Sunbury Cricket Club History
The Sunbury Cricket Club (Vic), nicknamed “Roar”, is a cricket club based in the town of Sunbury, Victoria, Australia. The club was founded in 1868 and currently fields senior teams in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association (VTCA) and both senior and junior teams in the Gisborne and District Cricket Association (GDCA).
Summary
Formation and early years (1868–1922)
Sunbury Cricket Club was founded in 1868, initially playing invitational matches against neighbouring towns such as Riddells Creek and Diggers Rest. The club’s first recorded match took place on 24 October 1868 against Riddells Creek, resulting in a draw. Other notable early matches included a combined Sunbury and Riddells Creek side against South Melbourne in February 1869 and a match between Sunbury Cricket Club and the Melbourne Cricket Club in April 1876, hosted by club patron Sir William Clarke.
Clarke, a prominent pastoralist and philanthropist who lived at his Sunbury estate, Rupertswood, later played a key role in cricket folklore. In December 1882, during a visit by an English team to Rupertswood, Clarke’s wife, Lady Janet Clarke, presented the tourists with a small urn as a keepsake. This gift became associated with England’s loss to Australia at The Oval earlier that year and is regarded as the symbolic origin of The Ashes, giving Sunbury a unique place in cricket history.
In December 1895, a ceremony was held at the opening of the club’s first pavilion at the Sunbury Recreation Reserve, and in 1901, it played its first match on a new wicket at the Evans Street Reserve.
The Melbourne Cricket Club played additional matches as guests of Sunbury, including a 1905 match that ended in a draw, with MCC holding the upper hand in play.
GDCA affiliation and success (1923–2018)
Sunbury joined the Gisborne District Cricket Association (GDCA) in 1923. The club enjoyed significant success, winning its first A Grade premiership in the 1952/53 season and adding further titles in 1954/55, 1969/70, 1986/87, and 1992/93.
Sunbury was active in local cricket governance, supporting innovations such as turf wicket introduction, match format changes, and youth participation requirements. Several Sunbury members were honoured for their contributions to the GDCA, with J. Forbes and M. Jensen awarded GDCA Life Membership. In later years, Sunbury players and officials have also been recognised in the GDCA Hall of Fame, cementing the club’s influence within the association. These include J. Forbes, W. Morrison and N. White.
In the 1992/93 season, Sunbury claimed three of the four GDCA grand finals on offer, with the 1st, 2nd, and 4th XIs all winning premierships, and only the 3rd XI finishing runners-up.
150th Year Celebration – 10 February 2018
Sunbury Cricket Club marked its 150th anniversary with a memorable evening attended by over 150 past players, friends, and family. The night featured reunions, cricket stories, the inaugural Hall of Fame inductions, and an inspiring speech from former player Sam Riggio.
MC Michael Corcoran and President Brendan Doyle welcomed special guests, including No.1 Ticket Holder Jack Ogilvie, Hume Councillors Leigh Johnson and Jack Medcraft, GDCA Life Members Kevin Sulivan and Mick Jenson, and many SCC Life Members.
Sponsors Phil Lithgow (Sunbury Social Club), Devin Powell (DJP Accounting), and Travis Botten (Colour Perfect) were thanked for their ongoing support. President Doyle reaffirmed SCC’s commitment to being a family club, promoting women’s cricket, and developing junior players as a pathway to 1st-grade cricket.
Transition to turf cricket and VTCA (2019–present)
In 2019, Sunbury entered its 1st and 2nd XI teams into the Victorian Turf Cricket Association (VTCA) in preparation for the installation of a turf wicket at Clarke Oval, to be completed in October 2021. During the interim, home matches were played at Progress Reserve, Coolaroo. The club retained GDCA affiliation for lower-grade senior teams and juniors, who played at Eric Boardman Reserve Oval No. 2.[18]
Sunbury returned to play home matches at Clarke Oval on the new turf wicket in 2021. That same year, Sunbury entered its first women’s team into the VTCA Women’s competition.
The club won the VTCA 2nd XI premiership in 2019/20, and in 2020/21 claimed both the 1st and 2nd XI Clark Shield Division 4 premierships.
