Introduction

The Wodi Wodi people of the Dharawal language group were the main Aboriginal inhabitants of the Illawarra area, and a clan was centred around Werri Beach and Crooked River/Gerroa. Here is a great story of a cricket team, which was formed from the Crooked River area 130 years ago. It’s an important piece of Gerringong history.

The formation of the team

There is no record of the cricket club being formed, and the reasons why it was created.

However, it can be surmised that ‘King’ Mickey Weston was the person behind the formation of the team. Mickey Weston was the Elder who oversaw the tribes from the Illawarra to Seven Mile Beach (at least) and he would regularly travel to these places. I imagine that he had a great interest in cricket and was keen to put together a team.

Was the team just made up of indigenous men from Crooked River? It is possible, but it is also likely that some came from other places. There were mentions of Sims and Longbottoms in the team. The Longbottoms were prominent at Kiama and the Sims at Werri Beach.

The name Crooked River was not always used as well. Sometimes, it was mentioned that the team came from Gerringong or maybe the South Coast. However, it may have been a convenience as I imagine the name Crooked River was not well known outside the Gerringong District.

A sure thing is that one of the first challenges for Mickey was to get the proper playing equipment. One thing that is consistent with most of the games played was that the team would, ‘put on a show’ after the game. This might include a corroboree and a demonstration of boomerang throwing. The ‘hat’ was taken around to collect money from the spectators. Often, there was a ‘goodly’ crowd there to watch the match and the entertainment. 

Another thing that seemed to happen at most games was that the Indigenous team were always the visitors and, as such, were entertained to a luncheon/afternoon tea. Apparently, on one occasion against Gerringong, this did not happen and the players were most put out according to a letter to the editor!

Apart from newspaper advertisements announcing the coming games, the first mention of an actual game report was from Saturday, 27 January 1894, reported in the Kiama Independent and Shoalhaven Reporter. Thank you to Trove.

CRICKET.

(From a Correspondent.)

A match was played at Gerringong on Wednesday last between Mickey Weston's Team of Aboriginals and a 2nd team of the local club which resulted in a win for the former by 22 runs. The scores were:

Gerringong

A, Wilson, b Cummins ........ 13

M. Hanrahan, lbw,b Sutton ... 7

J. Wilson, b Longbottom........31

R. M. Miller, b Button........ 0

J. Fields, b Cummins ......... 0

J. W, Francis, c and b Cummings3

T. Hanharhan c Simms, b Long

bottom......- ..........      0

B. Johnstone, b Cummings ...  3

M. Burke, b Cummings ........ 2

T. F. Seage, not out .........8

R. Gordon, c Matto, b Cummins.0

- Sundries …                  17

Total .....                   87

Aboriginals.

B. Hoskins, b Wilson .....,     4

Sutton, b Wilson                0

Walker, b Wilson ......... . .. 0

W. Broughton, b Wilson ....     8

Hunt, b Johnston                1

T. Simms, b Wilson .....        8

G. Longbottom, not out         51

Judson, b Wilson ........       4

Matto, c Fields, b Miller..     6

A. Cummings c Hanrahan b Miller 5

Edwards, b Wilson ...        . 12

Sundries ...... ...... .       13

                               109

A Cummings appears to be a very good bowler!

The next game mentioned comes up in the paper 3rd February in a game against Jamberoo. The ‘Gentlemen of Colour’ arrived with plenty of time for the match and were entertained at lunch by ‘the white fellows’. They were one player short, and a Gerringong white boy substituted during the game.

Micky Weston’s team scored 31 in the first innings and 77 in the second. The Jamberoo team got 84 and were 2 for 27 when stumps were called.

After this the large number of spectators were entertained by a demonstration of boomerang throwing. It was noted that the crowd was the largest that had been to any Jamberoo game that season.

The visitors were then entertained at ‘tea’. A collection was taken up to help the team and 1 pound, 7 shillings and sixpence was collected. 

The next match was only a few days later at Kiama. There was an extensive report on the proceedings in the paper.   

The next mention is a game between Gerringong CC and the Crooked River CC on 17th February with Gerringong scoring 128 and the Aboriginals 69. W. Sutton scoring 27no.

On 22 March, the Gerringong Aboriginal CC, as it was called in the article, travelled to Shellharbour to play a match. The Aboriginal team won the game scoring 78 to Shellharbour’s 40. Top scorers were T. Simms and Joe Dixon, who both scored 20. It does not mention how they got there.

The next game mentioned was a trip to Wollongong. A ‘goodly crowd’ was in attendance. The papers were all in praise of the Aboriginal team, displaying great skills. The team was described as ‘Mickey Weston’s team from Gerringong.’ The Aboriginals scored 36 and 8 for 25 and Wollongong 78. 

When they travelled to Comerong on May 8 to play, they were called the South Coast Aboriginal Cricket team. In this match, they scored 35 and 31 as against Comerong with 44 and 70.

This is the last game mentioned in 1894 and the last mention of the Crooked River team. Mickey, however, appears to have put together another team of Dharawal men and played in the Wollongong areas in later years.

Joe Dixon was the best player from the team. He forged out a career with Gerringong CC.