At the peak of his career, Lloyd “Bing” Bilney was chosen to play against Clive Lloyd’s West Indian side in October 1984 after having impressed for the SACA Country XI against a City XI team in March 1984. Playing as an opening bowler, Lloyd dismissed opener Gordon Greenidge for 14, taking 1/52 from his 10 overs.
Few would have thought in 1970 when Lloyd Bilney first played for Wistow CC Colts that this enthusiastic “midget” would become in seven (7) years a permanent A Grade player who would develop into a very quick opening bowler. A top allround cricketer who was always in the game, his catching was a treat. When not dominating the bowling crease he would be dominating the middle & lower order batting with his free scoring style so not surprisingly, he rarely missed collecting the club’s Best Allrounder trophy.
“Bing” was elected Club Captain for the 1980/81 season and was selected in the Meyer Shield team for eleven (11) seasons from 1977 to 1988. Lloyd took a hat-trick on two (2) occasions (one of which came against Onkaparinga on 20th October 1979) and won the Association Bowling Aggregate once (together with at least five (5) other top three finishes), together with the WCC A Grade Aggregate for an incredible 13 consecutive seasons from 1976/77 to 1988/89, including six (6) seasons in which he took more than 30 wickets. He also won the club Bowling Average on seven (7) occasions.
His batting was just as impressive; he was generally known to bat at either No. 6 or 7, making the tail “wag” with numerous runs always scored in an attacking manner. All told, he scored nine (9) centuries, including a double century (the first Wistow ‘A’ Grade player to have done so) which incredibly came in a “one day” game where he was elevated to open the innings. He won the Association Batting Aggregate in 1984/85 (with at least two (2) other top three finishes) together with six (6) club Batting Trophies. When Lloyd left for Goolwa after the 1988/89 season (after acquiring ownership of the Goolwa Newsagency) it left a gaping hole in Wistow’s team as he had “done it all”, the most memorable being his 16 overs of express pace bowling taking 5/44 in the 1982/83 premiership win.
HONOUR BOARD
Two-time A Grade Premiership Player – 1973/74 & 1982/83 (scored 31 and took 5/44 from 16 overs)
1984/85 Association A Grade Batting Aggregate Leader – 591 runs
1980/81 A Grade Batting – Aggregate – 442 runs
1982/83 A Grade Batting – Aggregate & Average – 474 runs @ 59.25
1984/85 A Grade Batting – Aggregate & Average – 591 runs @ 49.25 **stats are incomplete for this season**
1985/86 A Grade Batting – Aggregate – 350 runs
1986/87 A Grade Batting – Aggregate & Average – 604 runs @ 46.46
1987/88 A Grade Batting – Aggregate & Average – 454 runs @ 41.27
1976/77 A Grade Bowling – Aggregate – 18 wickets
1977/78 A Grade Bowling – Aggregate & Average – 32 wickets @ 15.25
1978/79 A Grade Bowling – Aggregate & Average – 35 wickets @ 12.17
1979/80 A Grade Bowling – Aggregate – 19 wickets
1980/81 A Grade Bowling – Aggregate – 18 wickets
1981/82 A Grade Bowling – Aggregate & Average – 22 wickets @ 14.23
1982/83 A Grade Bowling – Aggregate – 28 wickets **stats are incomplete for this season**
1983/84 A Grade Bowling – Aggregate & Average – 28 wickets @ 15.07
1984/85 A Grade Bowling – Aggregate & Average – 31 wickets @ 16.48 **stats are incomplete for this season**
1985/86 A Grade Bowling – Aggregate – 16 wickets
1986/87 A Grade Bowling – Aggregate & Average – 39 wickets @ 10.64
1987/88 A Grade Bowling – Aggregate & Average – 33 wickets @ 9.97
1988/89 A Grade Bowling – Aggregate – 35 wickets
154 Senior matches played (141 in A Grade)
4,546 runs @ 33.18 (4,433 runs scored in A Grade @ 35.18 including 19 half centuries and 9 centuries)
361 wickets @ 15.30 (355 wickets in A Grade @ 15.56 including 21 five wicket hauls and best figures of 8/38)
64 catches, 2 stumpings & 3 run outs (likely more – run outs were rarely attributed to individual fielders for most of Bing’s career)
FOOTNOTE – the enthusiastic “midget” below:
