Sydney University Cricket Club ANNUAL REPORTS AND CLUB records:
As part of the Club's Sesqui-centenary celebrations, the club has undertaken the painstaking process of digitising club records and documents from as early as 1878.
The Club warmly thanks The Chancellor's Committee for the assistance and resources provided to us in this project. It is only through an invaluable Chancellor's Committee grant that this project was capable of coming to life.
1876/79 to 1959/60:
1960/61 to 1968/69:
1969/70 to 1978/79
1979/80 to 1988/89:
1989/90 to 1998/99:
1999/2000 to 2008/09:
2009/10 to 2013/14
2014/15 to 2022/23
CLUB ADMINISTRATION RECORDS
OFFICE BEARERS
Patron (1868-1887 and then reinstituted in 1939)
Sir Edward Deas Thomson 1868- 1880
Sir William Manning 1880-1887 (KCMG,QC)
A B S White 1939-1944
R J A Massie 1944-1946
Dr T B Clouston 1946-1962
Capt J C Morris 1962-1975
Sir Hermann Black KBE 1975-1990
Dr W J Mackie 1990-2003
A B Crompton OAM 2003- 2020
J F Rodgers 2020-
President
Prof M B Pell 1864-1879
H Kennedy 1879-1881
Sir George Allen 1881-1882
Prof A Liversidge 1882-1891
H M Faithfull 1891-1909
Dr F D Kent 1909-1920
Dr N M Gregg 1920-1921
J B Lane 1921-1926
Dr A I Blue 1926-1927
A B S White 1927-1928
R J A Massie 1928-1929
S G Webb QC OBE 1929-1944
J O Stenmark 1944-1956
Capt J C Morris 1956-1962
F F Munro 1962-1965
Dr W J Mackie 1965-1973
G J Scahill 1973-1976
W A South QC 1976-1978
A B Crompton OAM 1978-2000
Hon Justice R Gyles QC 2000-2003
I E Fisher 2003-2004
B W Collins KC 2004- 2023
Mark Faraday 2023 - (Newly Incorporated Club Board)
Chairman (instituted in 1997)
J F Rodgers 1997-1998
I W Foulsham 1998-2005
MW O’Sullivan 2005-2013
J F Rodgers 2013-2015
Prof M T B Bonnell 2015-2018
AF Theobald 2018- 2022
Mark Faraday 2022- 2023
The Club Incorporated in 2023 and the Board Structure was amended accordingly.
Life Members (instituted in 1970)
S G Webb QC OBE (dec’d 1976)1971
Dr W J Mackie 1971
Capt J C Morris (dec’d 1976) 1974
G J Scahill 1977
F E McElhone (dec’d 1981) 1978
A B Crompton OAM (dec’d 2022) 1983
E B Le Couteur 1996
M W O’Sullivan (dec’d 2013) 1996
Prof D D Ridley 1996
J F Rodgers 1996
I E Fisher 1999
B W Collins QC 2003
I E Foulsham 2005
M Farrow 2005
P W Logan 2007
D Quoyle 2007
G Harris 2008
D A Butchart 2010
L J Carrington 2014
G H Pike 2014
A F Theobald 2014
G J Mail 2017
M W B Faraday 2017
Honorary Secretaries (Since 1868)
R C Teece 1868-72
J M Purves 1868-69
R M Sly 1869-71
D Fisher 1871-72
E Barton 1872-75
G E R Jones 1872-74
F Bundock 1874-75
G E R Jones 1875-77
W C Wilkinson 1875-77
J H Carruthers 1877-78
H Feez 1877-78
R M Sly 1878-80
T W Garrett 1880-85
T Powell 1885-86
A Eden 1887-88
R C Allen 1888-90
A H Garnsey 1891-92
H H Terrey 1892-94
J P Strickland 1894-96
W D Cargill 1896-98
W H Gregson 1898-99
W B Dight 1899-1900
J W Woodburn 1900-02
E F Waddy 1902-03
F C Rogers 1903-04
J S Harris 1904-05
W F Matthews 1905-07
G D MacIntosh 1907-09
O B Williams 1909-10
L C Terrey 1910-11
C J Tozer 1911-14
C G Prescott 1914-15
H V Evatt 1915-16
R Bardsley 1916-17
L C Donovan 1917-18
J Bogle 1918-19
J Clemenger 1919-20
H M deBurgh 1920-21
C H Lawes 1921-22
J H Mould 1922-23
A D Mayes 1923-25
W G Wilson 1925-26
H V Single 1926-27
C Cay 1927-28
J E P Hogg 1928-29
G C Hogg 1929-30
A L Cohen 1930-31
J Hellmrich 1931-32
R A C Rogers 1932-33
N Falk 1933-34
I B Fleming 1934-35
T Glasheen 1935-36
J A Meillon 1936-37
H J Delohery 1937-38
J F Connelly 1938-40
L Seward 1940-41
H B Todhunter 1940-42
E J Halliday 1941-42
G S Smith 1942-44
K Dan 1944-45
D Howell 1945-46
J M Coppleson 1945-46
A R Cumming Thom 1945-46
B R Handley 1946-48
D Dickins 1948-50
D A deCarvalho 1950-51
D R Cristofani 1951-52
D A deCarvalho 1952-53
P B Hall 1953-55
C Pearson 1955-56
P Whiteley 1956-57
J W Peden 1957-59
J A L Blazey 1959-60
C Roberts 1959-60
P L Jeffrey 1960-61
E B LeCouteur 1961-63
P Cross 1963-65
P H Scanlan 1965-66
R E Alexander 1966-68
R C Mesley 1968-69
I W Foulsham 1969-70
D Armati 1969-70
A B Crompton (dec’d) 1970-73
A J Falk 1973-74
D D Ridley 1974-77
M F Sewell 1977-80
J F Rodgers 1980-84
S Quartermain 1984-85
P Glenday 1985-88
M T B Bonnell 1988-89
P J Rodgers 1989-91
M T B Bonnell 1991-92
M Evans 1992-94
D C Cheever 1994-97
A Pearson 1997-98
K Parker 1998-99
Executive Officers
W Turnbull 1998-99
P Clarke 1999-2002
D Quoyle 2002-06
B Burgess 2006-07
G de Mesquita 2007-13
R Barrett 2013-14
D Bryant 2014-19
C Robertson 2019-
SUCC FOUNDATION (CREATED 1989)
Chairman
E B Le Couteur 1989 - 2004
J F Rodgers 2004 - 2007
M E Wilson 2007
P W Logan 2008 - 2020
D Miller 2020-
Secretary
J A Grimble 1989-2004
E B Le Couteur 2004-06
M E Wilson 2006-07
G de Mesquita 2007-13
D Bryant 2014-19
C Robertson 2019 -
Treasurer
N Raffan 2004-08
L J Carrington 2008-15 (not required- administered by USSF)
ACB, NSWCA & SCA REPRESENTATION & HONOURS
Life Members NSWCA
Sir Joseph Carruthers 1927
(President NSWCA 1908-14)
Sir Colin Sinclair 1927
R C Teece 1927
T W Garrett 1936
R B Minnett 1936
T R McKibbin 1936
J M Taylor 1936
R C M Boyce 1943
S G Webb QC OBE 1944
R J A Massie 1944
Dr H V Evatt KC 1951
J O Stenmark 1956
A B Crompton OAM (dec’d 2022) 1983 (Chairman NSW Cricket Board 1988-97)
Vice-Presidents NSWCA
E Barton (later Sir Edmund) 1882-1885
J Coates 1890-1893
H M Faithfull 1890-1895
R C Teece 1897-1898
Sir Joseph Carruthers 1895-1907
Dr H V Evatt, K.C 1935-1955
R J A Massie 1939-1946
Hon Secretary NSWCA
R C Teece 1868-1870
Hon Treasurers NSWCA
R C Teece 1882
H M Stephen 1904-1907
Australian Cricket Board Delegates
G P Barbour 1909
Sir Colin Sinclair 1909-1912
(ACB Hon Sec & Hon Treas 1909-11)
S G Webb QC OBE 1955-1972
A B Crompton OAM 1980-1997 (Chairman 1992-95)
B W Collins QC 2004-05
Country Committee NSWCA
R C M Boyce 1921-1922
Grade Committee NSWCA
J B Lane 1913-1914
A B Crompton OAM (dec’d 2022) 1973-1979
M F Sewell 1979-1982
SCA Committee of Management
J F Rodgers 1985 -1993
(Deputy Chairman SCA 1989 -1993)
B W Collins QC (Chairman SCA) 2001 - 2009
G J Mail 2015 - 2016
NSW Selectors
T W Garrett 1882-1902
L O S Poidevin 1923-24
E P Barbour 1931-33
I E Fisher 1979-84
G J Mail 2013-16
Life Members of SCA
M W O’Sullivan 2002
J F Rodgers 2004
M T B Bonnell 2016
G J Mail 2017
I A Moran 2019
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Available for purchase at our online store
(coming soon)
GOLDEN BLUES.
