Congratulations to Devlin Malone and Lawrence Neil-Smith, who were today named in the NSW Metropolitan squad for the Australian Under 19 National Championships, to be played in Adelaide from 5 to 15 December 2016.
James Rodgers continues the series in which he commemorates the Sydney University cricketers who died serving in the First World War, a century ago. Today: Eric Leggo.
Eric Neal Clamp Leggo was born on 12 September 1895 and died on 20 October 1918.
In 1887, a young architect, Henry Thomas Leggo married Elizabeth Maria Neal in the Wesleyan Methodist Stanmore Church. They were to have four children but their lives were touched by sorrow. In 1894 their eldest, Stanley, died at the age of five. Dulice, the youngest, died in July 1908 aged only eleven months. And Eric Neal Clamp Leggo, aged 23, died of wounds suffered in France on 20 October 1918 just 22 days before the Armistice as the guns over Europe finally fell silent.
The 19th century German philosopher, Georg Hegel, wrote: ‘The owl of Minerva spreads its wings only with the gathering of the dusk.’ Humans come to an understanding of things only at their end. Understanding them, we know that they are lost. For the Leggo family, the loss of three of their four children may have helped understanding of what had been lost but each only accentuated the awful grief each loss visited on them. It was a family used to longevity in previous generations. At the time of Eric Leggo’s death, both his paternal grandparents were still alive. His grandmother was to live another 13 years, dying at 94. His father lived until 1950; his mother to 1953.
Eric was educated firstly at Newington College in 1906 and 1907 (the family then lived at Trafalgar Street, Stanmore) and then from 1908 to 1912 at Sydney Grammar School. Why he changed schools and what he then did from 1913 until he enrolled in Medicine at Sydney University in 1916 remains a mystery, as does any reason for his choice of profession. His father later wrote informing the military authorities that his son had been a First Grade cricketer and a First Grade Rugby player in 1915 and 1916 (he played Rugby for the Cambridge club, based in Newtown, which competed in Sydney’s First Grade competition between 1915 and 1919).
There were 151 students in Medicine I in 1916, and one of those who passed first year successfully in December 1916 was ENC Leggo. He enrolled in Medicine II, but 1916 was to be his only year as an undergraduate. He also joined SUCC, unusually for those times, as a First Grader at another club. He had played for Petersham against University during the previous season in January 1916. The University players could be forgiven for having forgotten details of that match, which remains University’s most conclusive loss. Petersham’s two future Test players, Tommy Andrews and Johnny Taylor, were irresistible in their 240 partnership in two hours. On the second day, Leggo took 3-16 in University’s dismal first innings of 83.
Leggo played three seasons with Petersham, working his way up from Fourth Grade in 1913-14 to First Grade in 1915-16. He took wickets consistently and cheaply (71 at 14) and scored valuable hard-hitting runs down the order (393 at 13). He took 4-27 and 5-26 in 2nd Grade against Redfern in November 1915 and then played his initial First Grade game against Balmain at Birchgrove, taking 1-77 and 1-20. After this nervous start, he had settled into the rhythm of First Grade by the time of the University match.
Severely weakened by the demands of the War, University’s First Grade struggled through the 1916-17 season but finished a creditable sixth in the unofficial competition. Dentistry student Ray (‘Mick’) Bardsley dominated the batting; Medical undergraduates Les Donovan and Bruce Barrack were quality all-rounders, as was the perennial student Les Best, who was at University for eight years plodding through his medical studies. Some of the other players, however, were clearly out of their depth. Leggo was selected in this side for round one (First Grade cap no. 156) against Balmain. Quite improbably, he opened the batting and was run out for 0.
It seemed that the 20 year old Leggo was being nursed along while being prepared for greater things. This was a pattern of his life. His school studies prepared him for his medical studies which were to be preparatory to his practising as a doctor. His bowling in Grade cricket was carefully managed. Promotions came one Grade at a time and he was patiently manouvered in games in order not to expose him to more settled batsmen. Preparation. Improvement. Advance. His service in the militia forces and his three years in the Sydney Grammar cadets, however, preceded something more sinister: enrolment at Newtown in the 10th Australian Field Artillery in February 1917 and service in France. He didn’t play cricket the week that he enlisted and then concluded his University cricket career with one last match against Paddington at Hampden Park (now named Trumper Park). Leggo batted last, made a single and didn’t bowl.
No SUCC Annual Reports from these seasons survive so, for over 60 years, all University memory of ENC Leggo was lost. Careful reconstruction from the newspapers of the time and interviews 40 years ago with some of the surviving players tells some of the story. When University played at Chatswood in January 1917, Leggo, with his bustling medium pacers, destroyed Gordon’s first innings with his best Grade figures, 6-33. Included among his wickets was that of Frank Iredale, the former Test cricketer, then aged 49. He had played the first of his 14 Tests in 1894, the year before Eric Leggo was born.
