History
Bundalaguah Cricket - pre 1921
Officially the Bundalaguah Cricket Club formed in 1921, however recently it has been discovered that the Gippsland Times has an article on record describing how a team represented Bundalaguah many years before this. The article, dated Monday, February 27th, 1888, describes how a team representing Bundalaguah played a team from the Sale Cricket Club. This means that the Bundalaguah community has infact been playing cricket for 121 years.
The Sale Cricket Club was formed in 1861 and during these early years there was no formal competition, therefore challenge matches were played against different communities. It would be presumed that this is one of those matches.
"The cricket match between eleven of the Sale cricket club, and fifteen players representing Bundalaguah played on the ground of the latter, resulted in the defeat of the visiting team who scored the small total of 18, against Bundalaguah’s 44. The match was decided on the first innings, and the double figure scores for the winners were McFarlane 13, and C. Davis 10. None of the Sale players made any stand of note.
The Bundalaguah (team) commenced their second innings, and when the stumps were drawn, six wickets were down for 51 runs, of which Watson made 17, and McFarlane 18 not out.”
Well done Bundy! This may well have been Bundalaguah’s first ever game, however the Bundalaguah community may have played in games before or after this event that are undocumented. It is interesting to note that the game was played at Bundalaguah’s ground however the exact location is unknown.
As a matter of interest the article continues, “The Sale juniors added another to their already creditable list of wins by beating the Crescent cricket club at Maffra on Saturday. The Cresent team batted first, and made 41 before they were dismissed, W. Campbell being top scorer with 9. The Juniors came up to their opponents’ score when only one wicket was down, and before time was called had 114 runs for 7 wickets down. The principle scorer was J. Orr who made 56 not out, J. Stanley being well up with 22. For the losers W. McLean bowled with the greatest success, securing 4 wickets for 18, while for the winners J. Stanley 6 for 14, and E. Gardiner 4 for 15 did all the bowling. The wicket played on was very bumpy and fast, and byes were numerous, the Crescent securing 14 and the Juniors 18.”
Cricket in the Sale-Maffra area has an amazing history and it is fantastic that Bundalaguah has been part of it for so long.
The 1921 - 1940 Era
An extract from Henry Schroeder’s diary reveals that the first game that the Bundalaguah Cricket Club played was on Saturday October 21, 1921.
From this moment much was achieved in the development of the club and the Sale and Maffra Cricket Associations. During the early days Vernon Wrigglesworth was captain of the Bundalaguah Cricket Club for twenty one years, Henry Schroeder was president for eleven years and Allen Johns for twenty two years. Clive Grant was secretary for twenty fours years. These men had a significant contribution in the formation and development of the North Gippsland Cricket Association of which Allen Johns was president from its beginning until his death.
These were the years that saw the standard of cricket rise throughout Gippsland. The enthusiasm of these men is a most influential factor in Bundalaguah being one of the oldest continuing clubs in the area.
Recollection of the Early Days. Written by Frank Cross in 1972
About June in the Winter of 1921, Mr Charles Unkles, head teacher of the Bundalaguah State School called a meeting to discuss the possibility of forming a cricket club at Bundalaguah.
He had previously contacted Mr Arthur Wrigglesworth of "Quarry Park" who said he would be pleased to make the land available for a cricket ground free of charge. This was a big step forward.
At the meeting Mr Unkles outlined the expected expenses. There were bats, balls, matting, gloves, wickets, toilets and some kind of shed and a wicket to be put down. All this came to the best part of 100 pounds which would be equal to $5000 today.
As the adult wage at that time was about three pounds a week, this seemed a lot of money. Jim Wrigglesworth and I were appointed to canvass the whole of Bundalaguah for donations. This was before the irrigation came and the population would be less than half what it is today. We gave the area between Sale and Maffra a thorough going over and did not receive a refusal. When we explained our case to an old chap who lived near Maffra, he said “Couldn't you find something more useful to do than hitting a cricket ball around,” then to our surprise he gave us a good donation.
When we reported to the next meeting we had a bit under thirty pounds in hand, it was moved that a cricket club be formed. Mr H. Schroeder was appointed president, J. Wrigglesworth secretary, F. Cross treasurer and C. Unkles captain.
It was decided that we could cut the expense in half by doing a lot of the work ourselves. We carted clay with horses and drays to make the wicket. We dug out about six inches of soil between the wickets, carted it away, and rammed wet clay in with rammers. The matting was put on this and was considered to be a fairly good wicket, but it was a bowler's wicket.
In order to raise the other thirty pounds, it was decided to run a euchre night and dance in the school once a fortnight. As the admission charge was 1/6 for men and 1/- for ladies, it was hard to make more the two pounds per night. It was suggested that we get the loan of a lucky number spinning wheel. Although this was illegal at that time, it was the best money maker we ever had. In a couple of nights we had the money.
Apart from Charles Unkles, the original players had little experience at playing cricket and it was at least two years before Bundalaguah regularly won matches. From then on there was a steady improvement. Young boys grew up, and some of them developed into very good cricketers.
In later years Bundalaguah has won many premierships. The Cricket Club was very fortunate to have the support of the ladies. They always came along to the local matches and served afternoon tea, not only to the players but to the spectators as well. They always had an abundance of sandwiches and cakes and their specialty was sponge cakes with real cream in them.