Bomaderry made a few spasmodic appearances in the Shoalhaven District Cricket Association at the start of the 20th century, but it was a long time becoming an established club.
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A group of enthusiasts took the necessary steps to put Bomaderry on the cricketing map prior to the start of the 1929-30 season.
The major clubs at that time were Berry, Cambewarra, Perseverance and Tomerong which provided four of the seven teams in each of the first and second grade competitions.
Currumbene, Nowra and Pyree were the other teams in firsts, while Bomaderry joined Kangaroo Valley and Naval College in second grade.
The association president was Albert Wotherspoon, and the new secretary/treasurer was Bill Harrison (who rode his bicycle from Berry to attend meetings). As was the custom in this era, there were 15 vice-presidents, mostly businessmen who were appointed in the hope they would provide financial support.
There were also two patrons, Percy W. Young whose name has been perpetuated on the first-grade premiership trophy still in use today, and publican Norbert Coveney who donated a cup for the 1929-30 first grade premiers, plus £5/5/- to help in the running of the association.
No infrastructure existed when Bomaderry decided to field a team, and it required plenty of ingenuity for the members to make it happen.
The first practise sessions were held of a Sunday morning on the footpath outside the Dairy Co-op, using a composite ball and a pick handle.
Bomaderry landholder Rainsford Shepherd made one of his paddocks available for a home ground, and for the wicket some corporate sponsorship came from Ison & Co who provided the formwork, and Woodhill & Co the cement; while the metal came from Jack Grimes.
The cricketers gathered sand from a bush track (now Railway Street), and Steve Knapp organised them in carrying out construction.
They raffled a 10-shilling note, and the proceeds enabled them to purchase a kit and bag, along with a set of mats to play on.
First captain of the team was Ben Jones, a talented allround sportsman who had the ability to play at a higher level, however he was regularly unavailable when his work as a guard on the railways saw him on a train between Bomaderry and Sydney when cricket was about to start.
He was one of several railwaymen associated with the club prior to World War II, and they managed to arrange for team-mates to travel for away matches at Berry.
Another form of transport in the early years was an Albion truck with solid rubber tyres, owned by Albert Petrie.
Bomaderry certainly had some ups and downs in its inaugural season, and in games against Kangaroo Valley two players performed feats that remain in the record books.
Opener Vic Williamson carried his bat through an innings yet scored only three runs, while Jones had figures of 6/10 and 7/18 in return match.
There was controversy when three players refused to take the field in a game after one of their mates was dropped, but Bomaderry regrouped to qualify for the finals in the first season.
Playing against the Valley in the semi-final on the Recreation Ground at Nowra, Bomaderry won by an innings.
While the new club would be no match for Cambewarra in the grand final that year, it won its first premiership just two seasons later.
Information thanks to Shoalhaven Historical Society