On Sunday Warringah Cricket Club finally turned decades of promise into premiership glory, and then some.
In a history-making achievement, the Northern Beaches club claimed all four Sydney Shires senior trophies, becoming the first club to complete a clean sweep of first, second, third and fourth grade titles in the competition’s history.
But the headline act came at Bankstown Oval.
Warringah’s first grade side broke through for its first premiership in almost 40 years, defeating Burwood Briars in emphatic fashion to secure just the second top-grade title since the club’s formation in 1976.
Having entered the final off a dominant semi-final win over Lindfield, Warringah carried belief as much as form into the decider.
Club president Chris Melville said: “In the semi they first got rolled for 131, and we are going oh this is trouble, but they went out believing that they were going to win and rolled them for 88.”
That confidence carried through to the Grand Final.
Burwood elected to bat first, but Warringah’s bowlers wasted no time asserting control.
Patrick Day delivered a match-winning performance, claiming six wickets to dismantle the Briars for just 92.
Only Harris Lee and Matthew Roper offered resistance with 21 apiece, while a middle-order collapse, with numbers three, four and five all dismissed for one, left Burwood reeling.
Melville praised Day’s impact and said his performance reflected the club’s broader culture.
“He is a young kid who just loves the club, loves playing with his mates and he is very talented.”
In reply, Warringah’s innings was anchored by a superb century from English import Chris Jones, who complied a composed 104 before being caught by Maxwell Squire off the bowling of his brother Ash.
Melville was full of praise for the overseas recruit.
“He is one of the best bats I have seen in Shires cricket, by far,” he said.
“Chris has taken many games away from oppositions and been a rock.
“Not only that, but he has added so much to the club as a person.”
For first grade captain Hamish Ferguson, the victory over Burwood carried extra meaning.
“We played them in the round game before Christmas and that was the first time in my 12 years of first grade that we have beaten them,” he said.
“So, to beat them then and then in the final was pretty cool.”
While first grade’s drought-breaking win was the emotional centrepiece, Warringah’s depth across the club was what made history.
At Weldon Oval, second grade piled on an imposing 374, built on strong starts from Jimmy Downs (32), Noah Kasmar (87) and Tully Moffat (56), before Aidan Bennett stole the show with a brilliant 107 from number seven.
They backed it up with the ball, dismissing North West Sydney for 172 to seal a commanding victory.
Third grade, playing out of Frank Gray Oval at Curl Curl, prevailed in a hard-fought contest against Mt Pritchard Southern Districts.
After posting 185, skipper Ruben Donato led from the front with the ball, taking 5/31 to have the visitors all out for 106 after more than 150 overs of play across the match.
At Mona Park, fourth grade completed the clean sweep in a low scoring but clinical performance.
Auburn were rolled for just 89, with Jess Conners, Robbie Tipton and James Olde each claiming three wickets.
For Ferguson, the scenes after the days play captured what the achievement truly meant.
“To win in all four grades is a testament to all the coaches and the effort we have been building for quite a few years,” he said.
“It is a pretty amazing feeling when you walk back into Weldon and there are five trophies at the ground, and we are the only club in the whole shire celebrating that night.”
Both captain and president pointed to the club’s culture as the driving force behind the success.
“Our processes are not necessarily around winning a comp, obviously we want that, but our process is about making this a great environment,” Melville said.
“Seeing the boys be so happy for everyone, it definitely was not just a team achievement, it was a club achievement.”
The club’s dominance across the weekend adds to an already remarkable season.
Warringah will claim its second consecutive Club Championship and, in a testament to its culture, is set to receive the Spirit of Cricket award for the seventh straight year and 13th time overall.
“We pride ourselves on how we play the game, as it is just as important as the result.
“The Spirit of Cricket is something we aim for every year, just as much as winning a comp.
“We can play good cricket and be good blokes on the field.”
Ferguson echoed that sentiment, highlighting the group’s depth.
“We did not rely on one or two people to do it every single week,” he said.
“Patrick and Chris have obviously had amazing years, but whenever they did not do it, someone else stepped up.”
Ferguson also paid tribute to one of the club’s unsung heroes, long-time scorer Margret “Marg” Tabrett.
“When we play on Saturday she will be out west all day and then go home and cook again and be ready for the Sunday cricket,” he said.
“We gave her the 12th man medal on the weekend and that was probably one of my highlights.”
Despite falling just short in the Under-24 Frank Gray Shield final and suffering a heartbreaking last-ball loss in the first grade limited overs decider, under a revised Duckworth-Lewis-Stern target, the club’s depth and culture ultimately delivered its greatest day.
Melville said strong ties with Manly, often referred to as Warringah’s ‘older brother’, had also played a role in the club’s development.
“It gives players access to two great clubs,” he said.
And after a day like Sunday, Warringah has proven something long believed but rarely rewarded.
Nice guys do finish first.
