History | Kilsyth Cricket Club

Our Journey - A Brief Timeline History of KCC

Kilsyth Cricket Club History

Kilsyth Cricket Club has a rich history, celebrating milestones from inception to present day. Each year brought achievements and memorable moments, captured through photos and stories. Scroll down to find out more.

Kilsyth Cricket Club cabinet of memorabilia in the Gary Tait Pavilion II foyer.

Create an abstract red and black background with some nice fades and some white spider web

1919 to 1948/49

The first 30 years

1919/20: Kilsyth Cricket Club was founded in 1919, playing in the Croydon District Cricket Association (CDCA) and sharing Croydon Cricket Club's home ground. Kilsyth played its first match against Mooroolbark Cricket Club.

1920/21: RDCA was formed, absorbing the CDCA.

1920 to 1922: Kilsyth went into recess in 1920/21 and 1921/22 due to not having a home ground.

1922/23: Kilsyth entered the RDCA after establishing a new home ground in Colchester Road, Kilsyth. It is now known as Kilsyth Recreation Reserve and used by the Eastern Ranges FC as a training base. Kilsyth’s first match in the RDCA was against Wonga Park Cricket Club.

1927: A wooden pavilion was erected at the Kilsyth Recreation Reserve and opened in May 1927.

1927/28: Kilsyth fielded a Second XI for the first time (in B Grade).

1931/32: Kilsyth won its first Senior Premiership (B Grade Second XI).

1932/33 to 1934/35:
• 1932/33 First XI A Grade Premiers for the first time. Reg Gibson won the Club & RDCA A Grade Batting Average.
• 1933/34 First XI A Grade Premiers. Bill Baldwin won the Club & RDCA A Grade Bowling Average.
• 1934/35 First XI A Grade Premiers. Kilsyth earnt the right to retain the Chandler Shield permanently by winning three consecutive Premierships. Bert Evans won the Club & RDCA A Grade Bowling Average.

1936/37: First XI A Grade Premiers. An opening First XI partnership of 283 between George Fiedler 143 and Bill Baldwin 135* creates Club/RDCA record. Paul Edie awarded RDCA Life Membership.

1937/38: Bill Baldwin breaks Club’s best bowling record with match figures of 7/15 & 9/8 (16/23) for the First XI against Warrandyte.

1948/49: Kilsyth fielded a Third XI (C Grade) for the first time.

The Chandler Shield

1949/50 to 1969/70

The 50's and 60's years

1949/50 & 1950/51: Kilsyth First XI win back-to-back A Grade Premierships with Captain Bill Baldwin playing in all eight First XI Premierships to that point in time.

1951/52: William Baldwin awarded RDCA Life Membership.

1954/55: Kilsyth field first junior team in D Grade (Under 16’s). The team made the Semi Final.

1960/61: Bill Baldwin was honoured as the Club's first Life Member. Peter Brady scored the highest ever score by a Kilsyth junior, 167 in the U16 Grand Final which Kilsyth lost.

1961/62: A new pavilion (Bill Baldwin Pavilion) was completed at Colchester Recreation Reserve and officially opened on 4th August, 1962. As of January 2025, it is still standing and is used as a storage shed by the Eastern Ranges FC.

1964/65: Kilsyth First XI won its 11th Chandler Shield Premiership (now called Lindsay Trollope Shield).

1967/68: The Club won its first Junior Premiership (Under 16-1 Bill Wilkins Shield).

1969/70: Kilsyth U16’s dismissed Boronia Methodists for one run in their second innings to win outright.

The Bill Baldwin Pavilion

1970/71 to 1998/99

The 70's, 80's and 90's years

1970: A house fire around this time destroyed virtually all of the Club's records/scorebooks.

1971: The Peter Robinson Social Rooms are completed at Colchester Recreation Reserve and opened on 15th May, 1971. These Clubrooms were demolished in 2018 to make way for a new complex for the Eastern Ranges FC.

1974/75: Kilsyth fields an Under 14 team (U14-3) for the first time. The RDCA introduced a twilight competition for the first time which Kilsyth participated in.

1977/78: Kilsyth fielded a Fourth XI for the first time and the team was runners-up. Also, a Kilsyth Under 12 team was fielded for the first time. Synthetic wickets were introduced which replaced matting.

1982/83: Charles Puddephat awarded RDCA Life Membership.

1984/85: Fifth XI formed for the first time. Royston Baldwin awarded RDCA Life Membership.

1986/87: Graeme Muir scored the highest individual score by a Kilsyth player, 304 not out for the Fifth XI against Boronia. The Club entered a team in the Sunryasia “Willowfest” Cricket Carnival at Mildura for first time.