Petersham’s records, however, do survive. The 1915-16 Report was insistently patriotic: ‘Your committee cannot too strongly urge upon members the need to enlist…To those cricketers fighting for King and Country, we extend our good wishes for a safe and speedy return.’ The 1916-17 Report lists Leggo among those doing ‘their duty’. By 1917-18, five former Petersham players had been killed. Then, in 1918-19, Leggo is listed among the seven from Petersham who had died. ‘Reference to the Club’s Honour Roll will show that another of your Club members (E.Leggo) has paid the supreme sacrifice.’
At the time, lists of cricketers killed were understandably confused, especially the SUCC names. In the 1917-18 NSWCA Report, nine SUCC members are listed as killed in the War. Of those, AR Blacket is given as BLACKETT; CD Holliday as HALLIDAY; AD Mitchell as GD Mitchell; ED Slade as EW Slade. GRC Clarke is listed under the Gordon Club but not SUCC. The nineteenth century SUCC players, MacLaurin, Armstrong, Verge, and Gregson are not listed. Lower grade players Hughes and Barton are missing. Muir is missing. Mullarkey, Pulling and Smith are all listed but none of them ever played for SUCC. This 1917-18 Report was printed too early for the deaths of JSD Walker (21 July) and ENC Leggo (20 October). In the next Annual Report, 1918-19, there are no lists of the dead.
Gunner Leggo was an imposing figure on enlistment, nearly 6 feet tall, weighing 67 kilograms. He embarked on HMAT ‘Port Sydney’ on 5 November 1917 and was sent to France in 1918. There he twice, in April and June, suffered the horrors of gas attacks. Rejoining his Battery, he was wounded at Imberlait Farm near St Souplet on 18 October. He had been hit by fragments of a shell in the left side of his stomach and in his left arm when covering an American advance. Two others on the same gun were hit and killed. He was carried to the 41st Casualty Clearing Station. There, two days later, he died an agonising death and was buried at the Roisel Communal Cemetery.
Eric Leggo’s grandfather, William Charles Leggo (1836-1920) survived the Crimean War as a 19 year old and now he outlived his grandson. At the age of 82, Mr Leggo mourned another death of another of his grandchildren, in distant France.
BATTING:
BOWLING:
A resounding victory for Sydney Uni's first grade side was the only shining light in a difficult round against fellow Club Championship heavyweights, Manly-Warringah over the weekend.
FIRST GRADE:
A commanding first innings total is not always guaranteed with a win in the McDonald's NSW Premier Cricket competition, Easts chasing down Bankstown's 411 and Northern District falling 4 runs short of doing the same (though earning a draw) to Randwick-Petersham's 431 as examples, but Sydney Uni made sure of it with an outstanding display with the ball against Manly-Warringah at the Sydney Uni Cricket Ground (Uni No. 1).
A vicious opening spell from Tom Rogers (3-14 from 12) saw him claim the prized scalp of Adam Crosthwaite in the first over to leave Manly reeling and a long way from the target at 2-4. An 85-run partnership for the 2nd wicket steady the ship with Jay Lenton (56) top-scoring and Ryan Farrell (33) working hard to stay at the crease.
Sustained pressure from all of the bowling group saw quick wickets tumble during the middle session. A particularly fiery return spell from Rogers hurried Lenton, hitting him one ball and then producing a mistimed pull shot next ball. But it was the sublime leg-spinning performance from Devlin Malone (5-53 from 23 overs) that made light work of the victory. Often unplayable, Malone claimed the important wickets of James Crosthwaite and Ahillen Beadle before picking up three tail-enders for ducks.
Manly were eventually bowled out for 147 runs just before the tea break.
Sydney Uni sit in 3rd place (18 points) on the ladder as one four sides, Sutherland (19 points), Gordon (19 points) and Penrith (18 points), to open the season with three wins.
Uni take on Hawkesbury at Owen Earle Oval in Round 4.
SECOND GRADE:
Uni arrived at Mike Pawley oval for day 2 of the fixture against Manly with a big chase ahead of them following a tough day in the field on day 1. The in-form James Crowley came into the side as Ben Trevor-Jones moved up to replace Ryan Carters in 1st grade. Crowley showed excellent nash-ball keeping skills and another long distance strike from Will Hay was the match-defining moment in the olds win, again a man down.
