Club legends gather
Norths Cricket Club will remember past greats and reflect on premierships won and lost when former players and supporters gather this weekend for a 70th year reunion. The club itself is not the oldest in the region, but it might just have the best story. Founded in 1948 by a group of war heroes, it quickly became known as the people’s club. The original XI boasted plenty of talent.
CRICKET NORTHS Cricket Club will remember past greats and reflect on premierships won and lost when former players and supporters gather this weekend for a 70th year reunion.
The club itself is not the oldest in the region, but it might just have the best story.
Founded in 1948 by a group of war heroes, it quickly became known as the people’s club. The original XI boasted plenty of talent.
Lieutenant Alf Hinsch played many games for Norths and would have played for Queensland if not for the cancellation of the Sheffield Shield during the war.
When a NSW team played against Cairns in 1952, the great Arthur Morris, who was one of Bradman’s Invincibles, said: “And this bloke Hinsch here, he and I used to open for Army in the inter-services competition. He’d take the first ball and was 30 or 40 before I got off the mark”.
Keith Crommelin did in fact play for Queensland, but his time was cut short because of the war. He saw active service in New Guinea and made the Far North his home after marrying a Mossman girl.
Corporal Hugh McDonald was not the best cricketer, but he became the heart and soul of the club over 20 years.
The Cairns Post journalist had worked in the Pacific as an intelligence officer and later as a war correspondent.
John Mann was just a young boy when Norths first took to the field 70 years ago, but his first cricket memories are England’s visit to Australia in 1950 and listening to it on the wireless; and going down to George Griffiths Park to watch Norths play.
“Returned servicemen were like celebrities back then,” Mann said. “I was in awe of this cricket team. I ended up playing many years for Norths and Hugh McDonald was the chairman at my wedding.”
Other members of the original Norths team included Warrant Officer Billy Sykes, who bowled big-spinning leg breaks. Captain Bob Rowell served as a pilot in the war and introduced swing bowling techniques.
Oscar Olsen, who took Don Bradman’s wicket twice in a match at Parramatta Park before the war, gave Cairns batsman headaches with his loopy leg spin. Mann – a long-time player, captain and committee member at Norths – said the greatest player to have pulled on a Norths cap would have been Darcy Pelling.
“He wasn’t an original member, but he would be the best,” Mann said. “When the NSW team toured, they were bemused to see him standing up to the stumps to the express paceman, Tom Ball. Their attitude changed to admiration when Pelling produced two lightning fast stumpings.
“NSW actually tried to get him back to Sydney he was that good. I have got no doubt that he would have been good enough to play for Australia.”
Since winning their first premiership in 1950-51, Norths have been one of the most successful cricket clubs in the Cairns region. The club won 17 first-grade premierships.
Current Norths president Joel Prior said the reunion weekend would be a great opportunity for past players from all generations to mingle.
“A lot of people would be unaware of Norths history but it’s something the club is really proud of,” he said.