The Weekly Times - 17th January, 2018
Campaigning, crusading, truth-seeking, death defying, Aussie battler-aligned, one-eyed-Tiger-led news organisation dedicated to Sydney\'s north west
Campaigning, crusading, truth-seeking, death defying, Aussie battler-aligned, one-eyed-Tiger-led news organisation dedicated to Sydney\'s north west
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Wednesday 17 <strong>January</strong>, <strong>2018</strong> THE WEEKLY TIMES 31<br />
Another ton for local cricket legend Les Morgan<br />
HE played against some of Australia’s all time greats and etched his name in<br />
Balmain cricket folklore as an all rounder and leader of the highest calibre.<br />
Now local sporting<br />
legend Les Morgan<br />
(pictured) of Concord<br />
has chalked up his<br />
most treasured century<br />
to date.<br />
<strong>The</strong> long serving<br />
Balmainiac reached<br />
another important<br />
milestone when he<br />
celebrated his 100th<br />
birthday last month.<br />
Morgan is believed to<br />
be the oldest surviving<br />
first grade cricketer to<br />
have played in the elite<br />
men’s historic Sydney<br />
grade competition.<br />
A stylish batsman<br />
and uickish off spinner<br />
in his heyday, Morgan<br />
captained Balmain<br />
Cricket Clubs first<br />
grade X1 for a record<br />
nine seasons from<br />
1943/44 to 1951/52 - a<br />
record that still stands<br />
today.<br />
nlike modern day<br />
cricketers, es had<br />
the privilege of playing<br />
with and against many<br />
greats of the game.<br />
During his tenure as<br />
skipper, es matched<br />
wits with some of the<br />
greatest Australian<br />
cricketers to have ever<br />
graced a cricket field.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Concord native<br />
lined up against cricket<br />
luminaries Bill O’Reilly,<br />
Richie Benaud, Stan<br />
McCabe, Sid Barnes,<br />
Keith Miller, Arthur<br />
Morris, Alan Davidson<br />
and ay indwall on<br />
the ydney first grade<br />
cricket scene as well<br />
as former Test players<br />
Ian Craig, Graham<br />
Hole, Ron Saggers and<br />
Ken Eastwood.<br />
He also played<br />
against the likes of<br />
legends es allowfield,<br />
ughie Chilvers,<br />
Stan Sismey and<br />
many more.<br />
In a distinguished first<br />
grade career with the<br />
Tigers, Morgan bagged<br />
over first grade<br />
wickets and compiled<br />
nearly 3000 runs, proving<br />
himself to be an<br />
oustanding all rounder<br />
who contributed very<br />
well to the team.<br />
es previously played<br />
five seasons of first<br />
grade with the Western<br />
Suburbs club from<br />
1937-38 where he<br />
racked up runs<br />
and captured 176<br />
wickets plus another<br />
runs and wickets<br />
in second grade.<br />
e took over the almain<br />
captaincy reins<br />
from his good friend<br />
Cliff inning the Tigers<br />
respected cricket<br />
historian) and went on<br />
to also play alongside<br />
players such as NSW<br />
reps Bill Donaldson,<br />
lbert Cheetham, red<br />
Mair, Reg Pearce, Angus<br />
MacKinnon, Bill<br />
unt, red ennett<br />
and Gordon Cansdell.<br />
“I had to pinch myself<br />
to believe it - here<br />
I was playing with and<br />
against so many cricketing<br />
legends, it was<br />
such a privilege” reflected<br />
es.<br />
“With these top<br />
players involved you<br />
learned so much about<br />
your game and the art<br />
of captaincy.”<br />
es proudest moment<br />
was scoring 133<br />
and grabbing the figures<br />
of 6-11 and 5-44<br />
in the Tigers’ outright<br />
victory over University<br />
in a first grade fixture at<br />
irchgrove val back<br />
on December 21, 1946<br />
and <strong>January</strong> 4, 1947.<br />
Morgan’s dashing ton<br />
featured 19 boundaries<br />
in an entertaining 144<br />
minutes at the crease.<br />
He combined with<br />
Cansdell for a third<br />
wicket partnership<br />
of 138 in 97 minutes<br />
Centurion Mosca in<br />
match-winning stand<br />
then piled on 126 with<br />
onaldson in <br />
minutes for the fourth<br />
wicket.<br />
A brilliant piece of<br />
stumping by University<br />
keeper ewman off<br />
Delarue brought about<br />
es dismissal.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Tigers declared<br />
at 6-342 before Morgan<br />
- and lefty<br />
hand bowler Bill Hunt<br />
- sensationally<br />
rolled University for 22<br />
in the first innings.<br />
ollowing on, niversity<br />
did a little better<br />
in their second knock<br />
but were all out for 73 -<br />
giving Balmain victory<br />
by an innings and 247<br />
runs.<br />
es finished with<br />
match figures of -<br />
to go with his superb<br />
ton.<br />
This tremendous<br />
feat - a century and 10<br />
wickets in a match -<br />
has been matched just<br />
two other times in Sydney<br />
first grade history<br />
since 1893 by Charlie<br />
Kelleway and Grant<br />
ambert.<br />
“It was my highest<br />
ever first grade score<br />
and I hit the ball well<br />
that day, recalled es.<br />
“We then dismissed<br />
