1997/98
Two very significant individual milestones and a great team performance highlighted an action packed 1997/98 season, the forty third for the club. It was the season that Bob Williams reached 1000 wickets for CPCC, Paul Brown equalled Mike Riggall’s long standing club record of 169 for most runs in an innings and Ben Ireland led the B4s to a Premiership. These magnificent achievements were almost overshadowed by conflict with the Junior Association over their directive that CPCC would not be allowed to enter our single junior team the following season.
President Quarford fought a running battle throughout this season to ensure the survival of the then only junior squad which had graduated from Kanga cricket. The infamous ‘Pathways for Local Cricket’ document handed down by Cricket NSW which mandated that Clubs should have a minimum of 3 junior teams was to be ruthlessly implemented by the Association. Dave also protected their interests on the field coaching the likes of Tom Carden, Nick Dousset and Jack Ritchie. In a nice touch of irony ten years on, two of our juniors have been selected in the emerging ‘Blues’ squad. The A1s were captained by Mark Christensen who led the way with the ball scaring out 29 batsmen. Rob Minnett’s 573 runs for the season was a team and association high. It is also a career high year for Rob. A rollercoaster win-loss year saw the team threaten the finals one minute and finishing 6th the next.
In the A2s, Captain Jackson’s best laid plans ended up with a last place finish with batting being diagnosed as the deficiency. The only highlights came with the ball as Greg Bruckard captured 40 wickets and more memorably, Bob Williams took his 1000th club wicket. A big celebration back at the Time & Tide marked the occasion. High drama surrounded the A3’s season from start to finish. Paul Brown’s record equalling innings of 169 started the season in spectacular fashion. Captain Kehoe mistakenly informed Browny that he in fact had broken the record and Paul promptly holed out to mid-off the very next ball. In rare appearances for CPCC, Barry Moss scored a 119 whilst on not such a rare occasion Dom ‘Happy’ Tilden tore strips off team mate & umpire Chris ‘Trigger Finger’ Jack after an LBW decision. The dramatic season climaxed however in the Semi-final when, like the front cover of the CSW Scorebook, Chris Jack was run out on a direct hit from fine leg going for the winning run. The tied result did no favours to our team. Speaking of favours, Robbie Herbert did a hell of a lot of favours for the B4s. Throughout Herbert’s Shearer winning season, he tallied an incredible 1354 points by taking 601 runs and 61 wickets. Supported by the likes of Luke Ireland, Matt Thompson & Mark Hoy, the B4s took out the title after finishing last the season prior.
Social Secretary Pete Henriksen reported on a big social season including the move to a new location for the Xmas dinner. The Golden Plateau staff served Club members for the first and last time whilst a special laminated edition of the ‘Watertower’ newsletter served as placemats. This durable edition included priceless information such as “Top ten tips for avoiding Saturday umpiring duty”. The night and afterwards was best summed up by the two Englishmen who travelled from their accommodation in the Eastern Suburbs to play that day and attend the dinner. They were still in the Huxley’s backyard in Stella St at 5am and were last seen trying to locate the entrance to the ‘Southy Track’ in order to get down to Pittwater Rd and catch a bus home. In other happenings, Rob Van Dam won the Golf Day at Bayview and Pete introduced ‘Towerball’ – the craze that swept the Plateau and proved lucrative financially for the club.