1978/79 - The Struggle Begins

BOB KENT commenced his first stint as President of the Club in this Season and Jeff Wheaton became Vice President. Wayne Ross was still Secretary and Andy Gilroy-Scott, Treasurer. The Committee comprised Barry Cotterell, Gordon McLeod, Clarrie Swan, Ron Hulme (who resigned prior to the start of the Season), Les Thomas, Kevin Cook and Graeme Meadows. The Membership Fee was set at $15 and the Match Fee was still $2. Juniors were required to pay $5. During the Season, the Club, in conjunction with the Frankston Rugby Union Football Club, wrote to the Frankston Council seeking extensions to the Worland Park Pavilion, and to bring the oval to the standard required for Senior cricket. The Council replied that it was not prepared to do anything to the oval, and could not, because of the foundation of the pavilion, do any more to the Clubrooms. However, Council advised that it was going to establish a sporting oval at the Frankston Tip site, and indeed gave both Clubs the undertaking that we would be allocated that site when it was ready for play. Wayne Ross, Jeff Wheaton and Barry Cotterell were appointed as the Club's first representatives on the Building's Sub-Committee. The Club fielded a fourth Senior team this Season, and finally was successful in fielding a Junior team, in the Under 12 Competition.

Rob Dean was again Coach of the Club, but the 1st XI struggled, losing George Griffiths, Ron Hulme, Col Munro (to Baden Powell as Captain Coach) and Rob Gailey. Players recruited were John Crabtree (Frankston East), Ross Penberthy and Wal Guthrie, while Alan Moulden and Trevor Griffin resumed playing after absences of one Season, and Neil Stirling - another former team-mate of Rob's from Carnegie - joined the Club late in the Season. Other new players to the Club were Bob Bowden, Rick Brading, Richard Carter (Frankston East), Ian Cookman, Trevor Dixon, Keith Holmes, Graham Mattingley, Danny Quinn, Ray Whitworth and Peter Worland. The loss of Col Munro was, however, the key to things and the team struggled for most of the Season, winning only four games. Gordon McLeod scored 356 runs and took 23 wickets, Ross Penberthy scored 280, John Crabtree 200 while Glen Farrow took 18 wickets. On the batting side, only three players managed to score half-centuries - Gordon McLeod, 75.58 and 55, Rob Dean 93 and Wayne Ross 60, while Dave Muir was the only bowler to snare 5 wickets in an Innings - 5/52.

The 2nd XI led by Clarrie Swan was also disappointing as it looked to have a fine team at the start of the Season, but players rarely put it together at the same time. Russ Wealands scored 177 runs, Wayne Carter 264, Alan Goodwright 175 runs and 16 wickets, Ray Vivian 22 wickets, Clarrie Swan 21 and Bob Kent 15 were the better players. Six players scored half-centuries - Wayne Carter 65, Alan Goodwright 68, Dave Phillips 50, Clarrie Swan 52, Les Thomas 65 and Russ Wealands 54. Ray Vivian's 6/41 was the only effort of 5 wickets in an Innings for the Season.

The 3rd XI also struggled, although we defeated the two teams which played-off for the Premiership. Led by Barry Cotterell, we just did not have consistency, with only three players scoring over 100 runs for the Season, and only two - Les Thomas (50 not out) and Bernie Stabb (50) getting 50's. Barry Cotterell led by example, scoring 182 runs and taking 31 wickets and Kevin Stokes made 168 and took 26 wickets including the only 5-wicket haul for the team - 6/43.

The 4th XI was magnificent, led by Graeme Meadows, and finishing fourth on the ladder and playing off for the Premiership. This team forfeited a game during the Season, and struggled for numbers in most games. It did have Graeme Meadows, who scored 692 runs which included 7 half-centuries and 4 other scores between 40 and 49. He also took a Club record 49 wickets for the Season at an average of 12.3%. Other good performers were Graeme Mattingley 187 runs, Greg Neilson 22 wickets, Armin Otto 25 wickets, Ray Whitworth 249 runs and Peter Worland, who joined the Club late in the Season and took 23 wickets.

The First Junior Team - Under 12's :
Wayne Ross was appointed as Team Manager of the Junior Team, and was ably supported by Kevin Cook. Twenty-eight Juniors represented the Club in the Under 12 Competition, and the boys did extremely well, winning 7 of 13 games. This Season was the first that we saw of Graham Vose, Craig Small and Mark Watson - all 1st XI players of the future. Graham scored 246 runs and Craig made 206 and took 27 wickets. Other boys to excel were Grant Cording who took 7/19 in one match and Darren Otto who took a hat-trick in a 7/16 effort.

Award winners for the Season were :

Individual awards were given to Ray Whitworth (Century), Barry Cotterell (Hat Trick) and Peter Worland (7 wickets). During the Season Brett Harris, Dave Phillips and Les Thomas each played their 50th game with the Club, Brett and Ray Vivian took their 100th wicket, while Dave Phillips, Wayne Ross and Les Thomas scored their 1000th run. Bob Kent, Graeme Meadows and Clarrie Swan each took their 50th wicket for the Club.

Scores for the Season were -

1st XI

2nd XI

3rd XI

4th XI

Semi Final :
Long Island 160 (Meadows 65) and 3/63 defeated Heatherhill 75 (Worland 5/23, Otto 3/32)
and 145 (Worland 7/63)

Grand Final :
Long Island 175 (G.Meadows 49, M.Rankin 40no, R.Carter 20) and 146 (R.Whitworth 21,
G.Meadows 42, M.Rankin 42) lost to Tootgarook 281 (G.Meadows 4/103, P.Worland 5/58) and 1/40

Major performers during Season 1978/79 were :

Runs :
602 Graeme Meadows
356 Gordon McLeod
343 Ray Whitworth
280 Ross Penberthy
265 Wayne Carter
219 Bob Bowden
204 Armin Otto
200 John Crabtree
199 Dave Phillips
193 Les Thomas
188 Graham Mattingley
186 Rob Dean
185 Barry Cotterell
184 Alan Goodwright
178 Russ Wealands
168 Kevin Stokes
167 Clarrie Swan
158 Trevor Dixon
156 Richard Carter
151 Wayne Ross & Bernie Stabb
150 Ray Kinsey

Wickets :
49 Graeme Meadows
31 Barry Cotterell
26 Armin Otto & Kevin Stokes
25 Bob Kent
23 Gordon McLeod & Peter Worland
22 Greg Neilson & Ray Vivian
21 Clarrie Swan
18 Glen Farrow & Alan Goodwright
12 Kevin Cook
11 Richard Carter, Brett Harris & Dave Muir

Following the Season, Clarrie Swan became Manager of the Night Cricket team, and once again some Long Island Cricketers had something to do with themselves during the winter months.