Ongley made his
first-class debut in 1938–39 for
Wellington in the
Plunket Shield, scoring a century in his first match against
Otago. Batting first, at one stage Wellington were 116 for 5, but Ongley made 110, reaching his century in 149 minutes, and Wellington went on to win by an innings. He was selected to play for
New Zealand later that season against
Sir Julien Cahn's XI and made 35 as an opening batsman in a match ruined by rain. He married Joan Archer in 1943. They had four sons and a daughter. Ongley continued to play for Wellington, with moderate success, through the late 1940s, and captained the team from 1947–48 to 1949–50. He also continued to captain Manawatu in the Hawke Cup, including a period as title holders in the mid-1940s. When the
Central Districts team made its first appearance in the 1950–51 Plunket Shield, he was chosen to be captain. Central Districts finished second in 1950–51 and third in 1951–52, after which Ongley retired from first-class cricket. He continued to captain Manawatu until 1956–57, and played his last Hawke Cup match in 1957–58. ==Later life and death==