Parramatta District Cricket Club – New Addition to the 10,000 runs Club
Parramatta District Cricket Club | February 17, 2025
On Sunday 9th February 2025 Parramatta’s prolific scoring batsman and two-times Belvidere Cup winning captain Nick Bertus became the fourth player to compile 10,000+ runs (all grades) for the two-blues. He joins club icons Ray Rowe, Bert Alderson and Stan Teale as the achievers of this substantial milestone.
A brief statistical outline of these fine cricketer’s careers is shown below, uniquely all four were left-handed batsmen.
1] – Nick Bertus:
Relatively short in height, the nuggety robust built leftie possesses deceptive strength and great ‘cricket smarts’ with bat in hand – not a player in the stylish, elegant mode he more resembles the tenacious, powerful and punchy style of former Test star Allan Border – and the manner in which his batting has evolved he will end his playing days as Parramatta’s highest ever 1st grade run scorer resting that mantle from iconic clubman Harold ‘Mudgee’ Cranney.
Nick has a great appetite for amassing runs in 1st grade NSW Premier Cricket as highlighted by:
Being the first batsman to score 1,000+ runs in a season for Parramatta (1,018 – 2017/18, 1,053 – 2020/21) – Ryan Hackney achieved that feat in 2022/23.
Second Parramatta player to score two double-centuries in 1st grade (215, 206*).
2] – Ray Rowe:
On the playing fields Ray Rowe forged a notable career for Cumberland at grade level and was good enough to represent New South Wales in the first-class arena in the era of Don Bradman. On the 1st Grade stage Ray sat comfortably placed amongst the best batsman of his time. A dashing left-handed stroke-player, possessing robust power for a relatively slight man and acclaimed for his quick footwork he was not afraid to punch the ball – pulling and hooking to telling effect, but perhaps his ‘signature shot’ was the classic off-drive.
The Cumberland Argus of 2/2/1933 quotes:
“Don Bradman, in his broadcast, was very complimentary. He declared that Ray Rowe was the finest off-driver in the game today. Rather a big claim, but the Don has seen them all”.
His career with Parramatta extended from 1931/32 thru to 1964/65, and in his debut match for NSW he top-scored with 70 runs v. Douglas Jardine’s 1932/33 ‘Bodyline Team
3] – Bert Alderson:
Bert Alderson was literally a run machine – one of only a handful of batsmen to top 14,000 runs in grade cricket – of which 10,731 were made in 1st Grade with Central Cumberland and Sydney University. Right from the start of his career he was an intelligent batsman, who played with strong application, measured aggression and ‘understood what was required to be a consistent and prolific run-maker’.
Small in stature he was a compact left-hander who spent much of his early career as an opening batsman. Bert’s batting was well organised, based on a tight defence, fluent on-side play and a strong appetite for runs.
His lengthy grade career began in earnest from the 1940/41 season and concluded as it started with some fill-in appearances to assist Cumberland in the 1973/74 season, this timeframe was punctuated by Bert’s secondment to Sydney University’s 1st grade team in 1951/52 to 1952/53 (whilst completing his Engineering degree) and again as captain between 1961/62 and 1965/66.
His lengthy grade career began in earnest from the 1940/41 season and concluded as it started with some fill-in appearances to assist Cumberland in the 1973/74 season, this timeframe was punctuated by Bert’s secondment to Sydney University’s 1st grade team in 1951/52 to 1952/53 (whilst completing his Engineering degree) and again as captain between 1961/62 and 1965/66.
It remains a great mystery that how as successful a 1st grade player as Bert, wasn’t ever chosen to represent NSW in the Sheffield Shield competition. In December 2024 Bert celebrated his 100th birthday.
4] – Stan Teale:
Stan was a left-handed batsman, more a grafter than a stylist, he went about his batting in a methodical fashion using deft deflections and clubbing pull shots to keep the scoreboard ticking. Stan was always a calm competitor often filling a support role in building partnerships and could be rock-like in times of team adversity.
He was deservedly elected a Life Member of the club, served on the Management Committee for many of years, often operated as a Club Selector, and spent several years captaining lower grade teams and passing the benefits of his experience to fledgling club players.
Teams captained by Stan, reflected him, they played hard cricket and showed sportsmanship to their opponents and respected the game.
