1920s
| 1930s | 1940s
| 1950s | 1960s
| 1970s | 1980s
| 1990s | 2000s
The
1920s
Officials, players, members and/or supporters
first noted in this decade
Joe Barry, W. Burrows, W.F. Carroll, W “Dick” Carroll,
Jack Casey (wicket-keeper), Frank Cleal,
Maurice Collins (Captain of the OXFC from 1927 to 1929), Tim Collins,
E.P. Cooke, J.E. Cooke, G. Crosbie, W.G. Crosbie, George Denton,
Phil Gleeson, Jim McNamara and Joe Gibson (all 3 were wicket-keepers who left the Club to join the Jesuits, the latter two in 1927 and 1928 respectively).
W. Hartung, Fr. T. Hehir, Dr. F. Keane, Joe Kelly (for more see below in notes for 1937/38 season),
Ignatius Keogh, of whom “The Xaverian” 1934 recalled: “He was one of our most enthusiastic and most popular members and although I am told he was sending down ‘bodyliners’ for the School long before many of the present ‘Old Boys’ saw the light of day, he nevertheless retained his love for the game and as late as the 1928-29 season he was able to demonstrate his skill in the matter of ‘fourers’. In fact, it was his supreme disregard for anything under a four that made him such a ‘model of inconsistency between the wickets’ and broke the heart of more than one Old Xaverian who might otherwise have lived to a ripe old age”,
M.C. Larkin, Jack Ley, Jim Madden, Jack Maloney, Dr. Sam Marron, M.Mornane, Harold “Mort” Mortensen, Brendan O’Halloran, Frank O’Halloran.
Roger O’Halloran, of whom it was said, in “The Xaverian” 1932, that he “closely resembles the Australian captain, Woodfull, for he is safe without being stodgy, and he invariably inspires confidence when he is at the wickets”,
N. O’Keefe, Joe Plant (for more see below in notes for1926/27),
L.W. Quin, Hermann G. “Mon” Schrader, T. Simpson, Boles Slaweski, I. Slaweski,
Leo Starr, A. Tobin, Jim Williamson, Anthony (?) Wren, R.H. Wrigley.
The first season: 1926/27
Maurice Collins was appointed Captain, a position he held for eight seasons and resumed after an absence of one year.
6 matches were played with 3 matches won and 3 lost. The Club finished in fourth place behind the eventual winners, Old Melburnians (“OMs”).
The Club also defeated the School twice.
Averages:
Batting: Joe Plant (621 runs @ 62.1)
Bowling: Harold Mortensen, vice-captain, (26 wickets @12.4)
The batting trophy was donated by Mr. F.J. O’Halloran.
Other batting and bowling: Joe Kelly averaged 54.8 with the bat and took 24 wickets @ 13.0. He left the Club to play with Kew. Joe Plant 33 wickets (@14.36). Roger O’Halloran (180 runs @ 45.0).
Highlights:
First wicket record partnership: 127 runs - Joe Plant & J McNamara v.MCC “B”.
Fifth wicket record partnership: 108 runs (unbeaten) - Joe Kelly & Ignatius Keogh
v. Old Scotch
Bowling partners: Harold Mortensen (4/41) & Joe Kelly (4/50) v. MCC “C”.
Joe Plant - 91 runs v. MCC “C” and a reported ‘game winning’ 162 not out against an MCC side, in one of the wins against either the “A” or “B” sides. The Club lost to the other two MCC sides.
Joe took 5/45 v. the School in a match won by the Club.
Joe claimed a total of 33 wickets, including 5/79 against OMs. In the next season, Joe departed to play for the Fitzroy First Eleven and the Victorian Colts Eleven. He went on to play Sheffield Shield cricket for Victoria. In a 1967 issue of “Laurels”, it was indicated that he captained Fitzroy to at least one District Cricket premiership. It was also noted that, until a knee injury forced him out, he played League football for Richmond. For many years until the mid to late 1960s, he was coach of the School cricket team.
