Tasmania University Cricket Club

Club History

The University of Tasmania (1890)

Naturally, the history of the Tasmania University Cricket Club is closely linked to the history of the University of Tasmania.

A mineral boom in the 1880's brought wealth and prosperity to Tasmania and there were calls for a university to be established. In 1890 the University of Tasmania, the fourth in Australia, was established in the High School building on the Domain.

Lectures started in 1893 and by 1899 there were 35 students, enough to attempt to organise various student activities.

The Tasmania University Union (T.U.U.) was established to facilitate social intercourse and to organise sport. Cricket was one of the five founding members of the T.U.U. committee along with tennis, football, debating and social activities. It was always thought that the cricket club was formed at the same time the T.U.U. was formed.


University Cricket Club established (1898)

However, the discovery in May 2005, of an old Minutes Book in the archives section of the University Library shows that the University Cricket Club was established some months before the T.U.U. was formed.

The Minutes Book contains the hand written minutes from the meeting to establish the University Cricket Club:

Minutes of meeting to establish University Cricket Club - September 16th. 1898. A meeting was held at the University to establish a Cricket Club. Professor Williams in the chair. Present: Professor McFarlane, Messrs WJT Stops, RL Blackwood, RS Waller, C Brammall, EL Piesse, WID Butters. Apologies for absence were received from Professor McAulay, Messrs W Walker, CW Butters, JB Walker, EH Butters, E Maxwell and others. Resolved that the name of the Club be the University Cricket Club. Proposed by W Stops and seconded by Professor McFarlane that a provisional committee be formed consisting of Messrs Butters, Waller and Blackwood for the purpose of taking such steps, as are necessary for the formation of the Club, and arrange, if possible with Queen's College concerning a joint pitch in the Upper Cricket Ground. Resolved that the subscriptions be 10/6 per annum payable on the 1st October and also that the colours be the same as the University Tennis Club.

At the first committee meeting held on the same day it was agreed to share a pitch with Queen's College at the Upper Ground 'on equal terms'.

The U.C.C. made an inglorious start losing their first five matches. The match against the Fleet, played on the 31st January 1899, was quite a 'society' event and 250 people flocked to the Upper Ground to see the Fleet prevail by 75 runs while the Flagship's Band played on.


The Upper Cricket Ground (now known as the T.C.A. Ground and current home ground of the North Hobart Cricket Club) on the Queen’s Domain, Hobart was the original home ground of the University Cricket Club. Photograph circa 1907 (postcard property of Michael Graham-Smith)

The Missing Years (1899-1955)

Little is known about the cricket club, or the characters involved with the club, in the early years. Cricket did not gain much following amongst the students mainly due to the small population of the university. Also, the cricket season took place over two university years and included the summer break, when many students left Hobart, either to return home or find employment.

In 1938 Togatus, the T.U.U. newspaper, makes mention of a cricket team beginning in this year. However, at the time, all sporting clubs had problems. They had little time for practice, no sporting facilities and no good coaches and, as a result, the standard of sporting teams was quite poor. Consequently, good players went to community clubs. In 1948 Togatus noted that cricket had faded.


Cricket Revived (1955)

In the early 1950s sport was still struggling under the handicaps of no grounds, not enough time, and inadequate coaching. In 1950 there were 13 sports teams and this grew to 35 teams in 1953. Finally, the cricket club was revived in 1955. The following extract from a letter from Roger Page tells the story of the reformation of the club.

"No cricket club existed at the University, then housed almost exclusively on the Domain, when I began my University course in 1954, much to my surprise.

I called a meeting in the winter of 1955, which officially re-formed the Club.

We competed first in the Mid-Week Cricket Association, in 1955-56, playing 21 overs a side matches on Wednesday mornings, the opposing sides mainly comprising veteran players, including one aged 57.

