A Basic History
Working bees by members were held , an area the size of the present playing field was cleared.
To give you an in site to the time, from Warragul Road to Stud road were all market gardens, orchards and dairy farms.
The glen Waverley train line was extended from east Malvern in 1930 to Glen Waverley.
A concrete pitch was put down; in the spot where the present turf wicket is now.
When the first match was played here in 1925 there were very few conveniences. No pavilion (the first pavilion was not built until 1926.
At that time we played in the Burwood District Cricket Association.
The club resessed for 3 years during WW2. Upon recomention, for a short time two playing fields here.
By 1958, the pavilion was a tin shed in front of where the Tennis Club is today. The roads near the ground were unmade and there was no lighting in the pavilion. The club had two teams.
During 1962-3 we decided to add extra teams and merged with the Syndal Youth Club, to take over their U14 and U16 teams. Having increased the number of teams we were lucky to secure a second ground at Pinewood, which was identified during its development by Jennings. Prior to that we used various grounds, including those of the MCC on land off Fern Tree Gully Road, Wheelers Hill. (Which they later sold)
About 1963 we asked Council if the City of Waverley would consider a turf wicket. We lost as Glen Waverley got the nod as they had two Councillors on their committee. We however reapplied 2 years later, and Mt. Waverley, Ashwood and Mulgrave were all installed in 1966/67 By then we had 4 senior teams, and 4 under age teams.
In 1966 that season marked the end of our association with the ODCA, and joining the ESCA, as turf cricket was coming to Mt. Waverley.
President Alan Button, who was in the chair from 1968 to 1971, convinced Council to install a turf wicket at the Pinewood Reserve, and so the club now had four senior teams playing on turf from 1968/69 onwards.
The Victorian District Cricket Association decided to admit the sub-district club Waverley, MWCC set sights on gaining entry to the Sub District Association to replace Waverley. The club lobbied quite hard to other VSDCA Club with support of the council to get votes to join the competition.
Along with Broadmeadows, Croydon, & Werribee we were admitted during the winter of 1974, to commence 1974/75.
Life member Ted Plant who suffered a heart attack in September and plans to play this year for Ormond played in the very first match against mount Waverley in the vsdca.
To be competitive in the VSDCA, the club recruited a number of ex Waverley players and appointed a professional coach for the first time.
The first couple of years were a struggle, but it gave younger players a chance to play 1st grade.
In 1978 it became obvious that the club to needed to extend and modernise its facilities at its home ground and HQ’s.
The club rooms at the time consisted of the concrete grandstand with change rooms where they are today.
Negotiations with the MT W FC resulted in the formation of a Board for a Company to be formed to design, finance, build and equip a new Clubhouse.
The plan was to build social rooms on the west side of the existing change rooms. The new social rooms were opened in 1980.
The new clubhouse provided an excellent arena for an expansion of the after game reports. The club expected all team captains from the Sub District 1sts to the juniors, to attend and actually report to the assembled club.
1980’s saw a number of VSDCA clubs employ international cricketers including Malcolm Marshall at Moorabbin, Desmond Haynes at Dandenong, and (England fast bowler – Gladstone Small at Balwyn.
We ourselves have also dabbled in o/s players including Sri Lankan batsman Sunath Kaluperuma, Ravi Ratnayeke, Richard Blackey from England , and Danish/Hampshire bowler Thomas Hansen.
When i joined the club in 1987 we fielded 6 senior teams, 4 on turf, and 2 on hard wickets.
During my time a lot of players have come and gone. Some onto higher levels some have disappeared all together.
On Saturday nights it was a club tradition that has been lost where match reports for the senior teams were reviewed by the captains with packed club rooms of players, family & friends and supporters.
Modernising the social rooms were first discussed in the mid 90’s, it however took a good decade before they were gutted, remodelled, extended and completed.
A centenary dinner was held in 2006, with around 150 people in attendance. It was a black tie event with a few ex players flying in from overseas and interstate.
Junior sides have increased from 3 to today 11.
The 3rd & 4th XI’s were moved from the ESCA to the newly formed VSDCA 3rd & 4th XI in 1997.
Success has been limited to all levels below the second XI, with premierships and final appearances regularly achieved in the 3rd 4th XI and junior sides. Both the first and seconds have played in finals in the last decade.
As mentioned at the start this is only a brief over view and doesn’t go into detail of individual achievement, premierships, noted humour us incidents.