Mulgrave Cricket Club
Established 1905 – a brief history
In the early 1900s, a group of farmers in the Mulgrave/Wheelers Hill area founded the Mulgrave Cricket Club.
The formation of the club is believed to have been inspired by the Marylebone Cricket Club's (MCC) tour of Australia in 1903-04, an event that ignited cricket's popularity across the nation and led to the establishment of Cricket Australia. Although Australia lost that series, in 1903-04, it had created enormous impact in Australia, leading to many cricket clubs being formed around Australia, as well as the establishment of the Australian Board of Control for International Cricket (now known as Cricket Australia) in the same year.
Among the founding families were the Armstrong's, five or six brothers who formed a significant portion of the early team. Around the same time, a rising cricket star, Warwick Armstrong, was making his mark, notably on the 1905 Australian tour of England. While the connection between Warwick and the Mulgrave Armstrong's is uncertain, his cricketing prowess may have influenced the brothers' decision to establish their local club.
In its early years, Mulgrave competed against other clubs across the outer eastern suburbs, including a ground that later became the VFL's Waverley Park. The grandstand of that former stadium still overlooks the site, as well as Mulgrave Cricket Club's current home at Mulgrave Reserve.
Mulgrave quickly became a powerhouse, winning several consecutive premierships. Their pursuit of a third consecutive title was interrupted when the Armstrong brothers, whose mother fell gravely ill, chose to stay by her side instead of playing in the grand final. Their teammates, embodying the club's strong family values, forfeited the match in support. This commitment to family remains a core value at Mulgrave, which consistently boasts a large junior membership.
Local families like the Arnott's and Gunther's were integral to the club, also contributing to the formation of the Mulgrave Football Club in the 1920s. Over the next 50 years, Mulgrave Cricket Club participated in various local cricket associations.
In 1974, the club's 1st and 2nd XI teams moved to a new turf oval, joining the Eastern Suburbs Cricket Association's premier competition and promptly winning premierships in their first two seasons.
In the mid-2000s, nearly a century after its founding, Mulgrave's 1st XI achieved a remarkable feat, winning five consecutive Dunstan Shield premierships in the ECA. Many of these players had joined the club as juniors, demonstrating the club's ability to nurture talent and foster a strong team spirit.
Today, Mulgrave Cricket Club competes at the highest levels of the ECA, offering opportunities in turf, synthetic, and limited-overs competitions. The club continues its commitment to the community, providing a fun, safe, and family-oriented environment for young cricketers in the Mulgrave-Wheelers Hill area.
Go Mully!