IN THE BEGINNING

The following was provided to the club by decorated past player, Quinton O'Loughlin. 

Our thanks to Frank and the O'Loughlin family.

In January 1957, Laurie Ryan enticed me out of retirement to play cricket with the Mount Waverley Cricket Club. Upon joining, I observed that 7 Holy Family parishioners were playing there – viz Laurie, Fred Field, Brian Long, Doug Sims, Paul Wheatley,Terry King and myself.

 

Knowing that there were other capable cricketers in the Parish, Joe Crohan and John Gill, just to name two, and that there would be many young Parish boys wanting to play junior cricket in the not-too-distant future, Laurie and I canvassed the possibility of fielding a parish team in the Oakleigh District Cricket Association (ODCA) competition, in order to provide an opportunity for the youngsters.

 

Sufficient expressions of interest were shown to hold a meeting, and a decision was made to apply to the ODCA for entry of a team.

 

Other cricket clubs that had disbanded, or were in the process of disbanding at that time, were contacted and, as a result, some equipment was acquired at a small cost. A fundraising exercise was carried out with reasonable success, letters were sent to local and external businesses and donations were received from parishioners.

 

On October 5th 1957, everything was in order for the launch of the 1957/58 season. The Club had 13 registered players – a 14th, Joe Isles joined us to play on January 25th, 1958. Unfortunately, in our first game against East Oakleigh a car load of players got lost on the way to the ground and we were in disarray, eventually being beaten by 6 runs on the first innings.

 

As the saying goes, the rest is history, and now the administration of the Club is in the capable hands of a younger generation, so far as us “oldies” are concerned.

 

BEHIND THE SCENES

 

At the time of a new club being accepted into the Oakleigh District Cricket Association the policy of the association (which consisted of three senior grades) was that any new club would be admitted into the lowest grade and then be subject to the promotion and relegation rules in subsequent years.

 

However, when the executive of the ODCA became aware that several of our members had already played in the first grade of the ODCA (with another club) and were experienced cricketers they agreed to our request that we be accepted into the middle grade. The appropriateness of their decision was borne out by the fact that our first season was quite successful and we played in the finals, only to be beaten in the rand final.

 

Starting a new club involves a lot of work:

 

This was all attended to in the months that preceded the opening of the season. Our home ground was at Caloola Ave in the then City of Oakleigh. However, for a more convenient practise venue, and with the supervision and guidance of George Dore, we constructed a half length cricket pitch in the playground of Holy Family School. The surrounds were not ideal and blackberries and long grass on the eastern side presented problems. Working bees were arranged to improve the site. A major disaster was narrowly averted when the fire to dispose of the accumulated material temporarily got out of control and threatened to spread into the nearby scrub, which now accommodates the Holy family tennis courts and club rooms. Prompt action by those present (including dragging an old cricket matting over the flames) averted the catastrophe.

 

When we changed our home ground to the Salesian College we felt more comfortable in a welcoming environment. However, even this venue did have its moments. At the timer of the college fete the loud music upset one of the official umpires and he insisted that we do all we could to reduce the level of the sound. A minor compromise resulted, and the game proceeded under some sufferance by the umpire.

 

The shortest distance between the two college complexes was across the oval and pedestrians usually would walk around the perimeter if a match was in progress, but on one occasion the College Principal, unaware of the seriousness of a cricket match, walked onto the oval using the shortest route. The umpire stopped the match, glared at the offender, and asked him to walk around the boundary. The Principal chose to ignore the request and continued on his selected route. The game proceeded.

 

That evening the club secretary received a phone call from the Principal saying that the club’s use of the oval was terminated forthwith, but that he might review the situation by the end of the week. Profound apologies were extended to him, and our club’s occupation continued harmoniously thereafter.

 

We were very pleased to include college personnel, Fr Lock, Fr Maloney, and Bro. Swain as prominent players in our club.

 

Our fundraising secretary, Laurie Ryan, the first to be awarded life membership of our club, and in appreciation of his years of service as a member and president of the Umpires Association of the SD&CCL, was awarded life membership of that association also.

 

Other former players to officiate as umpires included Norm Short, Dick Reardon, Peter Loughnan, Frank Clarke, Paul Wheatley and Chris Ebinger.