In the first season, staff members made a significant contribution, with R.W. (Dick) Bentham, a law lecturer, appointed the first captain, Alf Haggar (Economics), who had played 57 games for Fitzroy in the 1940's, the leading swing bowler, Ted Stokes (English) opening batsman and occasional off-spinner and Malcolm McRae (Political Science) a mid-order left-handed "slogger", all regular players. Bentham hit the first century in the third match but the side, unable to cope with the very limited nature of the matches, met with limited success.

In the next season, as well as continuing in the Mid-Week Competition, we joined the Old Boys competition on Saturday afternoons, competing against teams of ex scholars from private schools. The cricket played was generally of a higher standard than the Mid-Week matches. Among the players who later gained fame in other fields were Henry Reynolds, a sound purveyor of leg-breaks, and later a Professor at James Cook University, and Nick Evers who achieved political prominence.

In 1958 I commenced teaching at New Norfolk High School and lost contact with the Club except for the occasional Dinner. Nonetheless, it was very satisfying when University was admitted to the T.C.A. Competition, which had been the aim of those who attended the first meeting."

The following extract from a letter from Ted Stokes describes his involvement with the club during this time of transition from a social cricket club to a club in the Tasmanian Cricket Association.

"…I was having a belated cricket 'career', having assisted a couple of then-young law lecturers, long since departed, to revive the T.U.C.C., which had been virtually defunct for decades. (1955-56 to 1961-62) Of course, we only played in Midweek and the Old Scholars Association, before we finally managed to prise open the T.C.A. doors……I remember opening an innings or two in Midweek in 1960/61 with Mr. Bill Bale (now the Solicitor-General of Tasmania), when he was a Friends boy about to start his law degree, and I was pushing 40. Bill was, of course, a member of the first Uni team which won a premiership. As you probably know the T.C.A. wouldn't let us straight into first grade, so half a dozen or so who were playing first grade with various clubs came back to second grade, and, I believe won every match. (I was actually on study leave in England at the time.)"


Acceptance into the Tasmanian Cricket Association (1961/62)

The T.U.C.C. was accepted into the second grade competition for the season 1961/62. Tony Harrison, a member of the first University team in the T.C.A., wrote an account of that first season. The following is an extract from that account;

"On Friday 29th October 1961 the Hobart Mercury published the names of the team to represent the University Cricket Club in its first T.C.A. match. Several of the players had previous T.C.A. experience particularly Captain Gerald Johnston with New Town and Vice Captain Tony Harrison with Sandy Bay, both regular first grade players. The other members of that historic team were Bill Bale, Tim Burbury, David Collins, John Davies, Greg Foot, Ross Munro, Graeme Morris, Michael Share, Don Stewart and Alan Taylor.

The T.C.A. had admitted the club as the tenth team in 2nd Grade after considerable lobbying, particularly by the President Bill Bale and Secretary Tim Burbury. The T.C.A. stipulated that all players must be enrolled students and the team contain not more than two graduates. This severely limited the Club's ability to select teams as many students played for other district clubs, some first grade players were not prepared to play in 2nd grade and more than two graduates were keen to play. Despite these difficulties enthusiasm was high in the spring of 1961 and supported by a keen but inexperienced ground staff pre-season practice was well attended notwithstanding looming examinations."

Other players to represent the Club during the 1961/62 season included Scott Bennett, Lyn Sutherland, Brian Streets, Bill Goodhand, John Wedd, Graeme Hetherington and Roger Martin.

This team went through the season undefeated and the T.U.C.C. was accepted into the T.C.A. first grade competition in the following season.

The Formative Years in the T.C.A. (1961-1975)

Over the next fifteen years the T.U.C.C. established itself as a very competitive cricket club. University players quickly gained a reputation as 'scholars of the game' always upholding the fine traditions of the game. They played to win but always maintained their good humour, sense of fair play and respect for their opponents.

