Club Profile

Valley District Cricket Club is one of the largest cricket clubs in Australia – with over 1250 players participating in season 2015/16. The club has adopted the “Keeping Youth Busy in Sport” motto and is certainly doing it’s bit to provide the local community with facilities, coaches and activities to live up to this motto.

The club, established on 16 August 1897 and based at the Brisbane Exhibition Ground, is one of the four oldest surviving Brisbane district clubs – South Brisbane, Redlands (previously known as Woolloongabba) and Toombul are the three others. In 1919/20 the club moved to the newly developed New Farm Park and in 1929/30 the club commenced playing matches at Perry Park, whilst still using New Farm Park. In 1967/68, the last matches were played at Perry Park as the club began getting Ashgrove Sports Ground ready for the 1968/69 season. The club played its last matches at New Farm Park in 1984/85 as a turf wicket block was built at Ashgrove 3 for the 1984/85 season. Ashgrove Sports Ground is a lovely, leafy location in the foothills of the Taylor Range at Yoku Road, Ashgrove, where it shares grounds with well known Brisbane rugby clubs, GPS Old Boys RUFC and Ashgrove GPS Junior RUFC.

Valley has been home to many wonderful players, some of the more notable ones being Allan Border, John McLaren, Leo O’Connor, Alex Hurwood, Don Tallon, Malcolm Francke, Keith Dudgeon, Greg Ritchie, Kepler Wessells, Peter Anderson, Brett Henschell, Stuart Law, Matthew Hayden, and, Joe Dawes. Former Test Umpire, the late Col Hoy, who officiated in the memorable Gabba Tied Test of 1960/61, was a player, Life Member and great supporter of the club.

Valley is one of Brisbane’s most successful cricket clubs having achieved the following recent senior titles:

Valley is also a very successful club at junior level. Our success is gauged by the number of junior players who are happy playing cricket with the club – the number of players who return each season, and, the number of new players who join each season because they have heard Valley is the club to join to have fun. Since the reintroduction of juniors at Valley, in 1993/94, there has been a steady increase in numbers and we believe this is due to our junior objective:

“Junior cricket is about boys and girls learning the skill to play cricket, being part of a team, being allowed to participate and improve their skills. Combined with this is the importance of belonging, sharing and having fun. This club believes that junior cricket is not about winning for the sake of winning; it is about learning the skills and personal improvement. Winning is a by-product of all the factors mentioned above. During each season, coaches are to rotate their players to ensure that they are given equal opportunities to develop and individually improve their skills and be involved in the game. This applies to all age groups.”

Club Established: 16 August 1897

Headquarters: Ashgrove Sports Ground, Yoku Road, Ashgrove

Facilities: 3 ovals; practice nets complex including 1 turf net, 12 synthetic nets and lighting; clubhouse and canteen

Club Colours: Navy Blue & Sky Blue

Current Queensland Players: Luke Feldman, Usman Khawaja, Mark Steketee and Jack Wildermuth

First Grade Premierships (10): 1901/02, 1914/15, 1918/19, 1919/20, 1928/29, 1930/31, 1974/75, 1984/85, 1994/95, 1996/97, 2013/14

Club Championships (11): 1974/75, 1978/79, 1982/83, 1988/89, 1990/91, 1991/92, 1992/93, 1996/97, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2002/03

Team of the Century (announced at the Brisbane Grade Cricket Centenary Dinner, Brisbane Convention Centre, 3^rd October, 1997) : Kepler Wessels, Matthew Hayden, Roy Levy, Allan Border (Captain), Stuart Law, Leo O’Connor (w-k), Jim Harten Snr, Brett Henschell, Alex Hurwood, Malcolm Francke, Col Cooke, Keith Dudgeon (12^th man).