SYDNEY UNIVERSITY CRICKET:
150 YEARS OF THE CLUB AND ITS PLAYERS
With 2014-15 representing the 150th Anniversary of cricket at Sydney University, Sydney Uni Cricket produced a book entitled "Golden Blues. Sydney University Cricket: 150 years of the club and its players", superbly written and compiled by club stalwarts and resident historians, Max Bonnell and James Rodgers. The book details some of the key moments, periods, matches and players of our rich 150-year history.
Thanks go to The Chancellor's Committee for the assistance and resources provided to compile this wonderful snapshot of our history. Established in 1977, The Chancellor's Committee is a group of volunteers who raise money for projects of university-wide significance. Please click here to visit them.
SU CRICKET TIMELINE:
11 October 1852: The inauguration ceremony of the University of Sydney.
1-8 April 1854: The first recorded game featuring Sydney University (vs The Garrison at the Military and Civil Ground…now known as the Sydney Cricket Ground).
17 March 1858: The first recorded game at Sydney University Oval (University vs St Paul's)
1864-65: SUCC revived and formally constituted.
24-27 December 1870: The first Inter varsity match (vs Melbourne University at MCG).
1871-72: SUCC wins the ‘Challenge Cup’ to become the premier Club in Sydney.
March 1877: The first ever Test Match. Australia vs England at MCG. The Australian side includes University’s Tom Garrett, at 18 years, still the youngest Australian Test player.
1882-85: SUCC is awarded the ‘Challenge Cup’ in perpetuity as the Premier Club in Sydney.
1890: Sydney University Sports Union inaugurated.
1893-94: The first season of ‘Electoral Cricket’, the forerunner of ‘Grade Cricket’. SUCC is the only ‘non-electoral’ club permitted to participate.
1897-98: SUCC withdraws from the Competition.
1898-1902: SUCC 1st XI participates in the 2nd Grade Competition and wins two premierships.
1902-03: SUCC readmitted to 1st Grade.
1909-14: The ‘Golden Age’ when SUCC wins three 1st Grade premierships in five seasons and produces multiple first class representatives.
1914-19: SUCC’s ranks are decimated by the demands of Australia’s involvement in World War 1. Eleven SUCC players are killed.
1919-26: SUCC resumes its dominant position in Grade cricket.
1939-45: Australia is again at war and large numbers of students defer studies and join the armed forces. The Grade competition is suspended during the war years.
1956-57: 1st Grade contests the semi finals for the first time in over 30 years.
1960-66: 2nd Grade contests the finals in six successive seasons, winning three consecutive premierships.
1971-72: The beginning of a period of significant lower grades’ success. Between 1973 and 2000, SUCC wins 18 lower grade premierships.
1988-89: Alan Crompton becomes the first SUCC member to be elected as Chairman of the NSW Cricket Board. In 1992-93, he is elected as Chairman of the ACB.
1996-97: NSWCA’s strategic plan recommends that ‘SUCC should be repositioned in the Sydney Shires competition’ for 1997-98, a recommendation that was, in the same year, rescinded.
1997-98: SUCC fields a AW Green Shield (under 16) team for the first time. The beginning of a resurgence.
2000-01: SUCC wins the Club Championship for the first time.
2002-03: SUCC wins the 1st Grade premiership for the first time in 89 years.
2011-12: Ed Cowan becomes the first ‘home-grown’ SUCC player to represent Australia in Test cricket for nearly 90 years.
2002-15: SUCC wins three Club Championships, five 1st Grade premierships and six 2nd Grade Premierships (including four in succession).
2013-14: SUCC’s 150th season is marked by the Club Championship, the 1st Grade, 2nd Grade and 6th Grade premierships.
2016-17: SUCC claims the 1st Grade premiership, the fourth in seven seasons.
2018-19: SUCC claims the Club Championship by record number of points.
2019-20: SUCC claims the First Grade One Day Cup, the second time in 3 years. Third and Fourth Grade are Premiers in a Covid-19 shortened season. Hayden Kerr is joint Bill O’Reilly Medal winner. Liam Robertson (First Grade) and Henry Clark (Third Grade) are announced grade captains of the year.
1st Grade Scorers
The following information has been taken largely from SUCC Annual Reports. If readers can fill in missing details, please contact James Rodgers: jfrodgers9994@gmail.com
1853-54 to 1904-05. None recorded
1905-06. Mr WJ Howe
1906-07. Mr Thomas Howe
1907-08. Mr Birrell
1908-09. ?
1909-10. Messrs L Lehmaier and H Plant
1910-11. AL Stafford, H Boyce, H Plant
1911-12 to 1914-15. Mr J Biggs
1915-16 to 1926-27. ?
1927-28. Mr H McDonald
1928-29. Mr AP Cohen
1929-30 to 1931-32. ?
1932-33 to 1938-39. Mr H Aizelwood
1939-40, Mr J Quilke
1940-41 to 1942-43. ?
1943-44. Miss Helen Cox
1944-45. Mrs F Ring
1945-46. Mrs Olive Smith
1946-47. ?
1947-48. Mrs Molloy
1948-49 to 1950-51. ?
1951-52. Messrs JJ Hanley and R Cristofani snr
1952-53. Mr JJ Hanley
1953-54. ?
1954-55 to 1956-57. Mr de Carvalho snr and Mr Bernie Amos snr
1957-58. Mr Bernie Amos snr, Fergus Munro snr
1958-59 to 1973-74. Captain JC ('Skip') Morris
1974-75 to 1979-80. Jack Smith
1980-81. Steve McQuilty
1981-82 to 1987-88. Peter Glenday
1988-89. Natalie Smith
1989-90 to 1993-94. Gary Saint
1994-95 to 1999-2000. Ron Grimble
2000-01 to Current - John Kilford
THE PATRONS OF SYDNEY UNIVERSTY CRICKET CLUB
There have been ten Patrons during the Club’s existence.
The first two were appointed by reason of their position at the University:
Sir Edward Deas-Thomson (1800-1879) was Patron from 1868 until 1879 during which time he was also the fourth Chancellor of the University.
Sir William Montagu Manning (1811-1895) succeeded Deas-Thomson as Patron of the Club from 1880 until 1887 and also succeeded him as Chancellor of the University.