University 1st Grade team - March 1965:


Back Row, L to R : J Davies, T Swifte, G Foot, S Fitzgerald, L Batchelor
Front Row, L to R : J Fennell, B Woods, A Harrison, R Smith, B Palfreyman, J Docker

University 1st Grade team - March 1966:


Back Row, L to R : R Cotgrove, T Swifte, G Foot, A Harrison, B Palfreyman
Front Row, L to R : J Docker, J Rataj, W Bale, J Fennell, P Hall, B Woods

In 1968 Togatus reported on triumphs on the cricket field with the 1st. Grade team making the final for the first time.


Standing, L to R : Dick Harris, Ian Giles, Ian Lewis, Ian Cole, David Keech, Ken Thomson, Jock Abey.
Squatting, L to R : Scott Grant, Graeme Farrell (V-C), Bob Cotgrove (Capt.), Leigh Batchelor, Bruce Doolan.
N.B. John Hampshire had left at the end of the roster season.

However, it wasn't until the season of 1974/75 that the club won the first grade premiership for the first time. University batted first and were bowled out for 210. An even batting performance, with 9 of the batsmen making double figures, contributed to this competitive total. Bob Cotgrove top scored with 41 runs and Ray Brown (33) and Michael Norman (32) made very useful contributions. In reply Clarence were bowled out for 62 runs in the first innings and 98 runs in the second innings. Ray Brown and captain Graeme Mansfield both took 7 wickets for the match. University won the match outright by an innings and 50 runs.


Intervarsity (1960-1990)

Intervarsity was a major part of the T.U.C.C. cricket program from 1960 until 1990. In many ways, it embodies the true spirit of University cricket. It certainly provides a very sociable atmosphere for cricketers, of like mind, from all over Australia to come together and celebrate our great game.

Many very accomplished cricketers have taken part in intervarsity over the years and, in the main, very competitive cricket is played. Sometimes it could be said that the cricket gets in the way of a good drinking session.

In recent years, the intervarsity cricket program has faded nationally. Some intervarsity carnivals have managed to 'get off the ground' but the T.U.C.C. has not sent a team to IV in the last decade.

The majority of University clubs in Australia are open to non-University players. Consequently, fewer undergraduates are playing for University clubs. Also, many University clubs run extensive junior programs and such programs demand a lot of time and energy. These factors, along with the high costs of entering teams, have meant that fewer teams are competing in intervarsity carnivals. Nevertheless, the T.U.C.C. remains hopeful that it will be able to send a team to intervarsity in the, not too distant, future. Hosting a carnival would be the easiest way to ensure a T.U.C.C. team competes in intervarsity.

The T.U.C.C. first competed in intervarsity in 1960. The photo below was taken during that first intervarsity match.



The match was played in December 1960 in Melbourne and Tasmania University was playing against Melbourne University. Duncan Harris (Melbourne) is bowling to Tim Burbury and Alan Taylor is the non-striker. Bob Cowper, who later played test cricket for Australia, is standing at second slip.

In January 1963, the Tasmania University Cricket Club hosted the inaugural intervarsity carnival. It was the forerunner to the current interstate one-day competition, the ING Cup. This was the first interstate one-day series held in Australia.

The following is the welcome written by Gerald Johnston, the President of the T.U.C.C. in 1963, in the intervarsity carnival booklet.

'Intervarsity Gentlemen, Players and Hangers-on,
Welcome to the first full scale Intervarsity Cricket Carnival. We hope that it is both socially and statistically successful for you and that sufficient enthusiasm is engendered to make fixtures an annual event.
The dilemma we faced in organising the programme was to compromise between social functions and recuperation periods necessitated by a very heavy cricket curriculum. The conundrum could be condensed to the question "Can the conscientious and the cavaliers co-exist contentedly?" or conversely, "Can a quart of Cascade crush the Conformists?" A Compton-Cowdrey comparison could contain a clue.
Whatever the answer, by being the first to act as hosts, we hope to benefit from our mistakes. We know that our own performance will be improved through the competition you will provide us with, so despite your mainland upbringing, the T.U.C.C. wishes you all the very best in cricket, conquests and consumption during your sojourn in old Hobart Town.'

