1950-1969
A Golden Era in Club History
The 1950s marked the beginning of one of the most successful periods in Templestowe Cricket Club's history. Starting with the 1952/53 B Grade premiership, Templestowe claimed five flags in just seven seasons, including three consecutive premierships between 1952/53 and 1954/55. The club continued its success into the 1960s, adding further premiership honours.
Although many of the original records have been lost to time, surviving scorebooks, newspaper reports, association records and the dedicated research of BHRDCA historians are helping us piece together the matches, players and performances that shaped these two decades.
These are the stories of the teams and players who helped establish Templestowe's proud premiership tradition.
1952/53 — B Grade Premiers
A New Chapter Begins
Templestowe claimed the B Grade premiership in 1952/53, defeating Doncaster Footballers by 90 runs in the grand final.
Doncaster Footballers featured several accomplished local cricketers, including Jack Carey and Alan Mays. Carey produced an outstanding performance with the ball, taking 10 wickets for 119 runs across the match, while Mays made an unbeaten 69 in the second innings.
Templestowe nevertheless proved too strong, securing a premiership that would ultimately be the first of five won by the club in just seven seasons.
Bern Fitzsimons was a member of the side and would go on to play in each of Templestowe's three consecutive premiership teams from 1952/53 to 1954/55.
Grand-final result
Templestowe defeated Doncaster Footballers by 90 runs
The premiership team
Full team details are still being researched.
1953/54 — B Grade Premiers
Back-to-back for Templestowe
Templestowe continued its outstanding run in 1953/54, securing a second consecutive B Grade premiership with a commanding performance against West Warrandyte.
Templestowe took control of the grand final with a first-innings total of 266. West Warrandyte was dismissed for just 83 in reply, giving Templestowe a substantial advantage.
Templestowe then added 183 in its second innings before West Warrandyte was dismissed for 99, completing an emphatic victory and securing back-to-back premierships.
Bern Fitzsimons was again part of the premiership side, claiming the second of what would become three consecutive flags.
After two seasons, Templestowe had two premierships. The club's extraordinary run through the 1950s was gathering momentum.
Grand-final result
Templestowe 266 & 183 defeated West Warrandyte 83 & 99
The premiership team
Full team details are still being researched.
1954/55 — D Grade Premiers
Hawtin and Stoneham make it three in a row
Having won premierships in each of the previous two seasons, Templestowe continued its remarkable run in 1954/55 when the D Grade side defeated Nunawading to make it three flags in three years.
A. Hawtin produced an outstanding performance with the bat, scoring a century in the first innings before following it with an unbeaten 65 in the second.
With the premiership still to be won, Les Stoneham then delivered the decisive performance. Stoneham tore through Nunawading's batting line-up, taking 7/11 as they were dismissed for just 56 in their second innings.
Templestowe completed a 48-run victory and a remarkable hat-trick of premierships.
Bern Fitzsimons served as vice-captain of the side. For Fitzsimons, the victory completed his own run of three consecutive premierships from 1952/53 to 1954/55.
Grand-final result
Templestowe defeated Nunawading by 48 runs
Key performances
A. Hawtin — 101 & 65 not out
Les Stoneham — 7/11
The premiership team
Full team details are still being researched.
1957/58 — B Grade Premiers
Bowlers Turn the Final Around
After three consecutive premierships earlier in the decade, Templestowe returned to the winners' list in 1957/58 with a dramatic B Grade grand-final victory over East Doncaster.
It was a remarkably low-scoring contest. Templestowe was dismissed for 117 in its first innings before East Doncaster replied with 121, taking a narrow four-run advantage.
Templestowe then remarkably made 117 again in its second innings, leaving East Doncaster 114 to win the premiership.
This time Templestowe's bowlers took control. East Doncaster was dismissed for only 73, turning a first-innings deficit into a 40-run Templestowe victory.
The victory gave Templestowe its fourth premiership in six seasons and re-established the club at the top of B Grade.
Grand-final result
Templestowe 117 & 117 defeated East Doncaster 121 & 73 by 40 runs
The premiership team
Full team details are still being researched.
1958/59 — D Grade Premiers
Jenkins Dominates
Templestowe's extraordinary decade of success reached another high point in 1958/59 when the D Grade side secured the club's fifth premiership in seven seasons.
Doncaster Footballers provided the opposition, just as they had when Templestowe's premiership run began six years earlier.
At the heart of Templestowe's success was an exceptional finals campaign from Graham Jenkins. Jenkins took 11 wickets for 57 runs in the grand final, completing a finals series in which he claimed an extraordinary 19 wickets.
He had strong support from Len Aumann, who collected 14 wickets during the finals series, giving Templestowe a formidable bowling combination when it mattered most.
Doncaster Footballers' Horrie Read provided plenty of resistance, taking eight wickets in the grand final, but Templestowe ultimately completed an eight-wicket victory.
It was a fitting conclusion to a remarkable period: premierships in 1952/53, 1953/54, 1954/55, 1957/58 and 1958/59 — five flags in just seven seasons.
Grand-final result
Templestowe defeated Doncaster Footballers by 8 wickets
Key performances
Graham Jenkins — 11/57 in the grand final; 19 wickets in the finals series
Len Aumann — 14 wickets in the finals series
The premiership team
Full team details are still being researched.
1963/64 — B Grade Premiers
Ramsay, Jenkins and Smith lead the way
Templestowe claimed the 1963/64 B Grade premiership with victory over Blackburn, completing a successful season built on strong batting performances and a formidable bowling attack.
Bill Ramsay played a leading role in the grand final, scoring 76, while Graeme Jenkins delivered an outstanding all-round performance. Jenkins contributed 46 with the bat before taking 5/51 in Blackburn's first innings.
Rod Smith Jnr was equally influential with the ball, claiming 3/18 in the first innings and 3/26 in the second to finish with impressive match figures of 6/44. Together with Jenkins, he helped ensure Templestowe finished the season as premiers.
The victory capped a particularly productive season for several members of the side. Ramsay topped the batting averages with 405 runs at 36.82, while Smith contributed 394 runs. Jenkins led the bowling with 42 wickets at 10.48, closely followed by Barry Orders, who captured 39 wickets at an average of 10.46.
Templestowe had secured its place in the grand final with a strong semi-final performance against Mitcham. Ramsay scored 82, while Jenkins continued his outstanding form with 5/39. Orders also made an important contribution, scoring 32 and taking 3/37.
The premiership highlighted the strength of a Templestowe side capable of producing match-winning performances with both bat and ball, with Ramsay, Jenkins and Smith particularly influential when it mattered most.
Grand-final result
Templestowe defeated Blackburn — B Grade
The premiership team
Full team details are still being researched.