By JOHN TAYLOR OAM,

Myrtleford and District Historical Society

FORTY years after the first permanent European settlers arrived in the Myrtleford district in 1837, the game of cricket had commenced.

Games were first hosted in the 1870s in the vicinity of where the Memorial Hall and the Co–operative Store would be built in the 1920s.

With the construction of the two–storeyed Myrtleford Hotel and St Andrew's Presbyterian Church in 1885––87, the 1890s saw games being played in a paddock which would later be named 'Memorial Park'.

Out of town, the first Gapsted ground was briefly located at Taylor's Gap, opposite McKeone's 'Forest Hotel'.

On October 19, 1878 the 'Ovens and Murray Advertiser' reported on the first match there between a Gapsted–Myrtleford team and a Whorouly–Everton combination.

Prominent players included McHenry, Puzey and McKeone for the home side and Barker, Coulson and Winnicott for the visitors, who lost by 16 runs.

Refreshments were served for 100 at the nearby hotel.

Today's official Gapsted cricket ground would come with a land grant in 1882.

District farmers provided venues on dirt pitches for many years at Rostrevor, Buffalo River, Dandongadale, Ovens and Happy Valley.

The 'hotel paddock' provided a ground at Whorouly; a permanent ground would not come until November 10 1923, with the first game on a concrete pitch at the new recreation reserve.

On August 31, 1906 the 'Alpine Observer' reported on a meeting of the Myrtleford Cricket Club held at the Prince of Wales Hotel at which the club secretary Cr Charles O'Grady stated: "Although excommunicated from the Bright District Cricket Association, the club had plenty of cricket during season 1905–06."

Myrtleford and Buffalo Creek players had rallied and formed three local teams and several games against Whorouly and Beechworth were played.

A Myrtleford and District Cricket Association was in place for the 1906–07 season.

Prominent players at the turn of the 20th century included batsmen such as Dr Ernest Sutton, Nelson Paul and William Paul.

Trophy–winning bowlers included Harry Milne, Sam Paul, Walter Mummery and veteran Jim Paul.

The Paul family thrived on cricket; on October 3 1896 they had formed their own cricket club at Buffalo Creek at a meeting chaired by Mr Joseph Paul.

The 1911–12 cricket season saw Myrtleford defeat Whorouly in the final by 3 runs under the captaincy of Dr Sutton.

At a social evening on June 6 1912, at Moore's Hall next to the Railway Hotel, the Association batting average trophy was presented to local teacher, Tom Patton, whose average was 99.

On the cusp of the outbreak of World War 1, an inter–association 'Challenge Final' was held at Gapsted from March 21 to April 5, 1914.

It resulted in an 'A' grade third–wicket batting partnership which stood as a record in the 'Guinness Book of Records' until 1988 when it was broken by 14 year–old Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli in India, who put together a 664 partnership.

This Gapsted final produced a 1st innings score of 893 for Buffalo River and 158 and 55 in two innings' by Whorouly.

The record–setting Buffalo River batsmen were Tom Patton (408) and Norman Rippon (321).

They had formed a partnership of 641 runs.

In a sad postscript, Tom Patton would leave his Buffalo River school and enlist in World War 1.

Promoted to company sergeant major, he fought on Gallipoli and was wounded on July 13, 1915.

Conveyed by hospital ship to Malta, he died there on August 9.

Norman Rippon married Margaret Paul (the scorer at that memorable game in 1914) and continued dairy farming in Gippsland.

He played cricket into his sixties and died, aged 99, in November 1977.

Local competition was suspended due to war during 1915—1920.

Then the return of normal day–to–day life in the 1920s saw inclusion of additional teams in a Myrtleford and Beechworth Association, including May Day Hills, Stanley, Silver Creek, Brookfield, Porepunkah and Ovens.

At decade's end, as Myrtleford celebrated its 75th Anniversary, one 'Back To' event during Easter 1929 featured the annual visit of a Victorian District cricket team.

Carlton played a Myrtleford side at Memorial Park, and batsmen E Webb, L Calvert and M Ellen made double figures in a total of 152.

Carlton, in a solid display, made 216.

The 1930s ushered in a six–team Association, two teams from Myrtleford and others from Whorouly, Gapsted, Buffalo River and a team named 'Old Timers'.

These respected veterans of the game came from all corners of the district.

They included A Elmer, L Welch, H Walkear, A Macaulay and the local school Head Master, F Head.

Whorouly, who had spent nearly 30 years in the Wangaratta competition, rejoined the Myrtleford association from 1931–32 and won successive premierships.

The outbreak of World War 2 saw competition disbanded again from 1941 to 1944, resuming with gusto in October 1944.

More local champions would emerge as families were reunited and the post–war years rolled on.