Kenthurst Cricket Club
The Kenthurst Cricket Club was formed on 4th May 1896 and journeyed to Pennant Hills just 12 days later to play its first match. The organised unofficial matches with neighbouring clubs, namely, Castle, Rouse Hill, Dural, Galston, Glenorie, Glenhaven and occasionally other clubs further afield. During the early years after the club’s formation it was based on members from the Fuller, Hemers, Gibbs, Parr, Thiele, McGuire and Cox families. The cricketers only means of transport was by horse and they had many difficulties with which to contend, chiefly caused by rough roads and grounds. The local teams obviously decided a local competition should be formed and it was at a meeting held in the Old Schoolroom, Castle Hill on 5th August 1897. Only 5 teams competed, those being Kenthurst, Castle Hill, Rouse Hill, Galston & Glenhaven. There were 2 rounds of matches and the competition was won by Rouse Hill with Kenthurst second. The chief office bearers were, J W Foster, President, E Z Banks, Secretary and J T Hemers, Treasurer. Surprisingly, the Association was disbanded after just one year of competition, but the reason for its demise is not recorded. Kenthurst joined the Parramatta & District Junior CA in 1899/1900, but did not enjoy much success. They only recorded 3 wins during the season and were usually outclassed. In 1907 a new Association was formed. It was called the Northern Districts CA and its sphere of influence stretched from Strathfield to Hornsby, roughly following the main northern railway line. In 1930/31 season, the Kenthurst Club joined the Hornsby District CA (the name was changed to HKCA in 1948) and apart from three seasons (1957/58 to 1959/60) we have been affiliated with this Association every season to date. The club first achieved A Grade status in the 1936/37 season, but it was in the following season the A Graders performed exceptionally well. They ran a close 2nd to Brooklyn. Three batsmen scored in excess of 400 runs (Louis Thiele – 711, Frank Lawson – 620 and Harry Pearce – 432), and 2 bowlers, who took 102 wickets between them ( Les Stranger 52 and Frank Lawson 50). During the golden years of the 1930’s, our finest all rounder, Les Stranger joined the club. He moved to Kenthurst in the mid 1930’s and first played for the Club in 1936/37. In his first 15 years with the Club, he scored 8263 runs at an average of 37.87 and took over 400 wickets. He continued playing during the 1960’s but although his records are sketchy, we can assume he scored in excess of 10,000 runs and took over 500 wickets. During the 1970’s the Club underwent an unprecedented growth rate. The decade saw the club field 41 teams in the HKCA, or 42% of the teams entered in the Association since we joined in 1930/31. This was a result of the influx of new residents on the new sub-divisions in the area. Other achievements by the Kenthurst Cricket club are
• Turf wicket at Kenthurst Park in 1981
• Astro wicket at Gelenhaven Park in 1985
• Astro wicket at Ellaman Park in 1985
• Astro wicket at Annangrove Park in 1988
• The constructions of the clubhouse in 1985
• First A Grade Premiership in 2000/01
• Running of the Kenthurst Winter Competition