1988/89: Kilsyth was one of the founding teams in the inaugural Over 40’s Veterans competition.

1989/90: Jason Rooney achieves highest 1st XI individual score of 216* against Eastfield in helping Kilsyth to its highest ever 1st XI score of 7/436.

1993/94: KCC had its most successful individual season winning four Senior Grand Finals (Firsts, Seconds, Thirds & Fourths) and claimed the RDCA Club Championship Award for the first time. The 3rd XI (A3 Grade) scored a Club record 5/525 against Mount Evelyn with record 3 centuries by KCC batsmen.

1998/99: At the start of the 1998/99 season, the Redbacks relocated from their original base on Colchester Road (Kilsyth Recreation Reserve) to the newly built headquarters at Pinks Reserve on Liverpool Road into the Gary Tait Pavilion.

The Peter Robinson Social Rooms

Gary Tait Pavilion I

1999/00 to 2026/27

The 2000s years to present day

1999/00: Club wins its first Veterans Premiership in Masters 3 after starting up in 1988/89.

2002/03: Club wins its first Under 18 Premiership.

2009/10: Club reformed a Veterans team which went through the season undefeated as Premiers & Champions in Masters 3. Daniel Caton 214* and Robert Hutchings 175*, established a Club record unbroken partnership of 394 for the third wicket playing for the Fourth XI.

2010/11: Kilsyth win the first Under 12 Premiership in the RDCA Friday night competition.

2015/16: Wall mural of the Kilsyth Cricket and Football Club logos was painted in the Gary Tait Pavilion Home change rooms by Jordy Bridge.

2016/17: New practice net facility was established at Pinks Reserve. Kilsyth 1st XI wins its first senior T-20 Premiership.

2018/19: Kilsyth Cricket Club introduced a new logo.

2019/20: The Redbacks celebrated 100 years of cricket (1919 to 2019). The Club celebrated its Centenary Dinner on November 9, 2019, establishes a Hall of Fame and announces the KCC Team of the Century. 23 players were inducted into the Hall of Fame including three Legends, Bill Baldwin, Roy Baldwin and Bill Oliver. The Roy Baldwin Oval was redeveloped and resurfaced.

2020/21: Kilsyth introduced an inaugural Women's XI. Kilsyth CC also completed its 100th playing season after being in recess in 1920/21 and 1921/22. The RDCA inducted Bill Baldwin, Roy Baldwin and Mark Unternahrer into the RDCA Hall of Fame.

2021/22: This season was Kilsyth's 100th consecutive playing season in the RDCA, the only Club to achieve this feat. Kilsyth was awarded the RDCA Club Championship after a strong Senior Club year. First XI win their first flag (Stuart Newey Plate) since 1993/94 breaking a long Premiership drought. The Third and Fourth XIs also win Premierships making it three Senior Premierships for the season.

2022: Plans for the construction of the new Gary Tait Pavilion are announced. Yarra Ranges Council and James Merlino MP turn the first sod. Demolition and construction process underway in September 2022 after much deliberation.

2022/23: Kilsyth competed in its 100th year in the RDCA (1922 to 2022). First XI won a second consecutive Premiership (Bill Wilkins Cup) and were promoted to the top grade.

2023/24: Kilsyth Cricket Club achieves their first Premiership in the RDCA Women's competition. The new Gary Tait Pavilion is officially opened in May 2024. Ashleigh Katoa scores the first ever century for the Kilsyth Women’s team.

2024/25: Women win back-to-back Premierships and Ashleigh Katoa wins back-to-back RDCA Women’s batting averages. Third and Fourth XIs also Premiers. KCC Legend Bill Oliver inducted into the RDCA Hall of Fame.

2025/26: Two Junior Premierships (Under 16 & Under 12) in a season for the third time in Club history (previously achieved in 1985/86 and 2002/03. Memorabilia cabinets installed in the new pavilion. In a Club first, Mark Unternahrer scores 4 consecutive centuries in John Springett Shield (107 vs Wonga Park Round 10, 110 vs Croydon Ranges Round 11, 103* vs Hoddles Creek Round 12 and 123* vs Ainslie Park Round 13).

Gary Tait Pavilion II 2024

Kilsyth CC Centenary Logo

Gary Tait Pavilion I 1998 to 2022

Source: Lilydale Leader Newspaper, March 2010

Wall Mural by Jordy Bridge in Gary Tait Pavilion I

Kilsyth CC Centenary Baggy

Kilsyth CC 100 Consecutive Years

Kilsyth CC Team of the Century

Kilsyth CC Current Logo