The Central Gippsland Cricket Association (CGCA) grew from the ashes of Yallourn and District Cricket Association (YDCA) in 1950, following a dispute in the A Grade final between Morwell and Yallourn ANA cricket clubs. The dispute centers around Morwell’s claim that Yallourn ANA played a player that was not registered.
This dispute went to the Victorian Cricket Association (VCA) Tribunal but was returned unresolved to YDCA. A meeting of YDCA was held at Yallourn on March 13th, 1950. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss a letter from Morwell Cricket Club, concerning decisions of the VCA Tribunal affecting the final series. A vote of confidence was taken in the tribunal. After further lengthy discussions, a motion was put forward that the final series in the 1949-50 season be abandoned; the meeting motion was carried.
This series of events led to the formation of the Central Gippsland Cricket Association (CGCA) in 1950. Clubs affiliated included Moe, Morwell, Willow Grove, Yallourn, Morwell Imperials, Maryvale Mill, Yallourn St. Johns, Traralgon, Yallourn Golds, Monash, and Yallourn Blacks.
Long-serving CGCA delegates to the VCCL, Mr. Albert Cardwell and Mr. Jeff McDonald, were awarded Life membership.
CGCA Life Member, Mr. Graeme Freshwater, was awarded the 2010 “R.F Merriman Service Medal” for outstanding services to Victorian country cricket.
The GCL was formed in the late 1950’s. It was the brainchild of CGCA members and former Melbourne district cricketers Norm Byrne (South Melbourne CC), Albert Cardwell (Essendon CC), together with Bruce Wilkinson. All Associations in the Gippsland region were invited to play in a Sunday competition, as it was thought it would players better prepare for the Melbourne County week carnival.
CGCA players that have represented Victorian Country and All Gippsland XI against international test touring teams:
1954 Victorian Country X1 versus England (two-day match)
1967 All Gippsland XI versus India
1978-79 All Gippsland XI versus England
1982-83 All Gippsland XI versus New Zealand
1985-86 All Gippsland XI versus Sri Lanka
CGCA cricketers to make multiple trips to Melbourne Country Week:
Ten wickets in an innings (A Grade):
Ten wickets in an innings (B Grade):
Ten wickets in an innings (C Grade):
1,000 runs in a season (A Grade)
Records
Ron Marslen
Sensational cricket solo performance by Ron Marslen
The 1980-81 Country Week A Group Grand final, played at Carlton, was virtually won single handedly by CGCA’s champion all-rounder, Ron Marslen. Leongatha batted first and were bowled out for 157 runs, with Ron capturing 7-46 from a marathon 26 overs. CGCA was in trouble early when it was their turn to bat, slumping to 6-47, when Ron came into bat and took the score to 8-159. Ron finished with a match-winning 87 runs not out, to give CGCA a victory.
Ron Marslen’s record for CGCA and representative cricket was phenomenal. He scored over 13,000 runs (including 28 centuries and 2,850 runs for CGCA at Country week and GCL). With the ball, Ron captured around 1,265 wickets with his off spinners, including 924 A Grade wickets. Ron made a CGCA-record of 27 trips to Melbourne Country Week and was awarded three All Gippsland caps.
Peter Siddle
CGCA’s First Test Cricketer
Peter Siddle is a former Latrobe CC and Dandenong CC player. After playing State cricket for Victoria and Tasmania, Peter went on to play Test cricket for Australia as No. 403. In his 67 tests, he captured 221 wickets, with his best being 6-54 – including a hat trick – against England at Brisbane in 2010. He scored 1,164 Test runs, including two 50’s and a highest score of 51.
Peter captured 17 ODI wickets, with his best being 3-55.
Peter also played first class cricket for the Adelaide Strikers (Captain), Australian A, Essex, Lancashire, Melbourne Renegades, Montreal Tigers, Nottinghamshire, The Rest of the World, and Somerset.
John White
John White accumulated 50 years as player, umpire and administrator with Central Gippsland Cricket Association.
He was league president for 27 years and was awarded life membership in 1999.
He received life membership of the Morwell Cricket Club in 1993.
As a player, John notched up more than 500 senior games, won 11 premierships including five in A grade, hit 10 centuries, 51 half centuries and was the only Morwell player to make over 10,000 club runs.
In 2012 John received a 50 years’ service medal from Cricket Australia and Cricket Victoria and was awarded an Australian Sports Medal in 2000.
John has written two cricket books: A History of Morwell Cricket Club in 1991 and Coal Dust and Cricket in 2014.
Harry Frei
Harry Frei played for Moe High CC, Moe and Toombul District competition (Queensland) as a lefthand fast bowler and hard-hitting middle order righthand batsman.
Harry played 37 matches for Queensland, scoring 489 runs, with a top score of 57 in his first game for Queensland against England in 1982-83; this included 5 sixes. He captured 91 wickets, with best bowling figures of 6-52 and capturing five wickets in an innings on two occasions.
Brad Knowles
Brad was a righthand batsman and left arm fast bowler, and played for Morwell Tigers Yinnar, Victoria, Camberwell, Fitzroy and Doncaster; Brad also played for Victoria’s Second XI and Western Australia. At the Western Australia Ford Rangers Cup he record 84 runs and 23 wickets. He also played in the Victoria Ford Rangers Cup, making 114 runs (with a top score 36) and taking 33 wickets (best of 4-32).
In 2008-09 Brad won the A.E. Liddicut “Cricketer of the Year” Award (Melbourne Premier Cricket).
Colour Portrait of Sir Donald Bradman
A colour portrait of Sir Donald Bradman was donated to the CGCA in 1950 by George Adams (Tattersalls Hobart). The portrait hung in the Yallourn Picture Theatre for many years, before being relocated to the Gert Mahoney Pavilion at Morwell Football Ground.
Participation in Women’s GCL Competition
The CGCA participated in the augural Gippsland Cricket League (GCL) women’s competition in 2003-04, with players predominantly coming from Morwell Cricket Club. The team was coached by Morwell CC’s Barry Mathieson, with former champion CGCA wicket keeper Alan Mathieson acting as team manager.
In 2004-5 the team won their first final in thrilling match against the strong Sale Maffra Cricket Association (SMCA) team – CGCA 103 to SMCA 9-97. Rene Vidler scored 24 runs and Robin Fitzpatrick captured 4-18.
The team went on to win the GCL Women’s premiership in 2004-05, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 (four in a row).
Jane Bone (CGCA Captain) won the converted GCL woman’s “Player of the Year” award in 2004-05; Robin Fitzpatrick also won the award in 2006-07 and 2009-10.
The core group of CGCA GCL players included Lynda Walker, Renee Vidler, Michele Williams, Raylene Bilingsley, Heather Farley and Wendy Mathieson; all made strong contributions to the team throughout those years.
Nicole Faltum
Nicole is a righthand batswoman, wicket keeper and occasional leg spin bowler. She has played for Morwell and Dandenong cricket clubs, and captained the Melbourne Stars in WBBL|08.
Nicole played 41 matches for Victoria, scoring 1,096 runs at an average of 36.45 and a high score of 107. As at 31 December 2023, Nicole has played 67 games for Melbourne Stars scoring 292 runs in 42 innings and completing 41 dismissals (25 catches and 16 stumpings).
Naomi Fullwood
Naomi originally played for Morwell CC before playing with Dandenong CC and then Victoria.
The majority of this information was kindly compiled by John White. John accumulated 50 years as player, umpire and administrator with CGCA.
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