Club History
Essendon Ladies Cricket Club was founded in September 1905 in Mt Alexander Road (Annals of Essendon) and was one of 21 clubs that formed the Victorian Ladies Cricket Association.
Since that time the club has produced 11 Australian players, 2 Australian captains, 1 Australian coach, 2 Australian selectors and 1 New Zealand player, including current squad member Molly Strano. Numerous Essendon players have represented Victoria in both senior and junior teams.
In 1981 Maribyrnong Park Ladies amalgamated with Essendon and the club is now called Essendon Maribyrnong Park Ladies Cricket Club. In 1982 Victorian Women's Cricket established headquarters at Aberfeldie Park and many Interstate Championships were played there. The highlight however was the Australia v England game played in 1984.
We have confirmation from the International Women’s Cricket Association that Essendon Maribyrnong Park is the oldest women's cricket club in Australia and the world. Many teams were formed in both England and Australia in the 1800’s but all those had folded by the end of the 1950’s.
The club has had many successful eras in it's time. At one time in the 1980's the club fielded as many as five teams and won 11 premierships between 1983/84 and 1991/92. After this time the club's fortunes experienced a downturn in success with the number of teams diminishing also. However in adversity the true club spirit shone through. At the beginning of the 2001/02 season, a new era was to begin and the players named it 'Bombers Reborn'.
The appointment of Melanie Jones as club coach in the 100th season was a major bonus for the club and with so much talent and youth, the club had the right people in place to help take EMP back to the top. Another highlight in the 100th year was 1st XI Captain Clea Smith taking out her 2nd Una Paisley award, the award for the VWCA's (now CV) best and fairest player.
In 2007/08, EMP broke an 18 year drought to take out the Premier Firsts Premiership. Lead by Clea Smith, who joined the club as an 11 year old in 1991, the Bombers brought home the Agnes McDonnell Trophy ('Aggie') for the third time in front of a sea of red and black supporters. The club has since gone on to win a further five 1st XI Premierships (2010/11, 2011/12, 2016/17, 2019/20 and 2022/23) as well as multiple 1st XI Twenty20 Premierships.
Silverwear however isn't what the Bombers are all about. EMP has since become the first female club to tour India (2011) and South Africa (2013) ensuring life experiences for club members are not restricted to on the field.
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Life Members
Bill Whittle*
Margaret Whittle*
Frank Howser
Jack Glen*
May Glen
Margaret Jennings
Joan Fitzpatrick
Cheryl Harrison
Sonia Spiers
Henry Spiers
Cath McLeod
Julie Jones
Robyn Fletcher*
Chris McInnes
Fay Lund
Jan Hayes
Des Curwood
Raelee Thompson
Mary McCormick
Marie Keane
Lisa Gale
Tracey Phillips
Fran Kearney
Donna Richey
Ella Luke*
Helen Morfesse
Clea Smith
Erini Gianakopoulos
Judy Maddigan
Terri Xuereb
Melanie Jones
Emily McIntyre
Briana Binch
Natalie Schilov
Dot Brasher
Tina Macumber
Molly Strano
Leah Caluzzi
Premierships
Season
1953/54
1967/68
1972/73
1975/76
1977/78
1979/80
1983/84
1984/85
1984/85
1986/87
1986/87
1986/87
1987/88
1988/89
1988/89
1989/90
1991/92
2003/04
2007/08
2009/10
2010/11
2010/11
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2014/15
2015/16
2016/17
2017/18
2017/18
2017/18
2019/20
2019/20
2022/23
Won By
ELCC
ELCC
ELCC
MPLCC
MPLCC
ELCC
EMPLCC
EMPLCC
EMPLCC
EMPLCC
EMPLCC
EMPLCC
EMPLCC
EMPLCC
EMPLCC
EMPLCC
EMPLCC
EMPLCC
EMPLCC
EMPLCC
EMPLCC
EMPLCC
EMPLCC
EMPLCC
EMPLCC
EMPLCC
EMPLCC
EMPLCC
EMPLCC
EMPLCC
EMPLCC
EMPLCC
EMPLCC
EMPLCC
Grade
B Grade
A Grade
A Grade
A Grade
C North West
Pennant Reserve
B West
Pennant
Pennant Reserve
A West
B West
C North West
C North West
Pennant Reserve
A West
Pennant
Pennant Reserve
A Grade
Premier Firsts
Premier Seconds
Premier Firsts T20
Premier Seconds T20
Premier Firsts
Premier Firsts
Premier Firsts T20
Premier Firsts T20
Premier Firsts T20
Premier Firsts
Premier Firsts T20
Premier Seconds T20
Premier Reserves
Premier Firsts T20
Premier Firsts
Premier Firsts
Captain
Marg Jennings
Margaret Whittle
Cath McLeod
Margaret Whittle
Mary McCormick
Raelee Thompson
Cath McLeod
Sonia Spiers
Julie Jones
Helen Dennett
Helen Dennett
Janece Robbins
Mary McCormick
Raelee Thompson
Jan Hayes
Erini Gianakopoulos
Clea Smith
Lou Caluzzi
Clea Smith
Jane Neil
Clea Smith
Clea Smith/Emily McIntyre
Kristen Beams
Briana Binch
Briana Binch
Briana Binch
Briana Binch
Sarah Harris/Lyndall Daley
Sarah Harris
Makinley Blows
Makinley Blows
Makinley Blows
Australian Players
Alma Vogt
Marg Jennings
Raelee Thompson
Lorraine Hill
Charmaine Mason
Melanie Jones
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Clea Smith
Kristen Beams
Molly Strano
Elyse Villani
Georgia Wareham
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