| The club entered the Eastern Suburbs Cricket Association for the 1924/25 season with as best as can be surmised, one matting team.
At the end of that season, for reasons yet unknown, the club transferred to the Caulfield - Moorabbin Cricket Association (later known as the Caulfield District Cricket Association), where it remained until rejoining the E.S.C.A for the 1954/55 season as Glen Iris - East Malvern having secured a turf wicket at it's Eric Raven Reserve home ground. Due to a concern with numbers of players, both Glen Iris and East Malvern merged in 1949/50 to be known as Glen Iris - East Malvern until the name reverted to Glen Iris in 1955/56. The club currently has 2 turf and one matting team in the E.C.A. It also fields a third turf team in the M.C.A. Premiership record 1st XI (3) ............ 2nd XI (5) ...........3rd XI (3) ............4th XI (1)............ U/14 (1) Last senior premiership was 1995/96 (3rd XI A Matting); last junior premiership was 1999/2000. Outstanding players/performances Grant Sprague was arguably the best player since WWII. In the decade starting in 1954/55 he took 383 wickets in the 1st XI @ 9.57 winning the E.S.C.A average for the 1954/55, 1956/57 and 1958/59 seasons. He also made over 2500 runs @ just over 20 (H.S 104x), winning the E.S.C.A average in 1955/56. Cec Storer, playing alongside Grant, was almost as potent. In the five seasons from 1954/55 he took 264 wickets @ 8.64, winning the E.S.C.A average in 1955/56. With the bat he made 1137 runs @ 20.30 (H.S 102x). Ric Ford commenced playing around 1954/55 and is still playing the occasional game. He is approaching 500 games and has taken over 850 wickets @ about 14, with a best of 8/51. He has scored over 5000 runs with a top score of 153x. Other players of note include Colin McDonald (Aust) and Ian McDonald (Vic). George Murray played one game for Western Australia. Association awards Grant Sprague won the Dunstan Medal for the 1954/55 season and won the Association batting average once and the bowling three times.
Ric Ford won the Dunstan Medal for the 1967/68 season.
Graham Harvey won the Dunstan Medal for the 1969/70 season.
John Kingman won the Dave Dickie Memorial Cup for the 1956/57 season. A short history A meeting was held in a local Glen Iris church hall to get the things off the ground. Frank Green and Alex Pinkerton were two of the main people involved. Alex continued his association with the club until his death in 1970 up until which point he was the scorer for the 1st XI. It is also to be noted that Alex was appointed a Life Member of the South Suburban Churches Cricket Association in 1923, having been assistant secretary from 1918-1922 and then secretary from 1922-24. At that stage he was involved with the South Yarra Presbyterian Cricket Club.
The club entered the E.S.C.A in 1923/24 but switched to the Caulfield Moorabbin Cricket Association for the following season, a season in which the firsts were beaten in the semi - final.
It was about this time that Harold Dumsday (architect) drew up plans for a pavilion to be erected centre West on Gardiners Creek. Ralph Dumsday (builder) took the club volunteers in hand and completed the pavilion that was to house the cricket and football clubs at Eric Raven Reserve. It was removed in 1983.
By 1930/31 the club was fielding five senior teams but had to reduce to four for the following season. It was during the late 30's that future Australian Test opener Colin McDonald played for the club as a youngster. His younger brother Ian, who played for Victoria as an accomplished wicketkeeper, also played during the early part of the 30's.
By the 1948/49 season the club was down to two senior teams. With neighbouring East Malvern cricket club in a similar position, the clubs merged to become Glen Iris - East Malvern for the 1949/50 season. The president of the newly formed club was to be Ernest Gwillim but he passed away prior to the season. Jack Fenton, the last president of the East Malvern club, took on the role.
The club was looking to switch to turf for the 1954/55 season and re-entered the E.S.C.A on this basis. However the turf wicket was not ready and opposition turf teams had to put up with playing on malthoid for that season. The club was fielding four senior teams by this stage, the first XI being defeated by Box Hill in the grand-final.
The club changed it's name back to Glen Iris for the following season, a season in which the first XI again participated in the finals only to be beaten in the semi-final. The first XI finally broke through in 1957/58 for the club's first premiership by defeating Ringwood.
