Noel Hughes - Randwick Petersham Cricket Club Cricket Nomad Heroes of the Ages
Born in Newtown on 6 April 1928 and a product of Lewisham Christian Brothers, 13 year old Noel Keith Hughes joined the old Marrickville club as a Green Shield boy in 1941-42, playing in the competition for three seasons.
He wasn’t sighted in Grade Cricket for another three years but in 1947-48 joined Petersham DCC.
After showing his wares in making 272 runs in 2nd Grade he made his 1st Grade debut playing five matches.
In 1948-49 he headed the 2nd Grade batting with 421 runs including a dashing 127 not out against Northern District. His performance drew the comment in the annual report from his captain Jack Ross that “His determination and keenness was a shining example to all members of the club. His promotion to 1st Grade was well merited and he should be an acquisition and add strength to the batting”.
Prophetic words as Hughes went on to score over 9,000 runs for the club in a playing career spanning more than 32 seasons.
A notable feature of Noel Hughes’ outstanding career was the seasons he had in 1953 and 1954 with the English County Club Worcestershire. Ironically, the opportunity to play County Cricket came from Randwick’s Jock Livingston, a regular with Northamptonshire, who suggested to Noel after he had played well against Randwick at Coogee Oval and in a NSW Colts match against Queensland at SCG no.2, that he would be an ideal prospect for an English County team. It was on his recommendation that Worcester snapped up the budding top-class batsman.
When the proposal to merge with Randwick was put to Noel in 2001 he gave it his ringing endorsement.
The new Randwick Petersham club created renewed interest and enthusiasm among followers of both clubs and Noel was no exception.
Over the following years “Pommie” was somewhat of a fixture in a soft seat beneath a tree near the Petersham Oval grandstand watching play in the middle, be it 1st Grade or 4th Grade.
Noel “Pommie” Hughes contributed a lifetime of service, dedication and loyalty to cricket and to the Petersham-Marrickville / Randwick Petersham club spanning almost 70 years.