Timeline
Click here for SCC 150 Celebration document
24/10/1868 – “The Cricket Club which has been recently organised at Sunbury appeared in their first match on the 24th of last October, when they tried conclusions with the Riddell’s Creek Club, the latter place being selected as the scene of operations. Long scoring was the principal feature of that, day’s performances, which resulted in a draw, the shades of the evening putting an end to the friendly contest. ” (The Bacchus Marsh Express, Saturday 21 November 1868)
27/2/1869 – “A team from South Melbourne will visit Sunbury, to play against twenty-two of the Sunbury and Riddell’s Creek Cricket Clubs” (The Argus (Melbourne), Saturday 27 February 1869)
17/4/1869 – “SUNBURY v, CAMPBELLFIELD, On the 3rd inst. a well-contested match was played between the Sunbury and Campbellfield Cricket Clubs on the ground of the former, which resulted in favour of the local team by nine runs. ( The Bacchus Marsh Express (Vic. : 1866 – 1918), Saturday 17 April 1869)
23/11/1869 – “ The committee of the B U.C.C. met last evening, passed several accounts, and instructed the secretary to communicate with Heathcote, Daylesford, Sunbury, and Kyneton, with the view of arranging for matches.” (Bendigo Advertiser (Vic. : 1855 – 1918), Tuesday 23 November 1869)
12/2/1870 – “A letter from Kyneton was received accepting the 13th January for a match at Kyneton, and another letter – from Sunburv was received stating that they were willing to meet the B.U.C.C at an early date”. (Bendigo Advertiser, Saturday 12 February 1870)
24/12/1870 – “A cricket match between an 11 of the Commercial and l8 of the Sunbury Cricket Club will be played today on the Commercial ground, to commence at 12 o’clock sharp.” (The Argus Saturday 24 December 1870)
7/4/1876 – “An eleven of the M.C.C. visited Sunbury yesterday, on the invitation of Mr W. J. Clarke, to play a cricket match against l8 of the Sunbury Cricket Club.”(The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 – 1957), Friday 7 April 1876)
28/12/1895 – OPENING OF THE PAVILION. A large number of cricketers and others assembled on the Sunbury Recreation Reserve last Saturday (21/12/1895) to witness the opening ceremony in connection with the pavilion erected by the Sunbury Cricket Club and just completed.(Sunbury News and Bulla and Melton Advertiser Saturday 28 December 1895)
16/11/1901 – “The Sunbury cricketers played their first match on the new wicket in the Evans-street reserve on Monday last” (Sunbury News, Saturday 16 November 1901)
1923: Annual Meeting of Gisborne District Cricket Association – Delegates were present from Lancefield, Romsey, Lancefield Junction, Riddell, Sunbury, Macedon, Kyneton, and Gisborne clubs. Woodend notified that they wouldn’t be competing this year. Sunbury was admitted in their place. (The Gisborne Gazette, Friday 5th October 1923)
During the early 1950s, the club made a significant infrastructure advancement when then-president J. Forbes, also a Shire of Bulla employee, organised the transport of clay soil from Jackson’s Creek at the rear of Rupertswood estate to form the centre wicket area at the newly developed Clarke Oval in the Sunbury Recreation Reserve on Riddell Road. From that time, all senior-grade matches were played at Clarke Oval, with other club teams continuing to use the Evans Street Oval.
1952/53: AGM – G.D.C.A. Clubs present – Gisborne, Riddell, Sunbury, Macedon, Romsey, Clarkefield, Lancefield and Woodend. On the motion of Mr Ingleton (Romsey) seconded by Mr Ayres (Clarkefield), it was agreed to admit Woodend Club to the Association. Mr Sleeman (Sunbury) moved that 2-day matches be played this season – a full round and extra 3 matches which will be drawn for. Mr Taylor (Sunbury) moved that bowling creases be marked with white lines.
With Sunbury now having a turf pitch rule 9 was altered to read: That matches be played on matting or turf wickets. A team was entered in Bendigo Country Week only with the selectors to be L. Goodyear, G. Sleeman and B. Fitzgerald.
Sunbury reached the final for the first time and went on to win the premiership. (The Gisborne Gazette, Friday 3rd October 1952)
1954/55: Sunbury Colts apply for affiliation but the application was too late under rule 14. Romsey C.C. move that each team be provided with a new ball at 200 runs in all games and the semi-finals be changed from two days to three. The motion was lost. Season to commence on 2nd October with breaks at Christmas and New Year’s Day.
A Social Lecture Night is to be held at Gisborne on a date to be fixed for Mr Ingleton (Romsey) to lecture players on umpiring and the General Rules of Cricket.
Mr. Brocchi spoke of Mr. Goodear and the great work he had done for the GDCA for many years and Delegates from all clubs present also spoke of him in a generous manner. He was then given the highest honour of being granted life membership of the GDCA. Mr. Sleeman donated the President’s Cup for season 1954/55. The team entered in Bendigo C.W.
Sunbury premiers.