In 1958/59 the club introduced a junior XI and continued with them until 1974/75. Juniors were not re-introduced until 1982/83, albeit only until 1986/87. They were yet again re-introduced in 1994/95, a premiership coming in 1999/2000 for the U/14 team.
Due to major works during the 1990/91 season, Eric Raven Reserve was not available and the club had to put all senior teams into the matting section. At the last minute the club did find a turf ground at the J.V Coghlan Oval in North Rd, Murrumbeena and entered a "colts" team in "G" turf. The team was made up of two senior players and the balance of U/21 players. They went on to win the premiership.
The club's highest individual score was recorded by Doug Robinson (229x) in the fourth XI during 1974/75. Other high scores were recorded by Alan White (213x - fourth XI - 1981/82) and Richard Farrington (210 - third XI - 1981/82).
Patrick Doquile has the club's highest score on turf with 181x in the first XI in 1996/97 against Old Carey. Ray Cleary took 10/9 in the second XI against Balwyn during 1963/64.
David Massey took 9/1 (including a hat-trick) against Surrey Park in 1964 for the second XI. Patrick Smith, current media journalist, bowled the first five Ashwood batsmen for the first eleven during 1968/69.
Ian Potter took 9/6 in the first XI against Heathmont during 1984/85, including a hat-trick.
During 1989/90 Bob Glover and Ern Massey were awarded a special commendation certificate by the E.S.C.A in appreciation of their exceptionally long and valuable service as Glen Iris delegates to the E.S.C.A. At a function celebrating the 75th anniversary of the club held at the Box Hill Golf Club on 3rd October, 1998, the Best Team since WW11 was announced: Bill Harrison (Capt), Geoff Knight, Jim Toohey, Graham Harvey, Geoff Glenn, Stephen Toohey, Patrick Doquile, Cec Storer, Grant Sprague, Ric Ford, David Massey, Ray Cleary (12th Man), Alex Pinkerton (scorer). GLEN IRIS PRESBYTERIAN / UNITED CRICKET CLUB HISTORY In 1936 Ian Nicholls, Leader of Junior Boys Bible Class tried to form a cricket club. A ground was booked, competition entered, matting hired but lack of finance and poor organisation prevented the formation. Ian left the district and J.R Faichney became the new Bible Class Leader.
Early in 1937, he asked Ernie Miller and Glenan Thomas, both members of the disbanded Senior Bible Class, to assist in getting the club established. They both resigned from the Glen Iris Cricket Club at the end of the 1936/37 season.
Crazy whist nights, parties, etc. were held to raise funds and a team was entered in the 4th grade of the South Suburban Churches Cricket Association. Unfortunately, no ground was available. Representation was made to Councillor Dave Watson for an extra pitch to be laid in park land between the creek and Cove & Kitts Timber Mill. The council agreed subject to certain conditions, hence the pitch was not ready for the opening match. A dirt pitch in Lloyds Paddock, near Bridges St, made by the Bible Class students, was where the first home matches were played.
The first match was rather a disaster. In a higher grade , Prahran Presbyterians omitted to enter a team. As there was a bye in 4th grade, they were permitted to play in that grade and we, having the first match bye, had to play them on a dirt pitch covered by matting. We were dismissed for 19 runs in each innings and were beaten outright. We did, however, have the satisfaction of learning at the end of the season that their score of 99 against us was their lowest for that season. They won the 4th grade Premiership that season.
The team for the first match was: Jack Ashworth, Sam Boon, Roy Clark, John Duke, Keith Harris, Ray Howard, Ernie Miller (Capt), Steve Muir, Alan Seal, Glenan Thomas and Dave Watson.
As that first season progressed we gradually improved and found out who were really worthy of playing regularly and those who were not so dedicated and were prepared to play as required. For the season we lost 6 outright, won 3 outright and won once on the first innings.
Other players used in the first season included Max Ashworth, Vic Atkinson, Ralph Clark, Ron Hay, Rex Ingles, Doug McCully, Hugh Wood and Jack Wood
The 1938/39 season saw us consolidate into a useful side. We won the 4th grade Premiership by defeating Albert & Middle Park Presbyterians 7/163 to 153.
We entered 3rd grade for the 1939/40 season and did reasonably well but had to wait until 1941/42 before winning a Premiership in that grade. G.I.P.C.C 160 & 65 def St. Barnabas' South Melbourne 53 & 75. | |
Club History