Neither Deas-Thomson nor Sir William Manning ever played for the Club.
For some reason, the position was then vacant from 1887 until the appointment of ABS White in 1939.
Then, RJA Massie served as Patron from 1944 when White retired until Massie himself was forced to relinquish the position when he was appointed as Chairman of British and American Tobacco Company in London in 1946.
Both White and Massie had distinguished playing careers with the Club and both had represented NSW.
Massie was succeeded by Dr Thomas Clouston (1946-1962), Captain John Morris (1962-1975), Sir Hermann Black (1975-1990), Dr Jim Mackie (1990-2003), Alan Crompton (2003-2020) and James Rodgers (2020- ).
This is the story of the fifth Patron, Dr Tom Clouston (1878-1962). Stories of the other eight will follow.
TB Clouston was born in Ireland but emigrated to Australia with his parents in 1881. His father, Reverend Thomas Edward Clouston (1849-1913), was a Presbyterian Minister, appointed to the parish of Penrith from 1881 until 1891 and then to Glebe for the next twenty years. He also lectured in Historical Theology at St Andrew’s College within the University and was later a Professor of New Testament Theology and Church History. He rose to the position of Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Australia.
One TB Clouston’s sisters was Mary who married Percy William Dive who played one game for NSW as a 41 year old leg spinner but their daughter, TB Clouston’s niece, was Mary (Mollie) Dive, captain of Sydney University Women’s Club, captain of NSW and captain of Australia. A grandstand at North Sydney Oval is named in her honour.
TB Clouston studied Medicine at the University, graduating in 1905. During his undergraduate years he played 3rd Grade for the Club during 1901-02 at least. He was Secretary of the 3rd XI and one of the team’s selectors. Records of that team and any other that TB Clouston may have played for are now unfortunately lost.
He married Muriel Isabel (nee Smail) in 1906 but his medical career at Pambula and Tumut, and enlistment as a Captain in the Medical Corps of the 1st AIF in 1918 took him out of Sydney for many years.
Following RJA Massie’s retirement as Patron in 1946, the Club turned to Dr Clouston, who may not have had much close connection with the Club for over 40 years, to fill the position. In the early 1940s, he once again supported the Club and was closely associated with the Veteran’s XI, serving as Secretary to the Vets and as a Delegate to the City and Suburban competition. Despite his advanced age (he was in his 70s for most of his time as Patron) and increasing immobility (he eventually had both legs amputated), he was much respected and admired. He took especial interest in the Veterans’ XI which was at the time made up of graduates, former playing members of the Club.
When he died in April 1962, FC Rogers, who had played for the Club at about the same time as Dr Clouston, wrote a heartfelt obituary for the Annual Report and one of the Veterans paid this fine tribute:
“Our beloved Patron, a familiar figure to so many of us during past cricket seasons…Courage comes in many different forms but none so rare as that shown by Doctor Tom.”
A half brother (his father remarried when his first wife died) was Edgar Boyd Clouston, a Medicine I student in 1914, who died of wounds in Belgium in September 1917, aged 22. He may have also played for the Club in 1914.
James Rodgers
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
THE PATRONS
ALFRED BEECHER STEWART WHITE 1879-1962
PATRON 1939-1944
ABS White has a record that’s unlikely to be approached or broken.
His last game in Grade Cricket for SUCC as an undergraduate was in October 1900. In the first two rounds of the 1900-01 season, he opened the batting for the Club’s 1st XI which was in exile, playing in the 2nd Grade competition for four seasons because of a protracted and acrimonious dispute over the eligibility of players for SUCC. White scored 60 against Norths and then 25 against Burwood before sailing to England.
His next game in Grade cricket for SUCC occurred 41 years later in 1941-42. These were grim seasons when many cricketers had enlisted. There were one day games only between the clubs but no Premierships were contested. SUCC struggled to fill a 3rd XI. Enlistments, military camps and the inevitable long vacation reduced available players to a trickle. The Club was granted a dispensation and two Graduates were permitted to play in 3rd Grade. Nevertheless, 53 players took the field for the 3rds during the season. The Club turned to its venerable Patron, ABS White, to captain the side. His sense of duty and responsibility to the Club characterized his response. White had been playing most successfully for the Veterans for over 30 years. He had an enviable record for North Sydney CC after graduation and had played four times for NSW. He and Syd Webb, the President of the Club, (who also returned to Grade cricket in the 3rd Grade side) held SUCC together during these trying times.
Limited statistics were published for the 1941-42 3rd Grade side. We know that Matthews scored 329 runs; that Wilkinson scored 287 runs and that Fred Smith, who had played two years in 1st Grade before the War, took 36 wickets. Did ABS White also score runs as he had been doing in almost every level of cricket for 50 years? After all, in his last two seasons with the Veterans, 1936-37 and 1937-38, he’d been dismissed only three times and had averaged 129. Unfortunately, no other statistics for 1941-42 survive. It was, however, an extraordinary comeback for a player aged 62.
Alfred Beecher Stewart White had been born 4 October 1879 at Mudgee, one of three sons and three daughters, to Robert Hoddle Drieberg White 1838-1900 and Eliza Jane (nee Cowper) 1844-1927. He was sent to the newly established Sydney Church of England Grammar (‘Shore’) School and quickly showed promise as a cricketer, an upright batsman who scored runs with his technically correct on drives and deft late and back cuts. His first game for the school 1st XI was on 1 November 1893, just after he had turned 14, against Newington in the newly formed GPS Cricket competition. He batted at number three and made 13 which was the highest score in Shore’s dismal 46. In his second game a few weeks later, he opened the batting with Gother Clarke who was to represent NSW and to be killed during the Great War. For most of the rest of his long career, White went in first. Shore’s batting was consistently weak but White stood out, averaging 30 in his first season, but even he could not stop the inevitable collapses in 1894 when, aged 15, he captained Shore’s 1st XI. Successive all-out scores of 29, 25, 45, 64, 60, 27, 42 and 8 for 35 characterised Shore’s abysmal season when they won no games and finished last. From then on, until 1898, Shore relied on White and he rarely disappointed, scoring 2745 runs @ 45.7 in all 1st XI games including 163 not out in the 1898 game against Newington at Stanmore. He bowled tidily.
Going up to the University in 1898, he had developed into a tall, well-built athlete who easily fitted in with the University 1st XI, unfortunately playing in the 2nd Grade competition only. He also represented the University Football (Rugby) Club. For the cricket team, he scored a century on debut, 117 not out against Manly, accumulated 617 runs @68.5, and took 32 cheap wickets. In 1899-1900, his form fell away (259 runs @28.8) because of his studies, so it was said, and in 1900-01 he played just two matches, despite election to the Club’s Committee, before sailing to England. His SUCC Grade career seemed to have finished. He returned to Sydney, married Adele Julie (nee Pitt) in 1903 and resumed his Grade career, this time with North Sydney and took his first steps in the family’s stockbroking firm, ‘ABS and Co’.
He played briefly for North Sydney’s 1st Grade side in 1903-04 and also, when he was available, for the SUCC Veterans, where he scored 392 runs @49 and took 20 cheap wickets. His beginning to the 1904-05 season, however, can scarcely have been more explosive. In North’s 2nd Grade, he began with an astounding 278 not out in a total of 8 for 698 against the hapless Manly side. This 278 has, for 119 seasons, remained the highest individual score in 2nd Grade among all Clubs. White followed this with 149 against Glebe and after two rounds had scored 427 runs @427. Within thirteen months, he had made his 1st class debut for NSW against Queensland. Restored to 1st Grade, he continued his batting marathons at the crease: 198 not out against Middle Harbour in 1905-06, then, 151 in a trial match for the NSW 2nds. In 1906-07 in a similar trial game he scored 181.
