Sport
8 February, 2023
Cricket admin bowled over by response at 50th anniversary
Former Central Downs cricketers exchanged stories of old as more than 100 players filled the back room of Oakey’s RSL Club on January 28.
Players from the last eight decades relished the opportunity to catch up with cricketing partners and opponents, and step back in time as they poured over memorabilia, news clippings, scrapbooks, and premiership shields and trophies from the past.
Twelve CDCA Clubs, past and present, were represented at the reunion, with former clubs using the occasion as a reunion.
Large contingents from Brymaroo, Jondaryan and Oakey Clubs certainly made their presence felt during proceedings.
Bowenville Cricket Club is now the only club to have fielded a team every year in Central Downs competition.
Among the attendees were former players who played beyond the borders of CDCA or ODCA, like Eastern Downs Zone or Queensland Country.
Fast bowling legend Robbie Peters joined the celebrations to catch up with fellow club members from Brymaroo, and Southbrook.
Many opposition batsmen still remember him as armed and extremely dangerous.
Internationally accredited coach and player, John Bell, journeyed back to his cricketing roots to share some of his experiences in world cricket.
CDCA’s first Secretary/Treasurer and radio reporter for CDCA, Glen Steger, also spoke and shared a poetic tribute to an early Slade Shield team.
It was during Tiny McIntyre’s Presidential term that ODCA applied to join the Slade Shield competition in 1961 and in that first season played as an Oakey/Dalby side.
CDCA has enjoyed several successes in the Slade Shield comp since then.
Other talented players with impressive statistics enjoyed the reunion, with at least four players who scored over 1000 runs in a season and some bowlers who took more than 60 wickets in a season.
It is believed that the player with the longest cricketing history in CDCA is Southbrook’s Lindsay Fiechtner who notched up an impressive 43 seasons.
The camaraderie amongst the players from the various clubs was very evident at the celebrations.
“I am particularly grateful to Vince Challenor and Glen Steger who were instrumental in orchestrating this practice,” organiser, Lindsay Evans said..
“There is now keen interest for another reunion which may be bigger and better if the enthusiasm shown at the recent gathering was any indication - provided it’s not ín 25 years’ time.”
