West Torrens Cricket Club
| Full name | West Torrens District Cricket Club |
|---|---|
| Nickname | The Eagles |
| Sport | Cricket |
| Founded | 1857 (as Hindmarsh CC) |
| League | South Australian Cricket Association |
| Home ground | Henley Oval |
| Colours | (Navy) Blue and Gold |
| Anthem | "The Road to Henley Beach" |
| President | Denis Brien |
| Head coach | Mark Harrity |
| Captain | Kelvin Smith |
The West Torrens District Cricket Club ("Western Eagles") is a semi-professional cricket club in Adelaide, South Australia. It competes in the West End Grade Cricket Competition, which is administered by the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA).
The Western Eagles field four senior teams and nine junior teams and are based at Henley & Grange Memorial Oval. Other grounds used by the club include Henley High School, Gleneagles Reserve and Lockleys North PS.
The club has won 13 A grade premierships[1] with the last being in 2006/07, breaking a 45-year premiership drought. The Eagles have also won 4 West End Cup (One Day) Premierships (1971/72, 1972/73, 1993/94 and 2003/04). During the past decade the club has become one of the strongest in the South Australian Grade Cricket League, winning lower grade premierships in 1995/96, 2002/03, 2007/08 & 2012/13 (B Grade), 2003/04, 2004/05 & 2006/07 (C Grade) and winning the SACA Club Championship in 2004/05, 2006/07, 2007/08 and 2011/12.
History
The Club began in 1857 as the Hindmarsh Cricket Club with its headquarters at Lindsay Circus (now Hindmarsh Stadium) and has continued, with only a change of name in 1897, until the present day, making it the 2nd oldest cricket club in South Australia. Morphett Vale Cricket Club (established 1849) is the oldest cricket club in South Australia.
The club moved to Thebarton Oval in 1921 where it remained until 1988 when it transferred to the adjacent King's Reserve. A lack of junior players and inadequate facilities saw a final move to the Henley and Grange Memorial Oval for the 1997-98 season.
Famous players
Many famous names have worn the blue and gold cap. Affie Jarvis, Jack O'Connor, Ron Hamence, Bruce Dooland, Graham Hole, David Hookes and Ian Chappell played Test cricket for Australia while West Torrens players. Merv Waite (Australia), Jeff Crowe (New Zealand), Gladstone Small (England) and Jason Gallian (England) played Test cricket soon after leaving West Torrens. Matthew Elliott also represented Australia before playing 2 seasons for the Eagles after transferring from the Victorian Bushrangers to the West End Redbacks .
Rick Darling, Rod McCurdy and Bradley Young have been Australian one day international representatives and Charlie Walker, Phil Ridings were members of Australian touring teams.[2]
Former player and club coach Tim Nielsen is former coach of the Australian Cricket Team and is now working with the West End Redbacks . Past club captain Callum Ferguson has represented Australia, South Australia and the Pune Warriors in the IPL. Vice captain Trent Kelly represented both West End Redbacks and the Western Warriors. Peter George represented Australia in a single Test Match in India while Dan Cullen has also represented Australia in One-Day and Test Match cricket.
1st Grade Club Records
Batting
Most runs in career: Andrew Haslett, 6781 runs
Most runs in a season: Paul Nobes, 974 runs @ 88.54 in 1987-88
Best Bowling: Ross McLennan, 10/39 vs University @ Thebarton Voal, Feb 1958
Highest Team Score: 492 vs P. Adelaide at Adelaide Oval, March 1936
Bowling
Most wickets in career: Percy Combe, 623 wickets
Most wickets in a season: Graham Stanford, 72 wkts @ 10.87 in 1971-72
Highest Score: Merv Waite, 339 v P. Adelaide @ Adelaide Oval, March 1936
Highest Team Score: 492 vs P. Adelaide at Adelaide Oval, March 1936
Fielding
Most dismissals in career (wicketkeeper): Rex Blundell, 164 ct, 71 st, 235 dismissals
Most dismissals in a season (wicketkeeper): Jesse Lewis 43 ct, 4 st, 47 dismissals, 2004-05
Most dismissals in an innings(wicketkeeper): Rex Blundell, 0 ct, 7 st, V Woodville @ Thebarton Oval, Oct 1969
General Records
Most Games: Brian Isaac, 211 (1959-60 to 1978-79)
Youngest Player (WT): Ron Hammence, 15y. 25d. v Kensington @ Kensington Oval. 20-12-1930
Youngest Player (Hindmarsh): Affie Jarvis, 14y. 82d. v Kent @ Adelaide Oval 9-1-1875
Oldest Player (WT): Charlies Chittleborough, 56y. 43d. v North Adelaide @ Hindmarsh Oval, 10-2-1912
Oldest Player (Hindmarsh): James Chittleborough, 40y. 330d. v Kent @ Lindsay's Circus, 25-10-1873