The Sydney Morning Herald commented:
“His style is different from most of our leading players, but he is one of our soundest batsmen, also a good field.”
What was “different” about his “style” was not explained but he kept scoring runs, eventually finishing with 2172 runs @49.36 for North Sydney.
Spread across four seasons, he represented NSW four times, all against Queensland , finishing with 291 runs @48.5 including a score of 147 in his last 1st class season, 1908-09. He batted 250 minutes for his 147 in Brisbane and hit 15 fours. In Sydney in January 1909 he was captain of a NSW side that lost by two wickets. He contributed only 21 and 8 with the bat and his 1st class career was over. He had also played for NSW in a two-day game against Fiji in 1907-08 when he scored another century and took 4-18 with his off breaks.
For the next 30 years, he continued to dominate the SUCC Veterans’ averages. When many of the pre-war players returned to cricket it was to play for ‘The Vets’. For instance, in 1921-22, White was joined by Jack Massie, Paddy Lane, Cecil Rogers, Joe Woodburn, Hugh Massie, George Willcocks, Archie Blue, Iven Mackay, AH Garnsey, Percy Penman who had all represented SUCC’S 1st Grade with distinction in the earlier years of the 20th century. Without flourish, White once again scored most runs, 539 @49 and again took cheap wickets, 23 @12. Jack Massie, a decorated and severely wounded war hero, however, bowling now off a few paces, was unplayable. His 85 wickets for 829 remains, unsurprisingly, a record for the SUCC Vets.
ABS White continued to turn out for and, most often, captain the Vets. His form, even approaching his sixties was irresistible as he accumulated over 7000 runs and took over 400 wickets. He simply scored runs wherever he played.
He still took a great interest in the Club and served as President for a time.
Then, in 1939, the Club resurrected the position of ‘Patron’ which had remained unfilled for over 50 years and it was ABS White who presided then for the next five seasons, including 1941-42 when he answered a most unlikely request to return to Grade cricket.
Even after stepping down as Patron in favour of Jack Massie, White continued his lively interest in the Club which only ceased when he died in 1962.
ABS White’s son, Edward Clive Stewart (Ted) White 1913-1999, was a tall slow left arm bowler who played 56 first class matches after graduating from Shore School in 1932. For the Shore 1st XI he took 175 wickets in four full seasons and scored over 1000 runs. Selection in North Sydney’s 1st Grade was followed by a first class career that spanned the seasons from 1934 to 1939. He took 8 for 31 against South Australia in 1935-36 on a rain-affected pitch and he was taken to England with the 1938 Australian side. In a dry English summer his bowling did not have the impact that was hoped for and he was not used in any of the Test Matches. He served in World War II and was eventually promoted to the rank of Major. After the War, he resumed his cricket career, this time with IZingari, and was still bowling well enough approaching his sixties to capture 823 wickets for the club during a career of over 20 years.
James Rodgers
Acknowledgements to Max Bonnell and Dr Colin Clowes.
THE 85+ TEAM
THOSE WHO PLAYED FOR SUCC AND WHO WERE BORN BEFORE 1940 AND ARE STILL LIVING.
(CORRECT AS AT 8.8.2024).
Bert Alderson. born 14.12.1924.
Donald Scott-Orr. 22.7.1930.
Vic Cristofani. 4.6.1931.
Trevor Mitchell. 9.5.1933.
Saxon White. 9.3.1934.
Graham Reed. 20.10.1934.
Neil Bonnell. 2.5.1935.
John Laurie. 31.8.1935.
Angus Talbot. 11.8.1936.
Barry Andrews. 11.9.1936.
Robert Laurie. 5.11.1936.
ER (Tom) Dodd. 5.8.1937.
Jon Erby. 19.5.1938.
Alan Cash. 24.5.1938.
Mac Chambers. 10.8.1938.
Roger Gyles. 27.8.1938.
John Blazey 29.8.1938.
Michael O'Dea. 11.11.1938.
RN (Dick) Towsend. 12.11.1938
Frank Wagner. 17.11.1938
Ian Fisher. 28.5.1939.
NEXT IN LINE. NOT YET 85:
Peter Lovell. 2.1.1940
Malcolm Ives. 25.7.1940.
JS (Scott) Harbison. 5.11.1940.
Fergus Munro. 2.5.1941.
Greg Russell. 20.5.41
Bob Grant. 11.12.1941.
Hartley Anderson. 2.11.1942.
WC (Bill) Goff.
NB. The following are thought to be 85+ but exact birthdays have not yet been found.
Graham Ireland
Jock Murray
MEMBERS OF THE SYDNEY UNIVERSITY CC
KILLED IN SERVICE OF AUSTRALIA
WORLD WAR I
Major John Nicholas Fraser Armstrong
(SUCC 1902-04)
died 5 July 1916, France, aged 38
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Captain William Robert Aspinall MC
(SUCC 1912-14)
died 20 July 1917, France, aged 24
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
Lieutenant Robert Anthony Barton
(SUCC 1914-15)
died 9 June 1917, Messines, France, aged 22
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
Lieutenant Alan Russell Blacket
(SUCC 1913-15)
died 16 August 1916, France, aged 22
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
Captain Norman Walford Broughton DSO
(SUCC 1908-15)
died 10 September 1917, The Somme, France, aged 28
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
Major Gother Robert Carlisle Clarke
(SUCC 1894-97),
died 12 October 1917, at Zonnebeke, Belgium, aged 42
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Lieutenant Edgar Boyd Clouston
(SUCC 1913-1914),
died 26 September 1917, Polygon Wood, Belgium, aged 22
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
Sergeant William Hilder Gregson
(SUCC 1895-1901),
died 14 November 1916, Guedecourt, France, aged 39
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Corporal Clifford Dawson Holliday
(SUCC 1914-16),
died 20 July 1916, Fromelles, France, aged 21
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Captain Roger Forrest Hughes
(SUCC 1908-13),
died 11 December 1916, Flers, France, aged 26
——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Gunner Eric Neal Clamp Leggo
(SUCC 1916-17),
died 20 October 1918, France, aged 25
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Lieutenant Colonel Henry Normand MacLaurin
(SUCC 1896-99)
died 27 April 1915, Gallipoli, aged 36
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
Private Alan David Mitchell
(SUCC 1911-12)
died 5 May 1915, Cairo, Egypt, aged 23
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
Lieutenant Alexander Roxburgh Muir MC
(SUCC 1914 -15),
died 13 October 1917, Ypres, Belgium, aged 22
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
Lance Corp. Clarence Garfield Page, MM
(SUCC 1911-13)
died 22 July 1916, Pozieres, France, aged 27
——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
Lieutenant Elliot D’Arcy Slade
(SUCC 1911-12)
died 30 March 1918, Villers Bretonneaux, France, aged 23
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Captain Arthur (Johnnie) Verge
(SUCC 1899-1904)
died 8 September 1915, at Alexandria, Egypt, aged 35
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
Captain John Stuart Dight Walker, MC.
