Like father, like son - Stan and Rhys Banwell
Randwick Petersham Cricket Club | December 04, 2024
The greatest father-son combination in the history of the old Randwick club was Stan and Rhys Banwell. And while they played in different eras and never played together, the contribution each made to Randwick over an extended period, emphasised their ability as highly talented and at times, brilliant cricketers.
Stanley Joseph Banwell was born at Broken Hill on 3 December 1932. That was also the day Australia’s Stanley Joseph McCabe made 187* against Harold Larwood and England at the SCG. It was therefore no co-incidence baby Banwell should bear the name, Stanley Joseph. There had always been cricket blood in the Banwell family with Stan’s father, Jesse James Banwell, a 2nd Grade cricketer with St George.
Educated at Sydney Boys High, Stan was a cricket blue at age 14. He played rugby union for Eastern Suburbs and in 1953 played in the 1st and 2nd Grade Grand Finals on the same day scoring 28 points as goal kicker. However, he took some knocks and spent the following three days in bed with concussion.
Stan Banwell
Banwell joined Randwick in 1954-55 having made his 1st Grade debut while playing a handful of games with neighboring Waverley. A left-hand bat and right-arm medium pace and later off spin bowler, Stan took two seasons to cement his place in the top grade.
In 1956-57 selectors installed him as an opening batsman and he and fellow opener John Bolster established themselves as one of the best combinations in the competition and the finest opening pair Randwick had had for many seasons. They put on 148 for the first wicket against Manly in a most entertaining display. By season’s end, Bolster had scored 537 runs with Banwell not far behind with 491. Stan also hit his first Sydney Grade Cricket century with 102 against St George.
Over the following seasons, Stan consolidated himself as one of Randwick’s top players and in 1959-60 took out the 1st Grade batting and bowling honours with a top score of 84 and a 6-34 bowling effort against Balmain. He won the same awards the next season, but it was 1961-62 when he produced his finest batting. He again topped the aggregate with a career-best 565 runs at 43.46 including centuries against Glebe (104) and Gordon (110). His performance against Glebe was part of a partnership of 111 in 64 minutes with Greg Homann. However, 1st Grade skipper John Bolster claimed in the annual report of that year, that Stan’s two tons were overshadowed by his 73 out of a score-line of 4-100 against Sydney University, on a difficult rain-affected wicket.
In 1963-64, Stan and Alan Cripps put on 172 in 157 minutes for the first wicket against Bankstown at the SCG and followed up with a partnership of 133 in 130 minutes against Balmain. Apart from hitting the North Sydney bowlers for 121, Stan produced a unique performance that season when he took five catches in an innings at first slip against Bankstown–all off Adam Gilchrist’s father and off-spinner, Stan Gilchrist. That effort equalled the feat by Jack Chegwyn against Balmain in 1943-44.
In 1969-70 at age 37, Banwell bowled 290 overs under the captaincy of John Benaud and finished with a career-best 51 wickets at just 19.2 each including five wickets in an innings five times with match figures of 10-86 (5-63 & 5-23) against Mosman. It was only the third time since World War II that the half-century was exceeded by a Randwick bowler. Stan followed Bill Ellison (58 in 1951-52) and Wes Hall (56 in 1965-66). His 290 overs were also the most wheeled down since Ray McNamee bowled 324 in 1931-32.
After 15 seasons in 1st Grade and struggling with a knee injury, Banwell found himself in 2nds in 1970-71. He played most of his remaining games in that grade with only brief appearances in 1sts before he hung up his boots at the end of the 1975-76 season at age 44. A tough, no-frills cricketer who gave little quarter and sought less, Stan Banwell completed 22 seasons with Randwick DCC scoring 6,274 runs and taking 444 wickets. A total of 5,177 runs and 297 wickets were achieved in 1st Grade. He scored four centuries and 16 fifties while he took five wickets in an innings 15 times with 7-46 in 2nd Grade against Balmain his best figures.
The Banwell name was not lost to Randwick cricket with Stan’s youngest son, Rhys, playing the first of four seasons in the A W Green Shield competition in 1971-72 at age 12. Surprisingly, the youngster wasn’t sighted again until he lined up four years later in the 1978-79, 5th Grade team. After a couple of games, he was elevated to 4ths although by the time the semi-final came around, he had scored only 98 runs and taken just five wickets averaging 32. Despite his poor form, he was named in the side for the big match against University of NSW at David Phillips South.
