A Brief History of Ainslie Park Cricket Club

Ainslie Park Cricket Club was founded in 1976 following the amalgamation of the Croydon West Cricket Club and East Ringwood United Churches Cricket Club (formerly East Ringwood Methodist). Croydon West CC played on a site in Ware Crescent, Ringwood East, where the Maroondah Hospital now stands.

Ainslie Park Reserve was formed from bushland near Maroondah Secondary College in early 1976 and Ainslie Park Cricket Club has played its 1st XI games on Ainslie Park from its first game in October 1976.

There were no clubrooms for the first 10 years, and after-match gatherings were at members' homes, usually in Ainslie Park Avenue. Afternoon teas were held under a group of pine trees where Maroondah Community Centre now stands. Our clubrooms at Ainslie Park were officially opened in 1986, giving the club a permanent home base. Though much-loved and home to many memories, the original clubrooms were replaced with a new facility in time for season 2022/23.

The club initially fielded two teams and won the A grade premiership in the 1983/84 season, elevating it to the Chandler Shield grade. The club expanded to field as many as 8 senior teams and 12 junior teams, riding a boom of young families in the area in the early 1990s.

The club has won three RDCA premier grade (former Chandler Shield and now Trollope Shield) premierships, 1993/94, 1999/2000 and 2022/23, amongst 75 premierships won throughout its relatively short history (38 senior, 10 veteran, 25 junior and as of 2022/23 one each in the Senior and Veterans T20 competitions - see table below). Notably in 2021/22 the Stage 1 girls team brought home our first premiership in female cricket. As of 2023/24 Ainslie Park is now represented in senior Women's cricket with Ange Minetti leading the inaugural Women's 1st XI. Ainslie Park's most successful season in the senior competition was 2011/12 when all seven senior teams competed in grand finals and the club brought home five flags.

Ainslie Park currently competes in the RDCA premier grade (Trollope Shield) and fields four other senior men's/mixed teams, the club's first ever senior women's team, eight junior teams (three Stage 1 girls & one Stage 3 girls teams, one in under-12, two under-14 and one under-16) and conducts a Woolworths Cricket Blasters clinic for youngsters.

The club caters for players aged 5 – 75, encompassing many different skill levels and backgrounds.

Ainslie Park is active in the association and has members involved with Ringwood and District Cricket Association Committee.

The future for the club looks strong and stable, with a committed group of volunteers at the helm, keen to be progressive and innovative guardians of our proud club.

Scroll down for more on the history of our club's achievements, people and award winners.

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