(SUCC 1904-07)
died 21 July 1918, at Merris Nord, France, aged 32
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
WORLD WAR II
Captain Stephen Denis Foley
(SUCC 1934-37)
died 14 May 1943, at sea off the Qld coast, aged 27
——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Lance Sergeant Jack Thomas Garvin
(SUCC 1922-24)
died 4 June 1945, Labuan, Borneo, aged 43
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
Major Llondha Holland
(SUCC 1920-21)
died 14 May 1943, at sea off the Qld coast, aged 41
——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
Flying Officer Jack Ledgerwood
(SUCC 1939-41),
died 21 September 1943, Steeple, UK, aged 21
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Brigadier Geoffrey Austin Street
(SUCC 1912-14)
died 13 August 1940, Canberra, aged 46
——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Captain Laurence Edward Tansey
(SUCC 1936-37),
died 17 August 1943, at sea near Bowen, Qld, aged 24
——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
Pilot Officer John Alan Traill
(SUCC 1941-42),
died 18 June 1944, at Gannes, France, aged 21
——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Major Ian Firth Vickery
(SUCC 1931-39),
died 27 November 1942, Soputa, New Guinea, aged 28
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
OTHERS NOT ON WAR SERVICE WHO DIED WHILE PLAYING CRICKET FOR SUCC
Robert Martin Gibson (SUCC 1899-1901) Arts
Died 2 February 1901 aged 21
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ronald G Harris (SUCC 1922-1927)
1ST Grade Captain 1927
Med V.
Died 15 December 1927 aged 24
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ross Arthur Kelly (SUCC 1969) Ag Science (Economics) II
Died December 1969 aged 22
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Athol Stanley Davis (SUCC 1992-1994)
Died 27 December 1994 aged 21
THE 85+ TEAM, THOSE WHO PLAYED FOR SUCC AND WHO WERE BORN BEFORE 1940 WHO ARE STILL LIVING. CORRECT AS AT 27.7.2024.
Bert Alderson. born 14.12.1924.
Donald Scott-Orr. 22.7.1930.
Vic Cristofani. 4.6.1931.
Trevor Mitchell. 9.5.1933.
Saxon White. 9.3.1934.
Graham Reed. 20.10.1934.
Neil Bonnell. 2.5.1935.
John Laurie. 31.8.1935.
Angus Talbot. 11.8.1936.
Barry Andrews. 11.9.1936.
Robert Laurie. 5.11.1936.
ER (Tom) Dodd. 5.8.1937.
Jon Erby. 19.5.1938.
Alan Cash. 24.5.1938.
Mac Chambers. 10.8.1938.
Roger Gyles. 27.8.1938.
John Blazey 29.8.1938.
Michael O'Dea. 11.11.1938.
RN (Dick) Towsend. 12.11.1938
Ian Fisher. 28.5.1939.
NEXT IN LINE. NOT YET 85:
Malcolm Ives. 25.7.1940.
JS (Scott) Harbison. 5.11.1940.
Fergus Munro. 2.5.1941.
Greg Russell. 20.5.41.
NB. The following are thought to be 85+ but exact birthdays have not yet been found.
Graham Ireland
Jock Murray
Peter Lovell
COMBINED AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITIES v SOUTH AFRICA
SYDNEY UNIVERSITY OVAL
21-22 DECEMBER 1910
On Wednesday 21 December 1910, Charlie Dolling, captain of the "Australian Universities" team, a 24 year old medical graduate of Adelaide University, walked out to the middle of Sydney University's Oval. He looked up at the clear blue sky, shook hands with the South African captain, 30 year old gold mine manager, Percy Sherwell, spun the coin successfully and informed Sherwell that the Universities' team would bat.
Dolling then returned to the dressing rooms and instructed 19 year old Eric Barbour, one of the four Sydney University medical students in the team, to pad up and to accompany his captain out to the middle to open the Universities' innings.
Alf Chislett, Sydney University's legendary groundsman, had prepared an evenly-paced batting wicket that promised an abundance of runs but in the second over, with only two runs on the board, Dolling, facing the right arm medium-pacers of 'Tip' Snooke who bowled from the pavilion end, attempted a cut shot to a rising delivery. His top edge flew into the slips where Dave Nourse hung onto the catch. The Universities' captain, who had first represented South Australia's Sheffield Shield team in 1905, was out for a duck, and he walked dejectedly back to the pavilion.
This was the third time that a visiting international cricket team had played at the Sydney University Oval.
In February 1898, AE Stoddart's English side had played a two-day game against thirteen players representing what was known as an "Australian Universities" side. In reality, the Universities' side contained ten players, mainly undergraduates and graduates who played with Sydney University, another two from Melbourne University and one who played with IZingari. Stoddart's team dominated the game, declaring at 7 for 333 at stumps on Saturday and having the Universities' side 6 for 76 on a showery Monday when the game had to be abandoned.
Then, in March 1908, once more on the Sydney University Oval, the touring Fijian side played a one-day game against an eleven of Sydney University. This time, the exotic visitors were out-classed, making 135 and 94 against University's 195 before stumps were drawn.
Sydney University's authorities were keen to play more matches of this kind on the University Oval, hoping to be considered worthy of matches against touring international sides in the same way that the ancient English universities' cricket teams were part of touring teams' fixtures. When the South Africans had toured the British Isles in 1907, three years before their first tour of Australia, they had played both Oxford University and Cambridge University in two first-class games, both of which were washed out on the third day.
There was much enthusiasm for this third game on the Sydney University Oval featuring an international side playing against what The Sydney Morning Herald considered "an eleven representative of the best that Australian 'varsity cricket could produce."
The Herald was filled with lyrical images in describing the first day's play.
"Cultured cricket sums up the day's exhibition. It was a 'varsity crowd and the ladies who thronged the grandstand were the sisters and friends of the students. The picturesque arena was surrounded by colleges, while silhouetted against the skyline was their Alma Mater. A University cricket match partakes somewhat of the nature of a social occasion."
The spectators were well entertained as 412 runs were scored during this first day's play. The Universities' team featured eight players who would play first class cricket and included two who would play Test cricket for Australia. There were six undergraduates from Sydney, three from Melbourne University and two graduates from Adelaide University. The Adelaide players were to stay in Sydney over Christmas to play in the first inter-varsity game between Adelaide and Sydney Universities on 26 and 27 December. A weakened Sydney won by 6 wickets before a meagre crowd who found little of interest in Sydney's loose bowling and shoddy fielding.
On 21 December, the Australian Universities were bowled out just after tea for 288, the majority of which came from three of Sydney University's top order stylish batsmen, Barbour, McElhone and Minnett. After Dolling's early dismissal, Eric Barbour and Eric McElhone added 113 in under an hour with scintillating, exhilarating stroke play. Roy Minnett, who was to play nine Tests for Australia in the next few years, top-scored with a dominant 82 which contained 12 fours and which tamed the three famed wrist spin bowlers, Pegler, Schwartz and Faulkner, who among them took one for 137. The 34 year old left arm slow bowler, Charlie 'Buck' Llewellyn, the first coloured cricketer to play for South Africa, took wickets regularly and finished with 6-76 from 20 probing overs.
From then on, the South Africans were increasingly dominant. They scored the majority of the 519 runs added on the second day before Sherwell declared at 7 for 487. Llewellyn had smashed his way to 148 not out, including thirteen fours and six sixes. The Universities just hung on for a draw and at stumps were 8 for 156, still 43 behind. Barbour and Melbourne's Louis Darby defended grimly during the last few overs although Darby's loitering to soak up time while walking out to bat drew strong criticism from The Herald for his "not sportsmanlike action."
Despite both sides' hopes that such games at Sydney University's pleasantly tree-lined oval would become regular fixtures in touring teams' itineraries, it was not until England's 1936-37 tour that the next game was played on the oval. And that game has been the last.
But who were the members of the 1910-11 Universities' team?
Six were from Sydney; three from Melbourne; two from Adelaide.
Seven were to graduate as Doctors of Medicine.
Two graduated in Law.
One was a civil engineer.
Nine were to serve in the Great War. Quite a number of them returned to Australia as decorated war heroes. Lewers, Stack and Massie were all awarded the Distinguished Service Order. Fisher and Campbell were awarded the Military Cross.
