Warringah Cricket Club History

The History and Spirit of the MIG

It all started in 1976 when Ryde-Balmain announced that they could no longer compete in the old Metropolitan and Shires Cricket Competition (now known as the Sydney Shires Competition). The door was open for a new cricket club, and Frank Gray and Bruce Louden set about establishing this on the Northern Beaches.

With Frank’s role as secretary of the Manly Warringah Cricket Association (MWCA) and Bruce working to create relationships between Manly Warringah District Cricket Club (MWDCC) and the Manly Warringah Junior Cricket Association (MWJCA), plus with both men opening the batting together in the local A-Grade competition, Warringah couldn’t have had two better-qualified people to help create what would become a successful club.

But there was one piece missing: a home ground. With Brookvale Park converted into a rectangular sporting venue, a site was eventually found at the corner of Stirgess Parade, Curl Curl on the Southern Banks of Greendale Creek. What was originally a council tip become Weldon Oval, named in honour of Weldon Estate that originally occupied the area. This has been the home of Warringah Cricket Club ever since.

Growth and Expansion

The impact of Bruce Louden and Frank Gray’s dedication came almost immediately as the club saw early finals appearances. With two teams in the C and D Grade competitions (now known as 3rd and 4th Grade), Bruce and Frank began lobbying Warringah Shire Council to create room for a second home oval. The council granted room on the western side of Weldon Oval, and Harry Fraser and John Ward set out to create a deck that would rival the quality of Weldon. It was named Frank Gray Oval, in honour of the co-founder who helped to put Warringah Cricket Club on the map. By this time, Frank Gray was already affected by the onset of Multiple Sclerosis but, typical of the great man, he showed guts and determination to get out of his wheelchair and play the first ball bowled on the ground that bore his name, bowled by Harry Fraser.

Further opportunities came when, after more lobbying from Frank Gray, a new division within the Sydney Shires Competition was created in the form of a limited-overs competition for Under-24’s, to encourage clubs to continue developing youth in the Sydney Shires Competition. The last major legacy of the great man, this Under-24’s competition was named in his honour as the Frank Gray Shield.

This sparked a fairy-tale year when Warringah not only picked up their 1st premiership (winning the 3rd Grade Competition), they also won the Frank Gray Shield in its inaugural season, a fitting tribute to the man who had spent over 10 years bringing Warringah Cricket Club to where it is today. This brought on an avalanche of premierships over the next 10 years, with Warringah winning their first (and to date, only) 1st Grade Premiership the next season, along with their 1st Club Championship. This was followed up with their first 4th Grade Premiership in 1990/91 and their second 3rd Grade Premiership the season after that. In fact, during the 90’s, Warringah won 6 Premierships, an amazing achievement. 2nd Grade achieved their first premiership in 1998/99.

Into the 21st Century

Warringah continued their expansion, with the introduction of their first Master’s (Over 40’s) Cricket team in 1999/2000. Showing that the players had lost none of their abilities, Warringah won the competition at their first attempt. Warringah then backed up their efforts two years later, winning the Masters Competition again. Warringah continued to expand in 2001/2002 with the introduction of a Classics Team (Over-50’s). The development of these teams ensures that future stars maintain a connection with Warringah’s rich history and gives older players an opportunity to re-connect with a club they say has given them the best playing years of their lives.

This was only the start of what would be another flurry of premierships, with 2nd Grade managing to win their competition four times in seven years, including their first win in 1998/99. The Club’s depth was also established as the Under-24’s won the Frank Gray Shield in 2004/05, the first time that Warringah had ‘brought Frankie home’ since the inaugural season. This also started a run of premierships within the Under-24’s competition as Warringah re-established their ‘youth policy’, resulting in the best record in the Under-24’s competition in the Sydney Shires History.

Pathway Program: Key to Success

In 2008/09, the first steps for creating a proper youth policy for cricket on the Northern Beaches was started when Manly Warringah created a 6th Grade and 7th Grade team, made up of Green Shield and Rep players. Eventually the demand became so great that the ‘Pathway Program’ between MWDCC, WCC and MWCA was established. The brain-child of David Gainsford and Greg Boyer, with input from Doug McGrath and Mike Pawley, WCC entered into a long-term partnership with MWDCC to become a pseudo-feeder club, whereby 3rd and 4th Grade would take left-over players from MWDCC, much like what Frank and Bruce did to establish the club. Furthermore, WCC started entering teams into the Sydney Metropolitan Competition (known by its trophy as the Tim Creer Cup). The first team was entered in 2010/11 and a second team was entered the following year. This youth policy has paid dividends for the club with Warringah winning six Frank Gray Shields in a ten year span, including an incredible four in a row from 2010/11 through to 2013/14, a record unmatched and, quite possibly, never to be beaten. Frank Gray would have been proud.

Warringah’s Pathway Pedigree

Our first big-name player was Shaun Bradstreet, an all-rounder who ended up captaining New South Wales and Manly-Warringah and was named 1998/99 Mercantile Mutual Cup Rookie of the year. Warringah also boasted Louie McMillan who played for NSW Under-17 and Peter Panbury who played for the Under-19 national team alongside Matthew Hayden and Damien Martin. Along with that, Warringah boasts 17 players that have gone on to play 1st Grade Cricket, with the majority being at Manly-Warringah, but also North Sydney and Campbelltown-Camden - such is the quality of the youth development at Warringah. Some of our most notable players who have gone on to play 1st Grade for Manly-Warringah include Michael Cosentino, Craig Little, Andrew Lindsay, Ritchie Butterworth, Ben King, Danny Reynolds, Luke Edgell and Jack Ritchie. This list will only continue to grow as the Pathway Program continues in full swing. It has now become a light-house for junior development all over Sydney with numerous clubs now copying Warringah’s model with Manly-Warringah.

Leading the Way off the Pitch

Not only has Warringah been achieving major goals on the field, it has also worked to raise awareness and build connections off the field. Boasting one of the most talented committees in the Sydney Cricket Association, Warringah has managed to stamp its authority as the best run club in the Sydney Shires Competition, with repeated financial success and infrastructure and equipment that has become the envy of the Sydney Shires Competition.

Warringah recently undertook a major redevelopment program of Weldon Oval alongside the Warringah Giants AFL Club to upgrade the drainage, turf and clubhouse at Weldon Oval, including updates to the amenities at the top of the building and the changerooms. The clubhouse is now rated one of the best clubhouses in the Sydney Grade and Shires Competitions.

In the past Warringah have topped the Sydney Cricket Association’s Fundraising campaign for Movember, which raises money for research into Prostate Cancer and Depression. Done in support of former Warringah Coach David Gainsford (a prostate cancer survivor himself), Warringah has shown the way in fundraising, breaking the record this year for most money raised by one club in a year in the Sydney Cricket Association with over $8,000 raised. This also put Warringah 2nd in Australia amongst cricket clubs. Along with that, Warringah has also raised $5,000 in two years for the Jane McGrath Foundation through Pink Stumps day, run locally by the captain of our Classic’s Team Simon Lyon (in memory of his late sister who was diagnosed with Breast Cancer).

In recent times, Warringah have committed themselves to partnerships with local charities - afterall, we are community club, why wouldn't we invest in our local community. To that end, we make regular contributions and provide enthusiastic assistance to One Meal Northern Beaches. Their work in delivering meals and supplies to our area's under-privileged, those in hardship, disability or just in need of a little extra support is exemplary. Warringah are proud to aid their cause. Similarly, our annual donation to Women and Children First speaks to our commitment to grow great young men, who know how to respect women. Our objective here is to help make sure their refuge remains a place to helping women and children when they need it most.