The Strathalbyn Cricket Club

Who We Are

The Strathalbyn Cricket Club is a strong, family orientated club with a welcoming environment and proud history. Fielding junior and seniors teams both men’s and women’s competitions, the club is moving from strength to strength.
Our home games played on the well maintained turf at Strathalbyn oval, where we also host upgraded facilities including 3 hard-wicket nets, a full square of turf training nets, as well as an enclosed bowling machine net.
The snags and drinks are always available and we can’t wait to see you there in the red and white.

History of the Strathalbyn Cricket Club
"In the Beginning"

The “Register” records a match between Strathalbyn and Macclesfield in early April 1859 (narrowly won by Macclesfield) and a return match at Strathalbyn on Good Friday, 25th April 1859, also narrowly won by Macclesfield. Paltridge’s brass band from Mt Barker was engaged to welcome the visitors, and the game started an hour late because the Strathalbyn men objected to the fact that a member of the Macclesfield team actually lived in Meadows. Eventually Macclesfield had to play on without him. Dr Herbert for Strathalbyn starred with the ball, snaring nine wickets in Macclesfield’s second innings.

The “Register” reported: “There were a great number of persons, including some from Adelaide, on the ground witnessing the contest. At 6 o’clock between eighty and ninety gentlemen sat down to an excellent spread at the Strathalbyn Hotel.” The band provided musical entertainment throughout, and there were plenty of toasts to all and sundry, including “The Queen”, “The Army and the Navy”, “The Macclesfield Cricketers”, “The Umpires”, “The Parliament of South Australia”, “The Pastoral, Mercantile, and Agricultural Interests of South Australia”, and ‘The Ladies”. A great number of songs were sung during the evening, and the whole outing (apart from losing the cricket) was pronounced a great success.

The club re-formed, perhaps in a more official capacity, in 1869 as the result of a meeting called by Mr William Colman, brother of the Colman’s of London, the noted mustard manufacturers. William Colman himself had been a keen cricketer in the late 1840s and used to ride his horse from Strathalbyn to Adelaide to take part in matches.

Two local players, Tom Lucas and Jack Jarvis were apparently so successful in the 1870s that they were selected for several interstate games.

In the early days few batsmen made double figures. For example in March 1871, Meadows 54 & I 0 defeated Strathalbyn 30 & 32 i.e. 40 wickets fell for a total of 126 runs. By 1872 Strath had 46 club members and played seven matches, winning five.

“More Than A Century” -Brian Simpson