At the time of the Australian Universities' game, the youngest was Eric Barbour, aged 19, and the oldest was Walter Stack, aged 26.
In 1910-11, Sydney University's 1st Grade side was to finish third after the 1909-10 side had won the premiership. A number of players were first year undergraduates. Barbour was to play his first full season in 1st Grade and was to score 533 runs at 59.2. Similarly, it was Jack Massie's first season in 1st Grade.
Many had their promising cricket careers considerably affected by serving in the Great War and by the demands of their professional careers. Remarkably, all eleven survived the war and returned to their careers in Australia.
In batting order in this match, they were:
1. CHARLES EDWARD DOLLING
Dolling, of German origin, captain of the Australian Universities' side, was born on the Yorke Peninsula, South Australia, on 4 September 1886. His early education was at Way College before he went on to Prince Alfred College where he captained the school's 1st XI side in 1904-05 and 1905-06. In the 1904 game against St Peter's College, he announced his considerable talent, scoring a triple century before taking six wickets. In the corresponding game of 1905, Dolling scored 106 and took 13 wickets. He went up to the University of Adelaide to study Medicine and where he played cricket and football (Australian Rules) and where he involved himself generously as an office bearer of the University's Sports Association.
Aged only 19, he was selected for South Australia, making his debut in the Sheffield Shield match against Victoria in Melbourne. This was the first of 29 first-class games he was to play, until his final three games, when, aged 37, he captained South Australia after the Great War. He averaged 34.88 in first-class games, scoring 1744 runs which included four centuries.
After the Australian Universities' game against the South Africans, Dolling practised as a doctor on the Yorke Peninsular before going to London for more study. He enlisted in the Royal Army Medical Corps and served in Egypt and in France.
He returned to Australia in 1921, resumed his club cricket with West Torrens (for whom he scored a record 856 runs in 1922-23) and married Dorothy Clarke in Adelaide.
He was a much respected manager of South Australian teams and a selector for South Australia and Australia until his death in his surgery on 11 June 1936 aged only 49. His position as Australian selector was filled by Donald Bradman.
2. ERIC PITTY BARBOUR
Barbour was born in Ashfield, Sydney, on 27 January 1891. He was closely, even obsessively, coached by his father, George Barbour, a fine club cricketer for University and Burwood, a NSW Rugby player, a NSW cricket selector, a delegate to the Australian Board of Control, and Classics Master at Sydney Grammar School where he inevitably coached the College's 1st XI.
Eric Barbour made his debut in the Grammar 1st XI aged 14 in 1904-05. He was to score an astounding 9867 runs in all games in the 1st XI and to take 492 wickets with his leg breaks. When Grammar played Shore in 1908-09, he not only took 7 for 78 in Shore's 301 but he also hit 64 boundaries in making 356 in Grammar's 916. In the same season, he made his first class debut for NSW against Queensland, aged only 17 and wearing his Sydney Grammar cap. He had played 1st Grade for Burwood aged 15 in 1906-07.
Sydney Grammar School 1st XI 1907
Seated from left
EP Barbour, EM Fisher captain, Mr GP Barbour coach
Courtesy Sydney Grammar Archives.
His 1st Grade and first class careers were affected significantly by the Great War and then by the demands of his medical practice. Barbour played his last Grade games (when he captained Randwick to its first premiership) aged in his early forties, and his last game for NSW aged 34. He was a much-respected NSW selector.
Nevertheless, his first class career of 23 games produced 1577 runs at 46.38 and his 1st Grade career realised 4603 runs at 48.45.
There was always the feeling, however, that he could have done even better. Similarly in his studies, after earning the highest pass of any student in NSW in the Leaving Certificate, his university results in Medicine were sound rather than spectacular.
He withdrew from the 1914-15 Australian team's tour of South Africa (which was cancelled anyway because of the war) to concentrate on his final medical studies.
As with many other young doctors, Barbour enlisted in the Australian Army Medical Corps in September 1915. He had recently married Dora Grieve. He was posted to Egypt, England and France and he was largely shielded from the horrors of war, although his younger brother, Fred, was killed in France in 1917.
After the war, he captained a Combined Dominions team in England before resuming his medical practice in NSW, firstly at Dorrigo (1919-1923), then Stockton (1923-1929) and finally at Kensington from 1930 until his death.
He wrote two fine cricket books, the coaching manual The Making of a Cricketer and, with Alan Kippax, Anti-Bodyline, during the 1932-33 tour of Australia, and a newspaper column for the Sydney Morning Herald and for The Sydney Mail. He married for a second time to Jessie Nicholson in 1932 and had time to play a last couple of games for the Sydney University Veterans before dying of cancer on 7 December 1934, aged only 43.
3. FRANK ERIC (known as Eric) McELHONE
Eric McElhone was born on 27 June 1887. When he died in 1981, aged 94, he was the last survivor of this Australian Universities' match. He was also the last survivor of the Sydney University premiership sides that dominated Grade cricket before the Great War, having first appeared for the Club in 1905-06 after three seasons with Waverley and after a glittering school career with St Aloysius' College. Eight seasons in University's 1st Grade team produced 2053 runs and selection in seven games during 1910-11 and 1911-12 (385 runs at 38.5) in a NSW side that included some of the most renowned Australian players of the era. He considered it a singular honour to have played in NSW sides captained by Victor Trumper whose memory he continued to commemorate for many years.
During the 1910-11 season, just after he played in the Combined Universities' team against South Africa, he made his first class debut and, in his second match in January 1911, he scored 101 against Victoria. Then, in February 1911, he stroked his way to an effortless 94 for NSW against the South Africans, His handling of the famed South African wrist spinners drew deserved praise as he consistently hammered the off side boundary.
A handsome pedigree assisted Eric's development as a cricketer. His father, Frank, had been one of the founding members of the Waverley Club in 1894. One uncle, Billy McElhone, was Chairman of the Australian Board of Control. His wife's brother was the Australian Test player Dr HV Hordern.
Eric also played baseball for NSW and, as a fieldsman in cricket, he stood comparison with some of the finest cover points of his time. Since 1955, the Club's trophy for the best fieldsman in 1st Grade has been named in his honour.
He reappeared in Grade cricket for North Sydney after the Great War before retiring with 2904 runs in 1st Grade.
Eric McElhone's long life brought him many achievements. He practised as a solicitor for almost 70 years and was married for 66 years. At the age of 91, in 1978, he was elected as a Life Member of the Sydney University Cricket Club, a club he always held in the highest esteem.
4. ROY BALDWIN MINNETT
Roy Minnett was born in Sydney on 13 June 1888.
He was one of two players in this Universities' side who would go on to represent Australia ( nine Test matches. 390 runs at 26.06 and 11 wickets at 26.36). In first class cricket, he played 54 matches (2142 runs at 28.94. 86 wickets at 25.02) and his 1st Grade career spanned 20 seasons (3833 runs at 27.77 and 319 wickets at 19.14). For a brief period before the Great War, he was the most exciting all-rounder in Australian cricket, a lively fast-medium bowler and a dashing stroke player.
Three of his brothers also played 1st Grade in Sydney and two of them also represented NSW.
Roy had been a prodigy at the Shore School. He made his 1st Grade debut (for North Sydney) while still at school, aged 17, and his first class debut at 18. In this 1910-11 season when he was playing for Sydney University, he was selected three times for NSW. He hit 151 against Tasmania at a run a minute. Consistent scores for NSW in 1911-12 resulted in his selection for the 1st Test against England. On his second day in Test cricket, he dominated the scoring until, on 90 (14 fours, 105 minutes), he was caught at slip from the bowling of the legendary Sydney Barnes. He never quite recaptured that form but he played eight more Test Matches, including the 1912 tour to England, and dominated first class cricket (842 runs at 63 in 1911-12).