1969/70: Semi-finals to be played over two days with the final to be played right out. Sunbury is to be allowed to enter three teams for the season. Application from Wallan to enter the GDCA was granted. Presentation Night is to be held at Gisborne Golf Club. In round four of the competition, Romsey’s Doug McIntyre takes all ten Riddell first-innings wickets finishing with the figures of 10 for 21 off 11.2 overs. On the same day, Lancefield’s Miles Johnstone takes 9 for 33 against Wallan, and six of his victims bowled.
Sunbury premiers.
1972/73: New B Grade formed with promotion and relegation to exist between A and B Grade. Season to consist of nine two-day matches and three one-day matches. Club umpires are to wear dust coats when umpiring. J. Forbes (Sunbury CC) and D. McIntyre are to be awarded Life-Membership of the GDCA. Special dispensation was given to Sunbury to change venues if there was insufficient time to prepare their turf wicket. Throughout the 1960s and 70s, visiting teams often found if they were batting on the second day, quite often the sprinklers had been left on overnight (accidentally of course) or the lead for the roller had been mysteriously cut.
1973/74: Bulla Village CC and Sunbury Centrals CC (later to be Sunbury United) join the Association with Centrals playing home matches at the Evan’s Street Oval in Sunbury.
1977/78: Clubs start looking at synthetic pitch surfaces to replace the three different surfaces currently used in the competition. Sunbury, Bulla and Craigieburn play on turf. Wallan, Romsey, Lancefield, Macedon, Sunbury Centrals (United) and Woodend have malthoid pitches whilst Riddell, Gisborne and Bacchus Marsh play on matting. Sunbury Centrals transferred to Langama Park after being relegated from A grade. Association to write to the Australian Cricket Control Board expressing support for their stand in the present Packer controversy.
1978/79: Six ball overs were introduced as per V.C.A. Rules. One-day matches were still 240 balls an innings but were now 40 six-ball overs. A new ball could be taken after 80 overs in any one innings. All A Grade teams had to field an Under 16 team for 1978/79.
1982/83: Centrals C.C. changes its name to Sunbury United C.C. and adopt the gold and black colours. Matches were cancelled on Saturday 19th February due to the bushfires that swept through the area last week.
GDCA Secretary Keith Wrest (Sunbury CC) lost his home in the fires and all records and minute books of the Association for the past three years were destroyed.
1986/87: Sunbury premiers.
1992/93: Sunbury premiers.
September 2013: “The Sunbury Cricket Club (SCC) is very pleased to announce it will be based at the Sunbury Bowling Club (SBC) as of season 2013/14. Over the past few months negotiations between the two clubs have resulted in a new 5-year agreement. There were several discussions between the executives of the two bodies with many points discussed including patronage and support, the logistics of game day at the Clarke Oval and the use of storage and facilities. SCC recognises as part of this agreement that it has the responsibility to promote the SBC through its membership by hosting major functions at SBC’s impressive facilities.” (SCC Offical Announcement)
Thursday 30th May 2019: Sunbury Cricket Club joins VTCA for season 2019/20
The Sunbury Cricket Club (SCC) is excited to announce that commencing season 2019/20 it will field its Senior 1st & 2nd Eleven teams in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association (VTCA).
SCC lower-grade senior teams and junior divisions remain within the GDCA.
September 10th 2019: For the first time Sunbury Cricket Club have entered a Women’s team into the VTCA Women’s competition.
March 20th 2020: The VTCA have finalized their decision on the results of the grand finals that were cancelled this week. Under law E141.7 which then moves into law E141.8, if no first innings result is reached the game is deemed a draw. Where the match is deemed a draw, the team ranked higher leading into the finals is declared the winner.
Based on this information, unfortunately, our 1st eleven will be deemed runners-up. SCC 2nd Eleven crowned Premiers for season 2019/20.
March 28th 2021: Sunbury Cricket Club finishes season 2020/21 as VTCA Clark Shield Division 4 1st and 2nd XI Premiers.
October 5th 2021:
Hume City Council (HCC) is preparing to undertake upgrade works at the Sunbury Recreation Reserve sports ground (Clarke Oval) including new irrigation and drainage, conversion to Santa Ana turf and the establishment of a cricket turf wicket table.
Outlined below are some of the key dates and outcomes relating to the works at the Sunbury Recreation Reserve:
- Site fencing is to be installed around the ground through the week of Monday 11th October 2021
- HCC Capital Works signage to be displayed on site fencing to inform the community of the works through the week of Monday 11th October 2021.
- Project construction is to commence through the week of Monday 18th October 2021.
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