Ballina Bears Cricket Club

The Ballina Bears Cricket Club are a club based in the Ballina district on the Far North Coast of New South Wales, Australia.

Ballina Bears
NicknameThe Bears
SportCricket
Founded~1902 (The Bears from 1989)
First season1989/90
LeagueLJ Hooker League
Home groundFripp Oval
Colours    (from 1995)
    (1989-1995)
WebsiteOfficial website

The Club has existed since at least 1902, under various names associated with local watering holes. The club became a stand-alone entity (the Bears) in 1989, with Adam Bailey as founding President.[1][2][3] With the establishment of the LJ Hooker League in 1994/95 the first-grade side now competes at a regional level, with the lower grades still playing in Ballina competition.[4] The first-grade side also plays annually against the Tintenbar club for the "David Dawson Shield" — named in honour of David Dawson, a regular and popular 1st grade player, who died in July 1994.[5][6][7][8]

In 2014, the club celebrated its 25th anniversary and a Bears Best Team was named.[9] The players selected were: Greg Weller, Todd Campbell, Peter Hall*, Justin Moore*, Nathan Anson, Andrew Gordon, David Schweitzer (WK), Sam Adams, Jason Holmes (Captain), Shane Jacobs, John Weller and Phil Alley.[10] Those with an asterisk (*) represented NSW Country while playing for the Bears.[11][12] Club stalwart Geoff Jacobs was also recognised by being named the first "Immortal Bear".[13][14]

The Bears have won the LJ Hooker League on 4 occasions: 1995/96,[15] 2008/09,[16][17] 2011/12 (joint)[18] and 2013/14.[19]

The following Bears players have been "LJ Hooker League Player of the Year": Shane Jacobs (1996/97) and Sam Adams (2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13).[20]

In January 2019, the NSW State Government announced $40,000 in funding to rebuild the picket-fence at Fripp Oval.[21](subscription required)

References
  1. Hall, p.205.
  2. "Club History". The Ballina Bears. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
  3. "Cricketing legends join Ballina Bears for 25th anniversary". The Northern Star. 23 December 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  4. Attewell, Paul (12 March 2005). "20 years of Far North Coast LJ Hooker League". The Northern Star. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  5. Sproule, Amanda (14 December 2009). "Bears get paws on Shield". The Northern Star. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  6. "Match in memory of David Dawson". The Northern Star. 14 November 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  7. Attewell, Paul (20 October 2018). "Bears captain is in for the long haul". The Northern Star. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  8. Attewell, Paul (27 October 2018). "Bears face an early batting challenge". The Northern Star. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  9. "Cricketing legends join Ballina Bears for 25th anniversary". The Northern Star. 23 December 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  10. File:Ballina_Bears,_1989-2014_Records.pdf
  11. Craig, Mitchell (29 March 2016). "Bears trio make FNC cricket's Team of the Year". The Northern Star. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  12. Craig, Mitchell (25 February 2017). "It's aye aye captain at Ballina Bears". The Northern Star. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  13. Spinks, Steve (31 March 2009). "Bear's unsung hero". The Northern Star. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  14. File:Ballina_Bears,_1989-2014_Records.pdf
  15. "Ballina wins cricket final thriller". The Northern Star. 30 March 2009. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  16. "Ballina wins cricket final thriller". The Northern Star. 30 March 2009. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  17. Sproule, Amanda (18 November 2009). "Victory stays with Bears captain". The Northern Star. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  18. Craig, Mitchell (24 March 2014). "Ballina Bears take out LJ Hooker League cricket premiership". The Northern Star. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  19. Craig, Mitchell (24 March 2014). "Ballina Bears take out LJ Hooker League cricket premiership". The Northern Star. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  20. "FNC LJ Hooker League - Former Cricketers of the Year". The Northern Star. 16 April 2014. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
  21. "$40,000 to fix 'eyesore'". The Northern Star. 7 January 2019. Retrieved 25 March 2019. (subscription required)

Sources
  • Hall, Glen (1983). Port of Richmond River: Ballina 1840s to 1980s. Ballina Shire Council. ISBN 0-9598257-5-4.


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