The Phoenix Rises

Armidale Waratahs (The Tahs) | October 20, 2023

Waratahs Cricket Club of Armidale played it first game in the then New England Cricket Association in September of 1950. By Christmas, on the basis of results and playing potential, it was regraded to A grade and two seasons later, won its first Premiership as a one team club, in the A grade. In the subsequent nearly fifty years, it played in 44 Finals, winning 22 Premierships across the eventual five grades of the re-named Armidale District Cricket Association.

In 2000, player numbers had dwindled, with no first grade participation for half a decade and despite being 4th grade Premiers with its only remaining team the season before, the club folded. There was a brief but unrecognised dalliance with Norths Cricket Club as a joint lower grades venture but it was soon extinguished. It was a sad end to a club that had been one of the dominate forces in Armidale cricket, particularly in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, when it played in five successive A grade Finals and won the A-Reserve Premiership four times in six seasons and then again through the 1980’s, when it consistently produced juniors who stood beside established players as a family. At no time had Waratahs so completely ruled Armidale cricket.

Waratahs ranks had been swelled by many fine cricketers and the junior programs of the early 60’s and from 1975-1991, produced some of the finest “home grown” cricketers to have played in and beyond Armidale.

There were nostalgic reappearances. In the 00’s, Waratahs participated in some veterans carnivals in Lismore and in 2010, they played against Armidale Veterans as part of a highly successful and well attended reunion. A group attended the Brisbane Ashes Test when Mitchell Johnston destroyed the Poms and Michael Clarke rose to blokehood by offering James Anderson a broken arm. One of our longest survivors, Bob Barwick, goes every year to Brisbane. A faithful core have stayed in touch and of course there are the obligatory yet respectfully attended gatherings when we say goodbye to former team mates when they pass beyond the boundary.

In recent times, NSW Cricket restored Waratahs to official status and recognition with a view to including its extensive statistical record in My Cricket. Waratahs would be the envy of even the biggest and most successful clubs in Sydney with a historical record and statistical base which would surpass most Australian cricket clubs. Unfortunately, transition of those records was unable to be completed owing to a glitch at the ADCA end.

For a dead club, Waratahs has an amazingly active presence, with an outstanding website and daily postings of past highlights on their Facebook page.

It has irked the inner core of those who are left that we can only ever say we used to play for a great club that no longer exists.

That is about to change.

Recently, minute books and perpetual trophies and other club paraphernalia has surfaced from a dusty, forgotten place and returned to one of those who have hung on to the memories. As a result, it has been decided that when past players gather at the reunion to be held in Uralla on the 28th October, we will vote on the reforming of the club. There is no intention to have a regular playing commitment but simply to be an official club, even if it is only for social events. Meetings could be annual at get together or via Zoom. No formality and nothing would change from the way we support each other now, but we would be a club again.

This would not just be about remembering the past but it would have an eye to the future. There has for some time been a move afoot to have a group attend Test matches regularly, either in Brisbane or Sydney. Since raising the concept on Facebook, the idea of creating a Waratahs legacy scholarship to fund an Armidale junior, selected by the ADCA, to attend a development camp has been muted. The thought that Waratahs would be promoting a future cricketer and their dreams and not just supporting former players and their memories, has great appeal.

This move would bring great joy to the faithful band who eagerly read the daily reminiscences on Facebook and who held Zoom gatherings during Covid to make sure each was travelling well. It will also bring great honour to those who have gone before.

Waratahs will not remain dead but rise, phoenix-like and fly about, if only at the lower altitudes, in the pantheon of the clear blue cricket sky.