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That selection was the making of him. With his team seemingly on the ropes at 6-161 chasing 302, Rhys absolutely flayed the students bowling from his number 8 batting spot and in near darkness, got his team over the line for a brilliant win, nine wickets down. His outstanding knock of 83* was rated by many as the innings of the season and certainly by his excited teammates as they hoisted him shoulder high and carried him off the field. That the team went on to win the premiership the following week seemed almost insignificant after the high of the semi-final which heralded the birth of a new Randwick star.
Rhys Banwell was born at Crown Street Hospital on 10 September 1959 and completed his education at Sydney Boys High. Like his father, he was an aggressive left-hand bat although in contrast to Stan, he also bowled with the ball in his left hand.
Following his debut premiership-winning season, the 1979-80 club selectors pushed him into the 3rd Grade team and he finished the summer with another premiership. A couple of topsy-turvy seasons followed until 1981-82 when he made his 1st Grade debut, albeit as an end-of-season fill-in. But it wasn’t until the next season when Rhys, considered by some to be too casual, even lackadaisical, began to get a little more serious about his cricket.
Season 1982-83 saw Banwell assume the role of opening bowler in 2nd Grade where he took 8-61 off 32overs against Petersham-Marrickville. He also came back from injury in a 4th Grade match and hit 168 with six sixes and 21 fours. At the end of that season and eager to get additional experience to improve his game, the 23-year-old had a stint with St Anne’s in the UK Northern League. West Indian champion Rohan Kanhai was the club professional and soon after, Rhys was opening the batting with the 47-year-old. Under Kanhai’s guidance, Banwell scored more than 700 runs that season. He and Kanhai were involved in three century partnerships including one of 229 which set a new record. Rhys was back with St Anne’s the next season as its professional.
A couple of huge seasons in 2s with the bat followed, including one knock of 173 against Manly. That innings led to selection as a regular opening batsman in 1st Grade where, in a top-grade career spanning a bit over six seasons, he scored 2,005 runs hitting three centuries (110, 107 and 133). He headed the 1st Grade batting in 1986-87 with 443 runs after making 440 the year before. The following summer he passed 500 for the first time, knocking up 515.
Rohan Kanhai and Rhys Banwell
Over the following seasons, Rhys played lower grades with some stunning results. He scored 161 against Mosman and 126 v Manly in 2s; won the 2nd Grade batting aggregate in 1993-94 with 571; hit 353 in 3rds in 1992-93 to help win the premiership and won the bowling aggregate in 3rd Grade in 1996-97 with 31 wickets at 14.84 after scoring 318 runs for the season.
In the next few seasons leading up to his 40th birthday, Banwell played in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Grade sides with modest results indicating that retirement was near. However, after hitting the magic 40, he seemed to get another lease of life and scored 101* in 3rd Grade against Easts in 1999-2000. That form saw him installed as captain of the 2nd Grade team which he led to a narrow defeat in the Grand Final after being minor premiers. That match in 2000-01 was Randwick’s last before the merger.
While Rhys Banwell was the last captain of a Randwick 2nd Grade team, he was also the first captain of Randwick Petersham’s 2nd Grade team. And although the team finished well back in its first season, Rhys contributed well with 262 runs including a top score of 70. However, at season’s end and after a 24-year Sydney Grade Cricket career, the 42-year-old Banwell finally hung up his bat. In that time, he scored 7,801 runs, took 248 wickets with his left-hand mixture of medium pace, off-spin and leg-spin deliveries while holding on to 95 catches. Overall, he scored 2,181 runs in 1st Grade while in 2s, he made 3,243 and took 117 wickets. He hit nine centuries in all. With his Green Shield and PGs performances, his figures extend to 7,984 runs and 275 wickets. In recognition of Rhys’ complete dedication and commitment to the club as well as his outstanding contribution as a player, he was made a Life Member of Randwick Petersham in 2007.
The contribution by Stan’s wife and Rhy’s mother Judy, throughout their playing days with Randwick, also needs to be acknowledged. Judy was a tower of strength along with many other wives and girlfriends providing support with afternoon teas at games and at the many social events conducted by the club. She remains a supporter of the club from her home in Coffs Harbour.
Stan Banwell died at Coffs Harbour in 2005 aged 73, while Rhys Banwell also passed away in Coffs in September 2024 aged just 65.
Lyall Gardner
Randwick Petersham Historian