Soon after Roy graduated, he enlisted in the Army Medical Corps and was based in England before returning to Australia and, soon after, to Grade Cricket in 1916. He was only 32 when Test Cricket resumed in 1920 but, by that stage, he had all but retired from first class cricket to concentrate on his medical career. He played his last 1st Grade games in 1924-25.
He continued to practise as a doctor until his death aged 67 in 1955.
5. HUGH BUNNETT LEWERS
HB Lewers was one of only three who played in the Australian Universities' team who would not play first class cricket.
He was born in Melbourne on 6 September 1889, the youngest son of Thomas and Jessie (nee Bunnett) Lewers and he was educated at Melbourne Grammar where he prospered in sports and studies. He scored over 1000 runs in 1st XI competition games spread over four seasons, 1904-1907. As a middle order batsman and a brilliant fieldsman, he dominated most games, especially when he captained the 1907 champion side. He also represented the school's 1st XVIII side for three seasons and was appointed Captain of the school in 1907.
Melbourne Grammar School 1st XI 1907
3rd from the left sitting: HB Lewers captain
Courtesy MGS Archives.
He went up to the University of Melbourne in 1908 to begin medical studies, resident at Trinity College. From 1907-08 until 1912-13, he regularly represented the University's 1st XI until his final 1st Grade game, the semi final in April 1913 when Collingwood defeated University by only 20 runs. That was the end of his competitive cricket career. He had earned Blues for cricket in 1909, 1911 and 1912.
When war was declared, Dr Lewers was one of the first surgeons from Victoria to enlist, on 20 August 1914, with the rank of Captain in the Australian Army Medical Corps. He participated in the Gallipoli landing where he was wounded and he served on the Western Front, eventually with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the 6th Australian Field Ambulance. For his bravery at Pozieres in 1916, he was awarded the DSO.
After the war, he practised at the District Hospital in Bendigo until he was posted to Sandakan in Borneo in 1926.
He then emigrated to England, was awarded the OBE, and spent the rest of his life in England until he died in North Devon on 26 June 1950, aged 60.
6. ERIC MORTLEY FISHER
Eric Fisher was born in Sydney on 25 May 1889. He was awarded a scholarship to Sydney Grammar School at a time when the school was particularly dominant in Rugby and cricket and when it produced many who studied Medicine at Sydney University.
Fisher captained the school's 1st XV as well as representing the school in 1st XI cricket and in Tennis and Athletics. The highlight of his distinguished school cricket career occurred in his final season, 1907-08, when Fisher (184) and Eric Barbour (171) added 325 for the 2nd wicket against The Kings School.
It took him almost the entire 1908-09 season before he made his 1st Grade debut for Sydney University (1st Grade cap no103) as a higher order batsman and occasional slow bowler. Consistent runs in 2nd Grade (341 runs at 31), a promising 69 against Newtown in November 1908, and consistent availability led to his first game in 1st Grade against Waverley at the University Oval during student vacation in January 1909. He was undefeated, scoring 16 not out and 17 not out in University's loss but he had to score more runs in 2nd Grade before he could no longer be denied promotion. Opening the batting in April against Redfern, he scored 44 and was never again left out of the 1st Grade side. He was awarded his Blue for cricket in 1909 and received a Blue for Rugby in the same year. He captained the University 1st XV in 1913.
In the three seasons when he played every game in the 1st Grade cricket side, he totalled 1215 runs (top scoring with 92 not out against Gordon in 1910-11). In those three seasons, University won two premierships. He played just one more game in 1st Grade, in 1912-13.
Fisher graduated in 1913 with first class honours and with the University medal.
Many other young medical graduates enlisted in the 1st AIF at this time. Fisher, just before his twenty sixth birthday, enlisted on 1 May 1915 in the Australian Army Medical Corps with the rank of Captain. Two weeks later, he sailed, bound for Gallipoli and his precious letters from Gallipoli from August 1915 until December survive in the University archives.
Posted to France in 1916, Fisher was in charge of a Regimental Aid Post at Pozieres where he treated hundreds of wounded soldiers. He was awarded the Military Cross for bravery and for devotion to duty.
Returning to Australia in 1917, Dr Fisher graduated ChM in 1920 and practised at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital before setting up in private practice in Macquarie Street.
In June 1928, he married Patricia Florence Watt.
When he died on 4 March 1967, Eric Fisher was 77, a decorated war hero, a distinguished doctor, and a talented sportsman, who, 56 years previously, had represented the Australian Universities against the South Africans on Sydney University's oval.
7. ALBERT ERNST VICTOR (known as Bert) HARTKOPF.
Bert Hartkopf was born on 28 December 1889 at North Fitzroy, Melbourne.
He was one of two in this Australian Universities' team who went on to play Test cricket for Australia although he had to wait until he was 35, fifteen years after this Australian Universities' game.
Educated at Scotch College Melbourne from 1897 until 1909, he was a sportsman of protean ability, especially in Athletics, Australian Rules Football and cricket. He spent over five seasons in the college's 1st XI as a forceful right-hand batsman and a leg spinner who spun the ball vigorously.
At the time of the Australian Universities' game, when he scored 23 not out and 9 and took 1-71 from only 11 overs, Hartkopf had just finished his studies in first year Medicine at Melbourne University, for whom he played 1st Grade cricket and 1st Grade Australian Rules football.
He graduated with a degree in Medicine in 1915 but he does not appear to have enlisted in the 1st AIF. Perhaps his German name may have played a part in this? He worked at the Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, and then at the Royal Children's Hospital Perth.
In February 1918, he married Elizabeth Faulks and, from 1919, he set up medical practice in Northcote, Melbourne.
He had played the first of his 41 first class matches for Victoria against NSW in 1911-12 and then he resumed his first class career after the Great War (1758 runs at 34.47 and 121 wickets at 30.79)
When the English side, under Arthur Gilligan, toured Australia in 1924-25, Hartkopf scored a valuable half century for Victoria against the MCC in November. A few weeks later, the Australian selectors summoned him to play in the 2nd Test at the MCG, Hartkopf's home ground, to strengthen the Australian bowling after England had scored 298 and 411 in the 1st Test. So, Hartkopf made his debut (Australian Test cap no120), replacing HL Hendry.
The 2nd Test began on New Year's Day 1925, a 'timeless' Test that lasted for seven days, and that enticed over 236,000 spectators, but Hartkopf had to wait until the second day before he appeared on the field. Then, batting at number eight, he slammed a quick 80 and Australia finished with 600.
He had been chosen for his bowling but his leg spinners were wayward as England totalled 479 and his only wicket was England's wicket keeper and number ten batsman, Bert Strudwick, whom Hartkopf bowled for 4.
In Australia's 2nd innings, Maurice Tate dismissed Hartkopf for 0. Australia won by 81 runs but Hartkopf was entrusted with only 4 overs in England's 2nd innings. His Test career was over as Australia selected Jack Ryder (who made a double century) to replace Hartkopf for the 3rd Test.
Hartkopf's 80, however, remains the highest score for all those Australian players who have played just one Test.
He returned to the Victorian side and continued to play until 1928-29 when he turned 40.
Dr Hartkopf died on 20 May 1968.
8. GORDON CATHCART CAMPBELL
Gordon Campbell was born in Blackwood, South Australia, on 4 June 1885. His father, Dr Allen Campbell, had emigrated from Cathcart in Scotland (hence his son's second name) and had married Florence Ann. They were to have six sons and two daughters.
