The Scorers – An Unmatched Record – Parramatta DCC
Parramatta District Cricket Club | November 13, 2024
To a team finding a good and reliable Scorer, is like a prospector discovering gold!
The Parramatta District Cricket Club has a highly unique tradition regarding the stability of its 1st Grade Scorers that few if any other Cricket Clubs across the globe could match. Incredibly since 1918 only three people have undertaken the important role of permanent Scorer for the club’s 1st Grade team up to 2020. - Ernie Gould, Wesley Gould and Christine Bennison. What an unmatchable record over a time span of 102 years these three individuals have indeed proved to be ‘Pen Pushers Extraordinaire’, only occasionally missing Parramatta or Central Cumberland 1st grade matches through personal illness or because they were engaged in scoring a first-class or international match, year in year out they proudly took their places in the ‘Scorer’s Chair’.
Unfortunately, this amazing sequence came to an end with the retirement of Christine Bennison at the close of the 2019/20 season, and in the modern era the club may not see the like of them again.
Ernest Gould
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Ernie Gould was unwavering in his efforts for the Central Cumberland District Cricket Club, he devoted the bulk of his life’s leisure time to working for the club, commencing as a 10-year-old boy in 1908 scoring for the 2nd grade team, and concluded with his untimely death at 61-years-of age in 1960 – when he became the only President to die in office throughout the club’s long history.
Ernie’s is a great story, in 1914 he put his age up from 16 to 18 to enlist in the First A.I.F. in World War 1. He saw action in Egypt and France and where he was wounded on two occasions. At the end of World War 1 in 1918, he became the permanent 1st grade Scorer for Central Cumberland. A post he continued to fill until illness forced him to relinquish it in 1960 – for 42 years his precision and neatness were famous.
By 1928 he had forged a reputation as an outstanding scorer in Sydney grade circles and was held in high esteem by the NSWCA and consequently during the 1930s he began to win appointments as Scorer for NSW Sheffield Shield matches, and after World War II he achieved higher honours scoring at the S.C.G. Test matches for several years.
During the depression years, he became the Secretary of the Granville Tennis Association and in 1932 he umpired a Japan v. Australia Davis Cup match.
Not content with the above activities, Ernie also engaged himself in the administrative branch of the Cumberland club’s operation, commencing with the important Hon. Secretary’s job in 1921/22 and 1922/23 – demonstration of his keenness at 23-years-of-age. Subsequently, he was Assistant Secretary in 1926/27 and served as a member of the Management Committee from 1925/26 until 1934/35. In 1938/39 he became a Vice-President, and from 1942/43 to 1952/53 he served as Chairman of Committees.
His value to Cumberland was recognised in 1945, when the honour of Life Membership was bestowed upon him. Ernie was a strong advocate for young players, spending several years as Manager of the A.W. Green Shield team. Perhaps he reached the pinnacle with his appointment as club President in 1953/54, a role he was still occupying in 1960 at the time of his demise – his contemporaries have stated that he “brought to this important office a standard of performance and duty which could not be excelled’. At meetings, club functions, trips to the country centres, social matches, the President would be at hand to guide or assist and add his vast experience to aid other officials.
During his time with the club Ern Gould had the opportunity to be friends and interact with many of the greatest players to ever represent the club – Les Pye, ‘Mudgee’ Cranney, ‘Gar’ Waddy, Ray Rowe, the Leabeaters, Jack Fitzpatrick, the Benauds, Ron James, Jack Treanor, Wally Cornock and Wilf Ewens.
He also created the ‘Gould Dynasty’, which continued uninterrupted until Ernie’s son Wesley passed away in 2010 – a staggering 102 years of family association with the club. Apart from Wesley, his other children also featured in the club’s history – Langdon, a leg-spinning all-rounder captained the A.W. Green Shield team in 1950/51 and 1951/52, going on to play 4th grade for the club. Not to be outdone by their male siblings, daughters Inez and Beverley also got into the act – Inez was the 2nd grade Scorer for 10 years, and Beverley assisted by serving lunches and afternoon Teas at the 1st grade matches.
Wesley Ernest Gould
On the 27th April, 2010 Life Member Wesley Gould aged 77 years, suddenly passed away after suffering a major heart-attack. With the sad passing of Wes, the club lost its ‘No.1 Supporter’ and the amazing 102-year link between it and the Gould family had been severed. Wes’s father Ernie started the reign in 1908 and carried on his service with club for 52 years – Wes ‘picked up the cudgel’ and followed in his father’s footsteps - into both the scoring and administration ranks in 1961.
Wesley was a wonderful enduring character, whose great sporting loves were – the Parramatta (Cumberland) District Cricket club, Western Suburbs (later West Tigers) Rugby League club and the Sydney Swans.
