Merewether club including father and son combinations Ken and Michael Hill, John and Michael Varnum and Graeme and David Young.

Other names synonymous with the club are Ted "Spider" Clarke who was involved for more than 60 years and his nephew Roy Clarke who is an active life member in the club today.

Several Merewether players have represented Newcastle and NSW Country and a handful have represented NSW at Sheffield Shield level.

Fast bowler Grahame Corling is the only player in the club's history to represent Australia and he played five Tests on the 1964 Ashes Tour of England.

In 2001 club captain Nathan Beckett and second grade captain Steve Pratt organised an 80th anniversary function at which a 16-man touring team was named celebrate the achievements of club members.

The squad announced on the night was: Max Fox, Sonny De Carvalho, Ken Hill, Michael Hill, Philip Stanbridge, Jamie Brazier, Ron McDonald, Graeme Young, Tony Edwards, Stuart Bridges, Greg McNeil, David Palmer, Grahame Corling, Bob Brook, Cardigan Connor, Col Whitehead.

The club has enjoyed many successful seasons but 2002-03 will be remembered as one of the best when the first grade side won the Tom Locker Cup, the district premiership and the NRMA Country Cup under skippers Phil Stanbridge and Simon Moore.

The NRMA Country Cup was re-named the SCG Country Cup and Merewether defeated Tamworth in successive years at the Sydney Cricket Ground and also lost a final at the same ground to Hamilton-Wickham.

Merewether enjoyed another golden decade from 2000 with five club championship titles and many first grade and lower grade premiership victories.

Merewether is also very proud of the achievements of club member Michael Hogan who is currently playing Sheffield Shield cricket for Western Australia.

Michael is a fast bowler who made his first-class debut last season and is contracted to the Warriors for another two years.

By

Neil Goffet