Billy Makin - St George's forgotten first class cricketer

“Hello sir. I have been told that you played for New South Wales. Is that right?”

“Well that is correct son, but it was a long time ago. I’ll tell you the full story one day, but it might take a while.”

In the 1926-27 season two new cricketers joined the St George District Cricket Club. One was a young 18-year-old lad from Bowral in the Southern Highlands region of NSW. Don Bradman would go on to be the most famous cricketer in history. The other was a 43-year-old who had not played any grade cricket in Sydney for a decade.

Billy Makin started playing in St George’s 3rd Grade team and soon became a player central to its success, despite his advanced years. By now, he was no longer the medium pacer who had captured almost 100 First Grade wickets for Sydney University and Redfern before the Great War, but a slow left arm orthodox spinner. In a brilliant season with the ball, Makin captured 58 wickets at an average of 10.8 to be the leading bowler in his team. His best figures were against Petersham when he took 8 for 49 and he used all his experience to deceive batsmen all over Sydney. His efforts helped the 3rd Graders to have a successful campaign which resulted in the premiership that was the first in Club’s brief history.

Did Makin make it well known that he was, in fact, a former first class cricketer who had played two matches for New South Wales way back in 1910-11? In his debut game, the aggressive left hander top scored with 71 against Queensland in a remarkable rise after he had ended the previous season in University’s second grade team. Although Makin’s batting was not very effective in 1926-27, with only one half century, the club was able to celebrate this initial competition victory.

The following season Makin was encouraged to play again, and he was content to turn out for the 3rd Grade team for the whole season. Batting form returned as “he showed a broad blade to all bowlers” in setting a club 3rd Grade record which stood for 12 seasons, 515 runs at an average of 57.22. His best innings was against Central-Cumberland in November 1927 when he scored an undefeated 103. In the same match he also claimed 5 for 26 and 4 for 20. He followed this effort with 95 against Northern District. The 1927-28 St George DCC annual report stated that His batting at all times was an example and inspiration to the younger members of the side. Yet his bowling was even more productive than the previous season as he took 61 wickets at an

average 10.77 including best figures of 7 for 54 against Petersham. This had only ever been topped in 3rd Grade at St George by Selwyn Fairfax’s 76 wickets in 1918-19. Makin’s superb all-round performances saw the team win a successive premiership in 1927-28 during which they recorded three outright and five first innings victories in their 13 matches.

It is likely that his teammate from the St George Motor Boat Club, which played social fixtures on Sundays, Des Mullarkey, the former New South Wales opening batsman, persuaded Makin to join him at St George DCC albeit in a lower grade team. During this period, Makin and Mullarkey continued to play for the Motor Boat Club and Makin’s 10-36 against Coogee Cricket Club at Coogee Oval in February 1927 showed that he could perform on both days of a weekend. The Motor Boat Club became a large part of Makin’s life as he played competition billiards and snooker along with many cricket games. He was the Club’s Honorary Financial Secretary which would have involved attendance at meetings and balancing the budget of the fledging organisation.

Those two 3rd Grade premierships represented the first competition victories of many in St George’s history. But how many like young Don Bradman were aware of the remarkable career of all-rounder before he had played such an integral role in each of those premierships?

Pat Rodgers

March 2026

Adapted from Billy Makin. Puzzles Aplenty, by James and Pat Rodgers, Red Rose Books, 2025.

Copies can be obtained here: https://www.redrosecricketbooks.com/

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