Manly declared before the start of play, leaving Uni to chase their overnight total of 324. On a good batting surface and fast outfield, the students were confident of batting through the day for a win, but a poor start saw us head into the first drinks 3/17. Ben Larkin and Nicky Craze went about restoring the innings and played well through to lunch before Craze fell soon after for 31, the score 4/80. Some vintage clips through mid wicket and cover drives among big sixes straight and over square highlighted Larkin's innings of 72. Larkin was ably supported by Crowley (26) seeing the students back on track until losing both accomplished batsmen in the 15 minutes before tea to leave the score 6/152. Hayden Kerr (34) and Dugald Holloway (29) demonstrated their all-round prowess with some hard hitting to provide some hope of victory late in the day, but it was too little too late as uni fell 92 runs short.
Improvement to be made in all areas ahead of the next round match against the Hawks at the Sydney Uni Cricket Ground.
THIRD GRADE:
With only 166 runs on the board, Sydney Uni's bowlers were going to need to be disciplined early, Manly only requiring a further 60 runs with 8 wickets in hand at the start of play.
Uni got a sense of a miracle when they claimed opener, Aiden Bariol, for 49 runs, but a patient 56-run 4th wicket partnership, lead to the inevitable Manly victory. Jack Holloway claimed 4 vital wickets, including 3 in an over, to ensure Manly could not stretch out in search of an outright.
Manly eventually declared at tea at 7-239, with play called off at the tea break.
FOURTH GRADE:
Hopes were high for the 4s side after James Crowley steered the side to a strong total of 284.
Unfortunately though Manly batted well and the Uni attack struggled to breakthrough, with Manly passing the total in the 80th over with 4 wickets in hand.
Spinners Nick Powys (2-55 from 26 overs) and Ryan McElduff (2-84 from 22 overs) were the only multiple wicket takers for Uni.
FIFTH GRADE:
A below par batting effort on day 1 saw the 5s chasing their tail throughout the day as they tried to defend 213 runs at Camperdown Oval.
A batsmen friendly wicket saw the quicker bowlers blunted, and left spinners Connor Slater (3-66) and Zohirul Islam (2-43) as the only wicket-takers, Manly declaring at 5-233.
The Uni top-order negotiating the final 20 overs safely, finishing at 1-39 to ensure no further result.
METROPOLITAN CUP:
A disciplined batting effort was going to be needed from the young Metro Cup side to chase down Blacktown's commanding 4-294 (dec) and the side put in a determined effort, finishing all out for 202 from 93 overs with only 9 men.
James Gillespie (61) scored his first half-century for the Club and combined for an 82-run opening partnership with Green Shield opener Ayush Mishra (29). Danny Wicks (44), Jono Phoebus (27) and Brad Osman-Kayani (22) helped push the total forward, but it was a dream too far in the end.
Blacktown decided to inflict punishment on the Uni bowler's by batting again to hit 2-111 from 13 overs in their 2nd innings before play was called to a halt. Green Shield leg-spinner, Shivansh Pathak, claimed 2-18 from his 3 overs, his first for the Club (and his first on turf).
Devlin Malone’s brilliantly sustained spell on Saturday – containing and threatening the middle order, demolishing the tail in a handful of deliveries – earned him 5-53, his best figures and first five wicket haul for the Club. It was the third five-wicket haul of his First Grade career (including two for Sutherland).
Ryan Carters has passed 50 catches for the Club in First Grade.
Tom Rogers’ superbly hostile spell of 3-14 in First Grade was the best return of his short career with the Club to date.
Jack Holloway’s 4-50 against Manly was both his best bowling analysis in Third Grade and his best for the Club in any grade.
James Gillespie’s 61 against Blacktown in Metropolitan Cup was his first half-century for the Club.
University keeper/batsman Ryan Carters has been recalled to the NSW team for its Matador BBQs Cup match against Victoria at North Sydney Oval, starting tomorrow afternoon.
Carters has had limited opportunities with the bat for University this season, but has been in sparkling form, hitting 96 runs in three matches and being dismissed only once. Unusually, his batting average of 96 is only the fourth-best in University's First Grade to date - he sits behind Nick Larkin (147.50), Greg Mail (138.00) and Ashton May (97.00).
Carters has withdrawn from the second day of University's Round 3 match with Manly-Warringah, and Ben Trevor-Jones takes his place behind the stumps.
Another classy half-century by University's Ed Cowan anchored NSW's chase of a modest Queensland total in last night's Matador Cup match at Drummoyne Oval.
The target of 173 wasn't a daunting one, but the pitch was slow and low, with some unpredictable bounce. Cowan set the scoreboard moving with a crisp back-foot drive to the fence, and played several textbook straight drives down the ground. His 51 came from only 69 deliveries, and when he was dismissed, NSW was well on course for the bonus-point victory clinched by Ben Rohrer's six in the 40th over.
Cowan has now top-scored for NSW in the last two Matador Cup matches. This season, the better the bowling he's encountered, the better he's batted.