Matches were played at University, Kingborough, Glenorchy, Queenborough, T.C.A. and Hutchins. The competing teams were Melbourne, New South Wales, Queensland, Sydney and Tasmania. A number of players went onto become first-class cricketers.

The photo below shows the T.U.C.C. bound for the 1973 Intervarsity Carnival in Adelaide.



L to R : J Braithwaite, R Brown, K Brown, B Correy, W Friend, M Norman, R Cotgrove, S Allen, G Pepper, M Street, P Bennett, C Brown, G Coombes, E Szczepanowski, P Williams (Coach)
Bob Cotgrove is a stalwart of intervarsity carnivals. Bob played in a total of 51 intervarsity matches over a period of 20 years and holds the record for the total number of intervarsity matches played. In fact, his next closest rival would have played less than 20 matches in total. Bob can truly lay claim to being the ultimate authority on intervarsity cricket carnivals in Australia.


Bob Cotgrove (1965-1994)

An account of the history of the T.U.C.C. would not be complete without acknowledging the contribution of one R D M Cotgrove.

An extract from a letter from Bob Cotgrove details his motivation for joining the club initially.

"My involvement with the University of Tasmania dates back to 1965, when the added incentive of playing cricket with the T.U.C.C. was an important part of my decision to pursue an academic career."

It wasn't long before Bob was roped into becoming president of the Sports Council, then was told that this meant he was a member of the S.R.C. This started an association with the University of Tasmania that continues until this day.

In relation to the S.R.C., the History of the Tasmania University Union records that "…Bob had little difficulty fitting in; he had studied Political Science, was opposed to the war in Vietnam and was in tune with the left-wing policies of the day, so he could without difficulty avoid offending the ruling Union elite, to protect Sports Council interests."

Bob was president of the S.R.C. for many years and it was during his term in office, and mainly due to his lobbying, that the sports pavilion was built beside the University Oval. Of course, the cricket club were one of the main beneficiaries of this project, as the pavilion became the cricket clubrooms during the summer.

Bob saw cricket intervarsity as a major part of the activities of the cricket club and took part in many intervarsity trips. The History of the Tasmania University Union records that "…later administrators saw it as frivolous and even negative, upsetting the discipline of the team, and the importance of IVs generally lessened. By this time, too, the old idea that clubs had a closed membership had gone and anyone could play for any club, which meant that many people came to university already tied to other clubs, and university clubs had a higher percentage of non-university players."

"In 1982 Bob Cotgrove was chosen as manager for the only tour of England by an Australian universities cricket team. He found it difficult to blend the players into one team, not realising the antagonism between N.S.W. and Sydney universities, and between Western Australians and the rest. Then at Oxford and Cambridge they were treated like colonials, and Bob's players behaved like ockers as a defensive mechanism. Nevertheless, 'we had a bloody good time!' and Bob enjoyed being asked to play in the Oxford-Cambridge Invitation XI with famous players like Colin Cowdrey (Australia won)."

Bob's remarkable playing career for the T.U.C.C. ended when he retired, at the ripe old age of 55, at the end of the 1993/94 season. Bob played for the club for 30 years and in that time played 380 innings and scored 9088 runs at an average of 26.11. In addition to this, he bowled 1202.2 overs and took 193 wickets at an average of 19.71. During his time at the club he held most administrative roles, at one time or another, and devoted countless hours to the club ensuring that the club remained competitive and held true to the traditions and values it was founded on.

The final word on this subject should be left to Bob himself. In the following extract from his letter to the club, Bob reflects on his involvement with the T.U.C.C. and the University of Tasmania.

"…. Now, as I approach retirement, I look back on my association not only with the T.U.C.C. but with the University Union, the Sports Council, the University Club and the Staff Association with immense gratitude for the enjoyable memories of past events and the parade of people who made them possible."

TUCC Office Bearers


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