top of page

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.

​

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

Bay13.jpeg

Premierships

Premiers.jpeg

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

RaeleeThompson.jpeg

Australian Players

Alma Vogt

Marg Jennings

Raelee Thompson

Lorraine Hill

Charmaine Mason

Melanie Jones

​

​

Clea Smith

Kristen Beams

Molly Strano

Elyse Villani

Georgia Wareham

​

bottom of page