The Next 90 Plus Years
In 1947, Mr Catley’s year of office, cricket was not up to the standard of pre-war years but there was a revival of cricket under Mr. Evans’ headmastership with a marked victory over St Stanislaus’(after 13 years defeat) and by a splendid performance of the First XI in the 1950-1 Bathurst District Competition. This was due to the coaching of Mr. C. F. Price, who generously gave his time and considered the most outstanding coach the school had ever had. The best players of this period were J. Glenn, F. Murphy, D. Murray, T. Fullerton, M. Tink, D. Tiller, J. Glenn, J.M. Brownlow, and H. Watts. Details of other players achievements are recorded in the Steel and Antill’s 90th anniversary edition “The History of All Saints’ College Bathurst” 1873-1963.
In the 1960’s and 1970’s cricket reports in the annual Bathurstians have reflected the importance of cricket being a great team sport which allows for individuals to stand out. The First XI’s in the different seasons saw many different players representing in various Western Associated Schools competitions and some going on to play representative NSW Schoolboy Cricket or in First Grade Cricket teams after school. Names such as P. Woodley, N. Hooper, P. Williams, G. Nott, P. Nott, S. Sullivan, D. Pratley, R.M. Langlands, P. Dunk, listed from the various Bathurstian cricket reports as players of note. Many of these went on to play in higher grades after leaving such as Ross Langlands who played in the NSW Team as a bowler for a season.
In the 1980’s and 1990’s cricket teams had varied success in the inter school competitions. It wasn’t until the 1988/89 season when the First XI Cricket Team was declared the ‘most successful in the long and proud history of First XI cricket at All Saints’ College’ as undefeated premiers of the W.A.S. competition, joint premiers of the Booth Cup and had six members selected for the Western Associated Schools representative side. Stuart Maze and Brett Cooper were captain and vice-captain respectively of this prestigious representative side. In the early 1990’s players, Ben Nott, Hamish Nott, James Dunk, Glenn Johnstone,(all sons of Old Boys) together with Doug Killen, John Siede, Mitchell Hansen, Nathan Hansen, and others all played in either the combined W.A.S. side or went further and were part of the N.S.W. Combined Country Schools teams, or the N.S.W. under 19 First XI’s. Later in the 1990’s players such as Clint West, Nigel and Scott Staniforth, Kalu and Raju Griggs, Andrew McIntyre, William Rikard-Bell, Huw Blood, David Hitchick, and Joe Webb played in the combined W.A.S. teams or in the NSW Schoolboys’ First XI. The teams were able to play on a finely curated Watson oval, thanks to the dedication of the school’s grounds man, the late Doug Rowe, a top cricketer himself.
The 2000’s saw some significant successes in First XI’s competitions as well as seeing the first female cricketer joining the First XI. Natalie Meredith played in the CIS Team, NSW Country 2nds and the NSW U17 Girls teams. ASC Cricket also saw the departure of dedicated coach in the late Tony McLaughlin in 2001, and the introduction of a girls’ cricket team in 2003, coached by Bruce Clydsdale. That year James Taylor, Jared Rowe and Rhys Poole were selected in the WAS team and Jared played in the NSW Country Schools team. The First XI joined the 1st division and later the 2nd Division of the ISA Competion with some success. The next few years saw players such as Sam and Max Hope, Andrew Dean, Tom Galvin, Ben Parsons, Ben and David Cant, Tom Geyer, Ruth Watt, Abbey Barcham, Bridget Ellis, and many others, made valuable contribution to cricket at ASC. Cricketers in all teams were encouraged and supported by the many dedicated coaches, Garth Dean, Damien Hanrahan, Ian Jones, Phil Cant, Spencer Goddard, Bruce Clydsdale, Scott Gardner, Simon Morris, and others, continued to instill in players the values of being part of the Gentleman’s Game.
Mrs Memory Sanders, Archives