But his greatest passion rested with the Parramatta cricket club, of which he was fiercely supportive through ‘seasons of plenty or seasons of famine’, he was never afraid to proffer his opinion on the quality of the 1st grade team’s performance but would staunchly defend or praise his players in the light of any unwarranted criticism.
Wes never drove a car, and right up to 2009, despite increasing health battles, he would catch public transport to all corners of Sydney to be on hand to watch his beloved Parramatta 1st grade team play. Because of the duration of his involvement with the club he was a ‘font of knowledge’ on many of the club’s great old players, but also held great delight in witnessing the ‘new brigade’ emerge from the ranks of A.W. Green Shield and the club’s lower grades.
Wesley had a brief flirtation with playing, representing the Cumberland in A.W. Green Shield in 1948/49, Poidevin-Gray Shield 1951/52, City and Suburban and 4th grade in 1950 to 52. The 1951/52 Annual Report carried the following comments from the 4th grade captain on Wes – “A young left-hand bowler of distinct promise, who can also bat well on occasions. A little more concentration in the field would pay dividends Wes”.
But Wesley’s forte was to be scoring, after often filling-in - whenever needed - he took on the 1st grade Scorer’s role on a permanent basis in the 1960/61 season after the death of his father Ernest - who was Club President and 1st grade scorer. Wes loved scoring and like his father, he achieved international status in this sphere with his appointments in the 1980s to work the scorebooks for the One Day D/N Internationals at the S.C.G. He retired from 1st grade scoring in 1987/88, but his delight in the A.W. Green Shield competition saw him ‘sharpening his pencils and recording the numbers’ right up to 2008.
W.E. Gould’s contribution to the Parramatta District Cricket Club was not just confined to the role of Scorer, his long-term commitment to the historical club was multi-faceted, as reflected by his elevation to Life Membership. He managed the Poidevin-Gray Shield team for many years, served on the club’s Management committee, Assistant Secretary 1981/82, and was club President 1978/79 to 1980/81.
‘Clubmen like Wesley Ernest Gould’ are very rare and leave a rich legacy of service to their club.
Christine Bennison
Christine Bennison is the final member in the trilogy of dedicated Parramatta 1st grade Scorers.
Chris commenced scoring for the Marsfield Cricket Club in 1975/76 and after a period of 11 seasons she was recommended to the Parramatta District Cricket Club. Ever on the lookout for good Scorers the club welcomed her to its ranks with open arms, and keen to embark on a new challenge she took up the role of 2nd grade Scorer in the 1987/88 season.
The 1st grade scorer’s job became available to her in 1988/89 and she grabbed it with both hands and held the post until 2019/20. A very committed and professional scorer, Christine was well appreciated and loved by the players of the 1st grade team – and she in turn ‘thought the world of her boys’ and shared the ‘ups and downs’ of each match with the Parramatta players perched up in the Old Kings Grandstand behind her scorer’s table with her trusty pen in hand.
The highlight of her tenure with the Parra 1st grade team was the 2017/18 season when after a 53-year absence the team at last captured the elusive Belvidere Cup as 1st grade Premiers.
Chris also performed the valuable function of club statistician, keeping the modern records up to date.
In season 1998/99 she was first invited by the New South Wales Cricket Association to undertake the scorer’s role for two NSW v. New Zealand tour games, this was followed by NSW Colts matches in 1999/00. After making a favourable impression on the authorities she was awarded her initial Pura Cup (formerly Sheffield Shield) game, NSW v. Victoria in 2000/01.
In 2001/02 ING Cup (one dayers) became a regular duty and led her into the realm of the International One Day fixtures – Australia v. Sri Lanka and England v. Sri Lanka, plus additional domestic ING Cup and Pura Cup matches.
Season 2003/04 brought Christine full international recognition when she was official scorer for the Test matches at the famous S.C.G. between Australia and Zimbabwe, and England, plus the Australia v. India 2nd O.D.I. Final. From that point Chris continued to perform as a regular representative scorer, and in the ensuing years up 2014/15 officiated at many more Interstate and International contests.
Her full first-class resume was:
- Test Matches – 15
- World Cup matches – Men (5), Women (10).
- O.D.I. – Men (25), Women (5).
- International T20 – Men (5), Women (5)
- International Tour Matches – Men (10), Women (10).
- Sheffield Shield Matches – 47
- One-Day Domestic – Men (69), Women (2).
- Big Bash League T20 – Men (32), Women (23).
In recognition of her services to the Parramatta District Cricket Club and her International appointments, the club bestowed Life Membership on her in 2004.
By – Tom Wood – Club Historian