1927/28
The O.X.C.C.’s championship year
This was the first season for which a championship trophy was played, a trophy donated by the MCC.
Old Wesley joined the competition. This meant that all four Public Schools old boys were represented, the other teams being Old Scotch and Old Melburnians.
The Club lost only once under competition conditions (to MCC “B”).
The Club also played non-competition games against St. Kilda and University Club Elevens (defeating St. Kilda once).
It also defeated the School by 10 runs (despite fine schoolboy performances of 8/30 and 62 by Jack Daly and Frank Prendergast respectively).
Averages/aggregates (if known):
Batting: Roger O’Halloran (231 runs @ 28.89).
Bowling: Jim Williamson (26 @ 13.79).
Other batting: Maurice Collins (222 @ 27.75)
Jim Madden (219 @ 21.9).
Other bowling: Harold Mortensen (38 @ 15.27).
The trophies donated by Mr. F.J. O’Halloran (Batting) and Mr. J.E. Cooke (Bowling) were presented at an O.X. Football Club “Smoke Concert”.
Highlights:
The Club conceded 200 runs to the opposition only once (to MCC “B”).
Ninth wicket record partnership: 43 runs - Harold Mortensen & Frank O’Halloran v. MCC “A”.
1928/29
In addition to the batting and bowling trophies (from the same donors), a best All-Round Player award was introduced and the trophy donated by Mr. M.C. Larkins.
OMs and Old Scotch did not participate this season.
Averages/aggregates (if known):
Bowling: Harold Mortensen (27 @ 16.37)
Batting: W. “Dick” Carroll (341 runs @ 37.88).
Other batting: Maurice Collins 149 @ 24.83
Brendan O”Halloran 240 @ 24.00.
Other bowling: Dick Carroll (23 @ 19.04).
All-Round Player trophy: Dick Carroll - as Dick won that trophy, the batting trophy was allocated to Maurice Collins.
“The Xaverian” noted: “These trophies, through the kindness of the Old Xaverian Dramatis Club, were presented at the very successful performance given by the Thespians at Xavier on September 24th.”
Highlights:
Harold Mortensen: 3/30 & 5/48 v. MCC “A”, and, 5/52 v. St. Kilda Club XI.
Dick Carroll: 150 runs (opponent not identified).
He also scored 61 runs and took 4/57 v. MCC “C”.
Maurice Collins 75 runs, Jim Madden 74 and Ignatius Keogh 56 v. St. Kilda.
Roger O’Halloran 73 runs, Jim Madden 65 & F. O’Halloran 54 v. MCC “A”.
As these two were Jim Madden’s only innings, he did not qualify for the batting trophy.
1929/30
J Madden and Dick Carroll were listed with the VCA Colts and Roger O’Halloran departed to Collingwood.
The Club competition was this year made up of the Club Elevens of St. Kilda, University, Richmond and the MCC plus Old Wesley and OXCC. Result of season: 4 wins, 4 losses and 2 drawn.
Averages/aggregates (if known):
Batting: Dick Carroll (223 runs @ 37.16 with a top score of 134 runs).
Other batting: George Denton (173 runs @ 24.71)
Maurice Collins and Harold Mortensen both scored 184 runs @ 18.40
Bowling: Jim Williamson (18 wickets @ 9.33)
Other bowling: Harold Mortensen (most wickets for the season with 24 @ 14.20).
Leo Starr 17 @ 13.64, Frank Cleal 20 @ 13.80 and Dick Carroll 19 @ 14.26.
Highlights:
Dick Carroll: 134.runs (opponent not identified).
George Denton : 70 runs (opponent not identified).
Frank Cleal 8/39 v. St. Kilda Club XI.
Harold Mortensen 6/31 (First innings) & Jim Williamson 4/7 (Second innings)
v. University.
Eighth wicket record partnership: 50 runs - Jack Ley & Jim Horan v. St. Kilda.