Penrith, the early history: A second premiership 1982/83
This was a truly amazing performance, the team's points score being a margin of 30 clear of their nearest rivals. Their 12 consecutive wins were a record for the club in any grade and would take some beating in the summers to come. In a sensible move, the NSWCA had decided that all Finals were to be at neutral grounds. Penrith's Semi-final was against Randwick at the Uni of NSW's Village Green but a wash out propelled the club into the Final against Bankstown at Hurstville Oval.
When Final day arrived it was weather fine, track good, and Ian Davis won the toss and batted. The Bankstown pace pair McKirdy and Sullivan (Tim, who had formerly played with Penrith) extracted some movement, making the going tough. In the top order Greg Monaghan made a solid 30 and Greame Beard top scored with 45. A late order fight back by Greg Gavin (21 not out) and Gary Donlan (19) got Penrith to 183, not a great score but it would still take some getting considering the slow outfield and a pitch which proved more helpful to the bowlers than anticipated. Bankstown had one hour to bat and Penrith gained a slight advantage when, with sheer pace, Greame Pitty claimed the prize wicket of International Steve Smith, trapped in front. You beauty, one for next to none! At stumps, Bankstown were 1/29.
On day two Penrith obviously needed quick wickets and Greame Beard delivered bowling Mark Waugh, Bankstown 2/35. A solid partnership between Crowfoot and Rod Bower (later to join Penrith) turned the match in Bankstown's favour until, with the total 59, Bower was brilliantly caught by Ian Davis low down, one handed to his right at first slip off Ken Hall. In the next over Beard got Crowfoot miraculously clutched a ferocious pull which hit him in the stomach. Ken Hall took two more quick wickets and Bankstown had slumped to 6/65. Then Hall got another and, at lunch, Bankstown were 7/66.
After the break, skipper Bob Vidler fought hard to get Bankstown back into the game but his stubborn partnership with McKirdy ended with a run out. Pitty then bowled Les Andrews (who had returned to Bankstown after his successful stint at Penrith) and after a flurry of runs from Vidler, last man Sullivan was caught by Hall from the bowling of Beard. Bankstown was out for 140. Ian Davis lauded his team, among them Greg Monaghan, "a great team man", Trevor Bayliss, "the find of the season" and, "hope he continues with the same success in the future", Greame Beard, "still the best all round cricketer in Australia", Greame Pitty, "genuine pace, a match winner on a number of occasions".
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