Gordon attended St Peter's College in Adelaide where he captained the 1st XI, the 1st XVIII, the Lacrosse team and the running team. He would go on to represent South Australia in these four sports as well as in gymnastics and he was considered to be the best all-round sportsman in South Australia at the time.
Going up to Adelaide University in 1904, he was to graduate BA (1906) and LLB (1909) and then to be admitted to the Bar in 1911 before practising as a solicitor.
As the wicket keeper and a competent right hand batsman in the Australian Universities' side, he had already represented South Australia in 1909-10 and was to play 23 first class games by the time of the Great War (497 runs at 15.06 in addition to 28 catches and 20 stumpings). He toured North America with an Australian side in 1913 and was chosen as Manager, Selector and one of two wicket keepers in the Australian side which was to have toured South Africa in 1914-15, a tour that was abandoned because of the war.
Before enlisting in May 1915 with the rank of Lieutenant, Gordon Campbell married Iris Fisher. A few months later, he sailed from Adelaide to Alexandria and to Lemnos before landing at Gallipoli.
He enjoyed a distinguished career in the 1st AIF as a decorated war hero, awarded the Military Cross in the New Year's Honours List in January 1917 as a result of his bravery in the battle of Pozieres before being awarded a Bar to the Military Cross in November 1917.
Gordon's brother, Norman, was killed in action in France.
In October 1919, he returned to Australia and resumed his career in Law, founding a firm of solicitors, Bennet, Campbell and Ligertwood.
He does not appear to have played much more serious cricket but he was prominent in cricket administration in South Australia, as a South Australian selector, Chairman of the South Australian Cricket Association and a member of the Australian Board of Control.
Gordon Campbell died aged 76 on 13 August 1961 at Woodville, Adelaide, 45 years after his extraordinary courage during the Battle of Pozieres.
9. WALTER JAQUES STACK
Walter Stack was born in Sydney on 31 October 1884.
For the first years of his long life, Stack led a life of gentility and relative ease. His family lived in England and Walter was educated at Dulwich College where he was a classmate and friend of the novelist PG Wodehouse.
When he returned to Australia, Stack enrolled at Sydney University and resided at St Paul's College. In 1905-06, he was graded in Sydney University's 2nd Grade before promotion to 1st Grade where he stayed for the remainder of his University cricket career which concluded in 1913-14. He changed courses to Medicine in 1908 but he took two years off his studies to concentrate on his cricket career. His father, George Stack, had played twice for NSW against Victoria in 1866 and Walter represented NSW in seven first class games from 1909 to 1913 (142 runs at 12.90 and 24 wickets at 31.08).
Stack bowled his wrist spinners from a short run with a high action and he mixed googlies with sharply turning leg breaks while keeping exemplary control. Twice he took 50 wickets in a 1st Grade season.
Stack played in three 1st Grade premiership teams, captaining the 1913-14 1st Grade premiers (1361 runs at 17.91 and 269 wickets at 18.97). He was especially damaging in crucial games. In particular, his 7 for 48 in the 1911-12 final against Redfern was decisive.
He graduated in Medicine in 1914 and enlisted in April 1915 as Medical Officer of 4 Battalion with the rank of Captain. He landed at Gallipoli in July 1915.
In the next year he was twice mentioned in despatches for devotion to duty (at the battles of Lone Pine and Pozieres) and was invested with the DSO in May 1919 at Buckingham Palace by King George V.
Stack returned to Australia in November 1919 and qualified as an ophthalmic surgeon. He lived in Bathurst where he was married in February 1930. He continued to play cricket until he was almost 50 years of age. In one of his last representative games, he captained Western Districts of NSW against Percy Chapman's 1928-29 MCC side. He caught and bowled Jack Hobbs and had Maurice Leyland caught in the covers before taking two sharp catches at first slip.
When Dr Stack died at Bathurst on 26 March 1972, aged 87, it was 61 years since he had played for the Australian Universities against the South Africans.
10. LOUIS VICTOR DARBY.
Not a great deal is known about Louis Darby who was born in Tasmania and who represented Melbourne University as a middle order batsman and medium pace bowler. One source says that he was born in 1896 but this cannot be correct unless he was aged 12 when he first represented Melbourne University!
Before the war, he played 1st Grade for the University from 1908-09 until 1912-13. He then returned for another five games in 1919-20.
In the Australian Universities' match, he is remembered for loitering to the wicket to soak up time and to ensure that the match was drawn as he defended stoically with Eric Barbour for company as the Universities' side were still 43 runs short of making the South Africans bat again.
11. ROBERT JOHN ALLWRIGHT (known as Jack) MASSIE
Jack Massie was born at North Sydney on 8 July 1890 into the heart of the Sydney Establishment. His father, Hugh Massie, was a prominent banker who captained Australia and who played nine Tests for Australia in the 1880s as a renowned hitter who opened the batting with startling effect. His mother (Tryphena Agnes) was a daughter of Sir Thomas Allwright Dibbs whose brother, George, was Premier of NSW from 1891 to 1894. Jack's older brother, also named Hugh Massie, a free scoring top-order batsman, played 1st Grade for Sydney University from 1907 until 1910 (724 runs at 38.10).
In the four seasons after Jack had left Shore School,where he had played four seasons in the school's 1st XI (223 wickets), he was devastating in 1st Grade with Sydney University (166 wickets at 13.79) and then with NSW (16 first class games, 99 wickets at 18.42) as he bowled left arm in swingers often from around the wicket.
Standing 6 feet 4 inches, he towered over his team mates. At Shore, he excelled at rifle shooting, boxing, rowing, rugby, hurdling and cricket. At Sydney University, he was awarded an unprecedented four Blues in five sports (boxing was considered part of athletics) and he was to represent NSW in rugby, athletics, boxing and cricket. In the 1913-14 1st Grade premiership side, he took a then record 69 wickets including five wickets in an innings on eight occasions.He was selected for Australia in Rugby but withdrew to concentrate on his studies. Similarly, he would surely have been selected for the Australian cricket team's tour of South Africa (which was cancelled because of the Great War) if he had been available.
Massie was a brilliant scholar who graduated from Sydney University in 1914 with first class honours and the University Medal in Civil Engineering.
He enlisted in September 1914 and in April 1915 he formed part of the Australian force that landed at Gallipoli. Massie was severely wounded when a Turkish sniper shot him in the left shoulder blade during the battle of Lone Pine. He was to be wounded another four times and was awarded the Croix de Guerre with Palme.
His most serious injury occurred on 3 February 1918 when a German aeroplane dropped a single bomb. Fragments of shrapnel ripped through Massie's foot.
By the time of the armistice, Massie had been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and had been mentioned in despatches on multiple occasions and was awarded the DSO "for conspicuous ability, initiative, resourcefulness and devotion to duty."
He married Phyllis Wood Lang in London in June 1919.
When he returned to Australia, he played for the Sydney University Veterans in the City and Suburban competition. In 1922-23, bowling with a run up of only a few hesitant steps, he claimed 85 wickets, a record for the Sydney University Veterans that still stands.
Massie was highly respected in the cricket community and his considerable business connections were put at the service of the administration of cricket in NSW. In 1928-29, he was elected President of the Sydney University Cricket Club. From 1938 until 1944, he was a Vice President of the NSWCA. In 1944, he was made a Life Member of the NSWCA.
Tragedy was to stalk his life. His son, John, was killed in action in 1943. His wife died in the same year. Massie remarried in 1947 to a widow, Elizabeth Emily Squire.
Jack Massie died at Mosman in Sydney on 14 February 1966, aged 75.
JAMES RODGERS