Snow Causby – first great “Creekite”

Although he became better known for his run scoring feats in later years while playing for Gawler Central, Arthur “Snow” Causby was Sandy Creek’s first great cricketer. A fast scoring opening batsman and a wicket keeper who stood up to the stumps to even the quick bowlers, Snow Causby was the main player behind Sandy Creek’s first premiership in 1934/35.

Scores weren’t always included in the Bunyip back in the 1930s, but from the information that is available, after making his senior cricket debut for Gawler River in the early 1930s (maybe late 1920s), Causby joined Sandy Creek in the 1934/35 season at the age of 22 and was an immediate success. In the finals series that year, he made 224 runs @ 112.0, with his 142 not out in the Semi Final backed by 57 in the Grand Final.

From 1936/37 to 1939/40, Causby made 2316 runs at an average of 51.5 in the A1 division, including 916 @ 83.3 in 1937/38 which was a new Association record aggregate. Including the available scores in the two seasons prior, across his 6 year career as a “Creekite” (the old Bunyip newspapers seemed to like “-ites” as a team nickname suffix – e.g. Riverites for Gawler River, Creekites for Sandy Creek) he amassed well over 3000 runs at an average in the high 40s (possibly low 50s).

Unfortunately he left Sandy Creek midway through the 1939/40 season and moved to Glenelg. Upon his return to the area in 1941/42 he moved to Gawler Central, where he continued to be a run machine until well into his late 30s, setting even more records along the way.