THE outdoor cricket season may lay dormant during the winter months, but the recent unearthing of an Inverell cricket trophy sheds light on the game from half a century ago.
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Following an enquiry by cricket historian Les Eastaway with ex Association president Adam Woodbury, Adam revealed a container of documents was safely stored in his garage.
Along with the documents of the Inverell District Cricket Association, lo and behold, a tarnished trophy was discovered.
The engraving on the trophy read, ‘The V P Wiltshire Town and Country Cup’. Les set about restoring the cup with a good deal of elbow grease and polish, and commenced research relating to its history.
The cup was struck in 1951 by local solicitor Vere Wiltshire for an annual match between the Town cricketers and Country (farmers).
This set the scene for a rivalry to last almost three decades.
The inaugural match was played at Brooks Oval with the Country side claiming the spoils.
Reg Finney for Country scored 121 and took 6 for 60 while Bert Lowery made 107 not out and 51 for the losing Town team.
Many outstanding local cricketers featured in the games including Stan Dasey, Aub Copeland, Col Campbell, Bob Cameron, John Henderson, and members of the now-famous Gilchrist family.
Not to be forgotten were Sedley Marchant, Alan Mather, Hugo Morse, Noel and Rick McCosker, Alan Campbell, John Shaw, Ray Fairweather and John Gardner.
With the introduction of a turf wicket in 1952, Varley Oval became the venue with the last known game being played there in 1977.
The games were staged on two occasions at Brooks Oval (1958) and Cameron Park (1972), assuming inclement weather caused the transfer from the Varley turf wicket.
Recent discussion with cricket identities John Henderson, Col Campbell and a spritely 92 years young Alan Mather (that is Alan with one L) revealed these annual matches were high on their sporting calendar.
Col Campbell fondly recalls, “The games were played with intense rivalry, however sporting spirit was always to the fore”.
Of the 27 years researched, Town won ten encounters to Countrys’ eight with three washouts. The remaining years results appear unknown with the public invited to assist where possible. A public display of the Cup and history plaque is currently being planned.
Who knows, maybe this popular annual event could return with players from 1951 attending to toss the coin and present the resurrected Wiltshire Town and Country Cup?
