Arthur Elvy 1939-2010

Randwick Petersham Cricket Club | January 07, 2025

Arthur Morris claimed that he was the “forgotten man” when Don Bradman was bowled for Test cricket’s most famous duck in his final innings, as it is rarely mentioned that Morris was the batsman on the other end. In much the same way, Arthur Elvy had claim to have been the “forgotten man” in another famous cricket incident. He was the batsman on the other end when 19 year old Doug Walters hit a ball into Kippax Lake from Sydney Cricket Ground No. 2 in a New South Wales Colts match to catapult him into an outstanding Test cricket career. The season was 1962-63 and Arthur Elvy was entitled to be there as one of the finest young spin bowler/ batsmen in the State.

Born 23 September 1939 at Earlwood, Arthur Selwyn Elvy joined the Petersham-Marrickville DCC A W Green Shield team in 1954-55, heading both the batting with 298 runs and the bowling with 17 wickets. And despite his tender age of 15 years, he also played a game in the under 21 Poidevin-Gray team, taking 4-48 off 12 overs to play a major part in the win against Cumberland. He also made his Grade Cricket debut that season, taking eight wickets in 4th Grade including a fine 6-42 against North Sydney which earned him promotion to 3rd Grade, where he stayed for the remainder of the summer.

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Young Elvy was a very successful bowler in his first few years. Playing in 3rd and 4th grades he had notched up 105 wickets before promoted to 2nd Grade. He was just 18 years of age and spent the 1957-58 season in 2s, taking 24 wickets. Although relatively inexperienced as a spin bowler, club selectors acknowledged his potential by giving him a game in 1st Grade, later that season. And while he did not take a wicket in conceding 27 runs, the die was cast as to the level where his future in the game was likely to be.

Arthur’s rise to the 1st Grade ranks however, was not meteoric. He was called into the side a couple of times over the following two summers, but it was not until 1961-62 that he was named in the Petersham-Marrickville First XI starting line-up. It was a great thrill for the youngster as he was part of a formidable spin attack comprising off-spinner Ken White and Australian Test leg-spinner Johnny Martin. Between the three of them, they took 89 of the 120 wickets captured throughout the season as the side went on to win the 1st Grade Premiership. Arthur bowled 188 overs, finishing with the outstanding figures of 45 wickets at an average of just 12.8 runs per wicket to take the bowling honours for his team and also for the whole club. His aggregate that season also turned out to be a career best.

For the following 10 years, Athur Elvy was a fixture in the club’s 1st Grade team. He had a wonderful career in the top side taking a total of 317 wickets. On 17 occasions he took five wickets or more in an innings, including performances such as 7-43 against Paddington, 6-26 versus Sydney University and his best figures of 7-15, in demolishing Northern District for just 59 in 1965-66.

On 7 November 1962, Arthur was selected to play for New South Wales Colts against Queensland Colts in the Sydney Gregory Cup at Sydney Cricket Ground no.2. It was a match which included future Test players Brian Taber, Grahame Corling, John Watkins and Doug Walters, who hit 140* including the famous six into Kippax Lake in nearby Moore Park. Arthur scored 26* and took 1-80 off 28 overs in that match. Unfortunately for Arthur, that was his one and only representative game.

An indifferent season in 1971-72, where he alternated between 1st and 2nd grades, saw the wily spinner slip down to 2s the following summer, where he remained a regular for the following five seasons. He was far from a spent force however, picking up 128 wickets in that period. He captained the side in his final season, 1976-77, while the year before, he showed his experience taking 6-34 against Waverley and 6-36 versus Nepean (now Penrith). Always an agile fielder, Arthur displayed his sharpness in that same period, snapping up 10 catches in the 1972-73 season.

Elvy was no slouch with the bat including a 1st Grade century as part of his 2,375 runs in the top grade. In his final year in the under 21 Poidevin Gray competition, Arthur displayed his batting ability with a neat 100 against Western Suburbs. He averaged in the 30s in his six seasons in that competition and carried that form into the grade ranks, although he batted in the lower order. In 1964-65, he scored 374 batting at number eight and was unlucky not to bring up a century when he was dismissed for 91 against Randwick. Four years later, he made up for that near miss with a fantastic 102* against Cumberland after being sent in first wicket down, as quick runs were needed. He went on to take out the batting average with 52.83, again mainly batting at eight. With Kevin Cantwell, who batted seven, the two put on many fine partnerships enabling the side to finish third in the 1968-69 premiership.

A butcher all his life with his own shop at Chippendale, Arthur Elvy retired at the end of 1976-77 as one of Petersham-Marrickville’s most successful spin bowling all-rounders. In his 23 years Grade Cricket career, he scored 4,617 runs and took 644 wickets in 326 matches while holding 148 catches. He also played six seasons in the age restricted A W Green Shield and Poidevin Gray competitions. With his statistics in those competitions added, his details are more impressive, having scored 5,481 runs, taken 704 wickets and held 158 catches in 351 matches.

Arthur featured in an unusual episode of cricket history in the 1960s when he was involved in the dismissal of the champion St George batsman and skipper Warren Saunders. In three successive seasons playing Petersham-Marrickville, Saunders was out each time for 96. In 1966-67, Elvy had him stumped by Peter Anderson. The following 1967-68 season, Arthur caught him off Kevin Cantwell and one year later in 1967-68, Elvy bowled him. In his career, Saunders scored 19 centuries for St George which could have been three more but for Arthur Elvy!

Arthur Elvy passed away on 5 September 2010 at Earlwood, where he was born. He was 70 years of age.

Lyall Gardner OAM

Randwick Petersham Historian