University for their lowest<br />
ever first grade total.<br />
With the ball I was<br />
able to<br />
land it in the right<br />
spot. Billy Hunt and I<br />
really feasted on wickets<br />
that day,” he revealed.<br />
After retiring from<br />
cricket, es became an<br />
accomplished golfer<br />
and pioneer with Massey<br />
ark olf Club at<br />
Concord.<br />
A life member and<br />
active stalwart until his<br />
early s, es founded<br />
the Club’s Veterans<br />
competition and his<br />
name is perpetuated<br />
with the . organ<br />
Shield trophy for the<br />
Best Net score by golfers<br />
in B and C Grade<br />
on a nominated medal<br />
day.<br />
SYDNEY Cricket Club’s strong team ethics shone like a beacon after conuring<br />
up yet another inspirational triumph in the 2017-18 NSW Premier<br />
ricket first grade competition last weekend at rummoyne val.<br />
Talented colts Anthony<br />
Mosca and keeper<br />
Beau McClintock provided<br />
the batting heroics<br />
in a rollicing e<br />
wicket victory over<br />
aireldierpool as<br />
the Tigers consolidated<br />
fth spot in the race for<br />
the nals<br />
Mosca hammered a<br />
magnificent not out<br />
and cClintock not<br />
out) as the duo shared<br />
an unbroken sixth wicket<br />
stand of 178 to secure a<br />
stunning win.<br />
Chasing 246 for victory,<br />
the Sydney team<br />
were reeling at 5-68 at<br />
one stage after the ions<br />
removed top order<br />
bats ustin osca ,<br />
atthew odgers ,<br />
Tristen conald , all<br />
rounder ic ills and<br />
arry alton in uick<br />
fashion.<br />
Enter centurion Anthony<br />
osca, who cracked<br />
two sixes and eleven<br />
boundaries in a spirited<br />
-ball knock and the<br />
capable cClintock who<br />
thumped seven boundaries<br />
in a successful<br />
rescue mission that delivered<br />
six crucial competition<br />
points.<br />
<strong>The</strong> previous day Sydney<br />
spin twins Ben Manenti<br />
and Nathan Sowter<br />
weaved their magic with<br />
the ball to help roll the ions<br />
for 245.<br />
Twenty year old off<br />
spinner Manenti returned<br />
the figures of - off <br />
overs while leg-spinner<br />
owter snared - off<br />
17 overs to cap superb<br />
performances for the Tigers.<br />
Sowter, who recently<br />
signed a new two year<br />
contract with English<br />
county club iddlesex,<br />
has proved a revelation<br />
since returning home to<br />
Drummoyne this summer.<br />
<strong>The</strong> 24-year-old Australian<br />
mainly played in<br />
Twenty20 Blast games at<br />
his county club, but his<br />
deal will see him feature<br />
in all formats.<br />
Based at the ‘home of<br />
cricket ords Cricket<br />
round, owter took<br />
over Twenty wickets<br />
and made his firstclass<br />
debut for the Crusaders<br />
last August.<br />
Wendel Delpechitra<br />
, all rounder att<br />
Critchley off <br />
balls and skipper armon<br />
andhu were<br />
the pick of the airfield-<br />
iverpool batsmen with<br />
paceman iam atcher<br />
- off overs and<br />
spinner Critchley -<br />
off overs sharing the<br />
bowling honours.<br />
Sydney’s clean sweep<br />
of victories over the ions<br />
keeps the Tigers in<br />
second spot on the Club<br />
Championship ladder on<br />
915 points behind lead-<br />
ers arramatta .<br />
In lower grade action,<br />
ydney young guns ick<br />
Taylor and iam ibson<br />
also chalked up impressive<br />
tons.<br />
Taylor registered a superb<br />
163 not out in the<br />
Tigers’ third grade triumph<br />
at Birchgrove Oval<br />
- smashing six sixes and<br />
16 boundaries during his<br />
brilliant -ball knock.<br />
He was supported by<br />
ayank harma off<br />
balls with four sixes<br />
and five fours and <br />
s all rounder iam<br />
cott -.<br />
Gibson carved out a<br />
stylish 106 in the Tigers’<br />
second grade victory at<br />
Rosedale Oval.<br />
SCS Sydney<br />
280 (Liam Gibson 106,<br />
Matt Pasternatsky<br />
70, Matt Kent 37, Ash<br />
Suire d Fairfield<br />
iverpool yan<br />
Corns Suan assan<br />
ugh Sherri<br />
Ale loomfield<br />
1-42, A Squire 1-43).<br />
S Sydney <br />
(Nick Taylor 163no, Mayank<br />
Sharma Steve<br />
ing van Sunjic<br />
anvir Singh <br />
d Fairfieldiverpool<br />
8-191 (Brett Lack 60,<br />
Gura Singh 28, Shaf<br />
Nouree 25, Liam Scott<br />
ustin odgie<br />
2-23, S King 2-29).<br />
FS Sydney<br />
ravis oton<br />
79no, Tyler Meyer<br />
21, Amed Hassan 19,<br />
Jayden Kallukalam<br />
3-36, Nathan Hebeston<br />
d Fairfieldiverpool<br />
158 (Aziz Hasan<br />
44, N Hebeston 31,<br />
ushi Padhye ackson<br />
Edwards 4-22, Jack<br />
rien .<br />
FFS Sydney <br />
iam obson Sam<br />
Cividin Allan Phillip<br />
ai velja d<br />
Fairfieldiverpool <br />
(Sebastian Buchanan<br />
amien apisarda<br />
3-22, Declan Armstrong<br />
1-22, Sam Shaika 1-23,<br />
asheed ime .<br />
CRAFTY leg-spinner<br />
Nathan Sowter captured<br />
4-52 in the Tigers’ win<br />
oer aireldierpool<br />
SUNDAY AFTERNOONS 3PM-6.30PM<br />
JANUARY 21 & 28 FEBRUARY 4<br />
Bookings 9807 2444<br />
www.releagues.com.au