Our Anecdotes – it is all about who we are
Since November 1998, when our website went live, we have run a weekly anecdote section on the website during the season.
The Anecdotes section is all about story-telling. They tell us a lot about who we are and where we have come from.
In the words of Terry Prachett, the famous English author, humourist and satirist:
“It is important that we know where we come from, because if you do not know where you come from, then you don’t know where you are, and if you don’t know where you are, you don’t know where you’re going.
And if you don’t know where you’re going, you’re probably going wrong”.
Check out our Club History section on Anecdotes and have a browse of the best of our anecdotes over the years – Club History – Anecdotes
Space Cadet
One of our favourite sections is calling out Space Cadet high-achievers.
To be a Space Cadet is special – we only have 5 or 6 each season so the bar is set pretty high. To be a Space Cadet you need to do something that stands out as being, well, memorable.
First-up, our theme music for this important achievement: David Bowie – Space Oddity
So with that introduction we already have our first Space Cadet of the season. To quote directly from Buzz Burrows (D1):
“We’ve all been looking forward to the new season and so excited to get back out on the park.
Diggers won the toss and sent Rogers side into bat.
Out came the openers and Mahesh Shinde looked the business playing the opening deliveries very nicely. It was only when after 4 balls that Buzz and Disco at slip mentioned to our ‘keeper Diggers that the batter was ‘tooled’ up with every piece of protection including helmet, gloves, chest and arm guards but had forgotten to put on his pads!
When Diggers then asked “Mate do you bat without pads” it was only then that the penny dropped.
Mahesh was then able to head off and strap on his pads to continue his innings.
Our 1st Space Cadet of the season 🙂”
Photo: Mahesh (6th from left) with the D Grade boys before game – 13th September 2025
A1 Debutants
Congratulations to our A1 debutants:
- Shaan Bakshi (#336)
- Jude Boyle (#337)
- Oliver Makin (#338)
- Ben Burrows (#339)
As background, our 1st A1 side played in the HK&HDCA in 1951/52 with breaks between 1957/58 to 1962/63.
We have now had an A1 side playing continuously since 1966/67 so this season will be our 60th consecutive season and 68th A1 season overall.
During this time we have had 339 A1 players and entered 538 Senior Teams in all Grades. Using an average of 18 players / team as a guide this means that around 9,684 players have played for West Penno.
So to make A1 Grade puts these players in the elite 3.5% of our players.
Well done fellas on this great achievement.
Photo: Oliver Makin (#338); Shaan Bakshi (#336) & Ben Burrows (#339). Jude Boyle (#337) was unavailable for the first day.
Third Generation
We have a long history of father / son, and hopefully soon, mother / daughter, players. This season we had our first 3rd generation player back-up for West Penno. Who better than the legendary Bill Peterkin and his son Harry.
The Peterkin family connection goes back 44 years and 3 x generations to:
- Brett (brother) who played B1 to C1 Grades between 1981/82 to 1989/90
- Bruce (cousin) who also played A2 to C2 Grades between 1981/82 to 1986/87
- Ray (uncle) who played C1 Grade between 1983/84 to 1986/87
- Bill (BP) who played A1 to D1 between 1992/93 and 2024/25
The list now includes young Harry Peterkin who debuted in the U12’s this season, taking a wicket in his first over!
To quote BP on finding out about this great achievement:
“That’s a pretty cool stat being 3rd generation!
(My old man would be dancing around celebrating knowing he’s playing!!!)
Wicket first over”
Photo – BP & Harry – 13 September 2025
Back to the Future
Our Club played its first game way back in 1930 – 95 years ago – in the Parramatta Cricket Association.
We played in Parramatta until 1940/41 when WWII stopped all competitions. Once the War finished in 1945 we then reformed in 1946/47 in the then Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Cricket Association (HKCA).
The first scorecard we have been able to source (Parramatta Argus) is from a Division IV game played on the 23rd October 1933. Our Home ground was Nth Rocks Park at Carlingford.
Fast forward to 2025 and we have now entered a Stage 3 Girls Team in the Parramatta DCA so this will be our first game in this Association since 1941 – an 84-year break.
This season will also be the first time in our History that we will be entering Teams in 3 different Associations – HK&HDCA, NSJCA & PDCA.
What would your Decision be?
Checkout the video link to test your umpiring skills – What is your Decision