Hi All, I have been going back to summarise the history of the Ashburton Willows CC year by year. Just looking at a year at a time from the records I have.

This covers off the time of the East Kew CC and the Glen Iris Uniting CC that merged to become the Glen Iris East Kew Uniting Church Cricket Club in 1978 and to the current year.

I have completed about a dozen years and will send out a year a week until we get this project finished.

There will be plenty of names people will recognise.

Very keen to connect with anyone who can do the same for the Ashburton CC pre merger to document their amazing history

Anyway - here is the first year:

History of the Ashburton Willows CC Season 1969/70
East Kew Presbyterian Cricket Club (Pre-Merger)

Teams
The East Kew Presbyterian Cricket Club (Club Formed 17/11/1931) fielded 2 senior Teams in season 1969/70 in the B1 and C3 grades of the Eastern Suburban Cricket Association. In addition, the club fielded 1 Junior team at Under 14 level.

The First XI were captained by Barry Tobias who were runners up, losing to Bulleen Baptists in the Grand Final. EKPCC all out 117 v Bulleen Baptists 207 and 3/19. Noting this was only the team’s second loss of the season.

John Bell was Captain of the 2nd XI and played his 100th game in season 1969/70.

Notable Facts
• For season 1969/70 The Club President was Mr Harry Cust who for a 3-team club had 4 Vice Presidents!

• Club great Rod Myors was the Junior Club Manager

• First XI Captain Barrie Tobias had to play one game for the 2’s during the year and made 154 – his 18th Century for the club.

• Steve Biggins who went onto coach a lot of Junior teams at the club was playing in the 2’s and took 26 wickets at 11.61 and did not win the bowling average !

• The club held 5 social functions during the year:
o A Pie Night
o A BBQ
o A Movie night at Hoyts Camberwell to see “Castle Keep”.
o Presentation night
o A Church service where 30 players attended

• Financially the club was sound:
o Total Revenue for the season was $443 and an end of year bank balance of $94.13
o However, looking at the accounts it is noted the Pie Night ran at a loss of $4.08.
o Season Ground Fees were $35

• The Juniors played a lot of new players to cricket and recorded 55 Ducks in 8 games !

• It is noted that a young Peter Richmond (Life Member and Club Legend) won the Junior Bowling award taking 27 wickets at an average of 10.22. Best Bowling of 5/24. However, his batting was not quite as strong – 33 runs at 2.75.

• The Annual Report had a table of every player career club stats, and it is worthy to note that Barrie Tobias had scored 6,948 runs at 44.25 and taken 163 wickets at 20.96 at the end of the 1969/70 season – his 17th at the club.

Awards
First XI Batting – Barry Tobias – 319 runs at 45.57
First XI Bowling – Col Pagram – 36 Wickets at 8.33 (Col also won the Association Bowling award)
Second XI Batting – Greg Harris – 180 runs at 22.5
Second XI Bowling Average – Max Marriott – 27 wickets at 11.29