WALTER DAVID LOVERIDGE

13 September 1867 – 6 January 1940

Wally attended Newington for five years from January 1880 to December 1884. Born on 13 September 1867, he was a member of the Newington first XI for three seasons and continued to play regularly with the Old Boys for 20 years or so after leaving the College. After Newington, he played with the Double Bay juniors and from around 1888, he was a first grader with Sydney University for several seasons.

On 19 January 1889 at the University Oval, batting at number three he scored 150 not out for University in their win against the Osborne club. At the Sydney Cricket Ground on 22 December 1894, he captained an 18 man junior NSW team against the touring Englishmen. This match was drawn but the NSW Colts, including a 17 year old Victor Trumper and Monty Noble did very well. NSW Juniors 9 declared for 443 (Noble 152 not out, Trumper 67) drew with England 6 for 151.

Wally joined the Central Cumberland club in 1893/94, which was the first season of Sydney Electoral cricket, or grade cricket as we know it today and captained this club to their first ever, Sydney first grade Premiership in 1899/1900.

At Brisbane on 8 November 1902, he was the NSW captain and wicketkeeper in the win against Queensland. This was a first class match.

A good batsman and bowler, he took up wicketkeeping by accident while with Sydney University after an injury to the club’s regular keeper. He retired from serious cricket at the end of the 1909/10 season after 16 years in the first grade ranks but continued to play some matches with the Newington Old Boys.

In his 16 seasons, he scored 831 runs at 10.5 with one fifty and as a wicketkeeper, he dismissed 117 batsmen, 54 caught and 63 stumped. In his first few years, he also bowled and took 10 first grade wickets at 8.3. Nine of these wickets came in his first season, at an average of just 4.2, including a best of 7 for 23, against Glebe at the SCG on 31 March 1894.

Wally joined the NSW Lands department as a cadet draftsman in January 1885. He quickly advanced through the NSW Public Service, becoming an Inspector for the State Treasury, a member of the Public Service Board and Chairman of the Sydney Harbour Trust from 1924 to 1929. He was awarded a Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (CMG) in 1930 and died in Brisbane on 6 January 1940, aged 72.

Written by Barry Ross

Another SUCC 1st Class Player - Walter D Loveridge