Keepers for the Red and Whites
St George Cricket Club | August 29, 2024
The past one hundred and two seasons of the St George DCC has seen only 12 regular wicket keepers ply their craft behind the stumps in 1st Grade at Hurstville Oval and beyond. For those wicket keepers they have kept to some quality bowlers meaning that their game and efficiency behind the stumps has invariably developed.
In that time there have surprisingly been only two keepers, David Moore and Nathan Pilon, who have been selected to represent at a first-class level, albeit fleetingly. During the period eight keepers have kept for long periods. Ernie Laidler (29 seasons ), Ray Tozer (17 seasons) David Moore (10 seasons), Paul Ryan (7 seasons), Nathan Pilon (7 seasons) Kevin Pillay (10 seasons) and recently Jonathan Rose (5 seasons) and Tom Van Tempest (4 seasons).
Interestingly only five wicket keepers have regularly captained St George, Dick Jones, Ernie Laidler, Ray Tozer, Paul Ryan and Kevin Pillay. Laidler, Ryan and Pillay captained to one premiership each. One could ponder a few questions concerning the keepers and their time at St George. Why so few keepers? What qualities did they bring to the club? What is their legacy? and perhaps something really subjective How good were they?
Back when Ernie Laidler joined the club in first grade there were some quality players that bowled to the young keeper, Alan Fairfax and Harry Theak and in the following years Ernie Green, Bill O’Reilly and Ray Lindwall. Laidler travelled to Queensland in the early 1930’s with leg spinner Frank Ward seeking higher honours, could not make it and had to be content displaying his ‘silky glovework’ for twenty-nine seasons in Sydney Grade cricket. His record of 291 catches and 250 stumpings heads the club’s wicket keeping list. Laidler gave back to the club in administration and following his retirement was a NSW selector from 1961 to 1972.
The great Ernie Laidler keeping for the Saints
Ray Tozer was a local boy who moved through the grades, commencing in the Green Shield side in the 1961 -62 season and ended up with a significant record at the St George club when he retired at the conclusion of the 1980-81 season. In many ways he wore his St George heart on his sleeve, displaying a new style of leadership behind the stumps, often with the bat. In his time Tozer kept to some wonderful bowlers, fast and slow. There was the wonderfully gifted Peter Leslie, ‘Big Fave’ John Martin, the explosive Trevor Osborne, the formidable Richard Done and the slower variety from the crease Kerry O’Keeffe, Murray Bennett and Ray Davies. With 4097 runs at 20.59 along with 411 catches and 73 stumpings Tozer has left a legacy. Along the way there was a club life membership and time as a NSW selector.
Ray Tozer takes an absolute speccy
A number of keepers have joined the club not having grown up in the area. The first, Dick Jones from Glebe, the club’s initial first grade captain and responsible for encouraging Bradman to join the club, stood briefly behind the stumps. He found that out in the field was far better for him to lead the club and observe the patterns of the game. A few keepers were tried before he effectively ‘passed the gloves’ over to the World War One aviator, Harold Fraser. Cliff Papayanni came from the Manly club, kept in first grade in three games, effecting no dismissals, and then playing as a batsman.
After seasons with the Western Suburbs and Mosman clubs Paul Ryan crossed boundary lines so to speak and joined the St George club bringing to the club a vitality that had some of the older members wondering where the club was going. Ryan certainly was aggressive, but he had much to offer. There was a strong business philosophy, he was a co founder of Wizard Home Loans, was a firm and effective communicator and lead from the front. He took as they say ‘no prisoners’ but in his eleven seasons with the club, seven behind the stumps he took the first-grade side to a premiership in the 2000-01 season, having just missed out the previous season. Ryan certainly has a legacy at the club, he is a life member, but his competitiveness set him apart. With 131 catches and 23 stumpings along with 4,404 runs he has certainly made his mark. What must not be forgotten is that the enthusiasm and encouragement he gave players from his era saw them be challenged and be in time selected in first class X1’s around the country.
2 great St George glovemen in Nathan Pilon (L) and Paul Ryan (R)
Quite a few players over the years have gravitated to the St George club from the country areas of New South Wales. There has been Bradman, Stapelton, Booth, Jobson, Smith, Milliken, Copeland, Hazelwood and wicket keeper Nathan Pilon to name a few. In fact, Trent Copeland came to the club as a wicketkeeper.
Coming from a football family, the Dubbo raised Pilon took it all before him at the club. Probably the best wicket keeper batsman the club has produced Nathan played for NSW, before moving to Victoria and playing for his adopted state. Behind the stumps he was quick and sure. He had a wonderful eye and could read the game exceptionally well. With 3,899 runs with the bat at 33.04 and 218 dismissals, including 35 stumpings, his time at the club albeit it shorter than the club would have liked was certainly impressionable. In the 2002-03 season Pilon scored 1,193 runs, at the time the highest in the club’s history. In the club’s centenary year Pilon was named in the Team of The Century.
Nathan Pilon keeping for Victoria as Matthew Hayden executes a cut
David Moore is a much-travelled cricketer, having moved into the areas of coaching, administration and forward planning in the cricket world. When he left his wicket keeping duties behind there was coaching at the Commonwealth Bank Cricket Academy, following a degree at the University of Wollongong, time as coach of the West Indies and Bermuda before his current role as Head of the Bangladesh Cricket Programme. There was also a long period at Cricket NSW where he was involved in coaching and development.
At St George Moore played in the 1980-81 AW Green Shield premiership side coached by Steve Bernard and a few years later was keeping to the former NSW first class bowler when the club won the 1984-85 first grade title. Prior to leaving the club for Waverley Moore took 162 catches and made 19 stumpings in a ten-season career.
David Moore keeping for St George at Hurstville Oval
Since the turn of the century St George DCC has won its fair share of premierships, six to be precise. The constants in that period has certainly been the players, who have turned up each year. Behind the stumps have been the wicket keepers who have ensured that their support has transferred to the other players in the team. The adjective that best describes this is ‘enthusiasm’ with Kevin Pillay at the top of the pile. His quick movement behind the stumps, encouragement at different ‘tone’ levels has been partially the reason for the success. In that time, he has taken 296 catches and effected 36 stumpings to go with his 2,625 runs.
In the same period, we saw Simon Chu, a wicket keeper force his way into first grade as a batsman, and also keep wickets. The club has also been well served by Guy Seymour, Jonathan Rose, and Tom Van Tempest.
Kev Pillay keeps alongside side Moises Henriques in one of the four 1st Grade Grand Finals he won
George Barter, a second-grade wicketkeeper was understudy to Ernie Laidler for 25 seasons before making his first-grade debut. We should not forget his statistics – 28 catches and 21 stumpings. So too Bill Watson, the former NSW and Australian batsman, outstanding run maker for the club but also a baseballer of note. He was often called upon to keep, when injuries occurred, or the team needed extra batsman or bowlers in the team. His record 30 catches and 12 stumpings should not be discounted.
It is a rich tradition of wicket keepers at the St George DCC.
© RL Cardwell and the St George DCC
Tom Vane-Tempest claims one of his 8 match dismissals in the 23-24 Final against Manly.
