Cricket club scores a century and a half

FLINDERS Cricket Club will celebrate its 150th birthday on the weekend of 17 and 18 of February with a special round of matches, cocktail party and a family day.

Mornington Cricket Club is the only club on the Mornington Peninsula that can boast about being older, having been founded in 1863.

On Saturday, the seniors will be at home for the second match of the day with longtime adversary Balnarring.

During the evening teams of six decades will be announced, culminating in the unveiling of a champion team.

Flinders Cricket Club owes it origins to the Eastern Extension Cable Company, which made a link between the mainland and Launceston. This was completed in 1869 and employed a number of Englishmen who missed playing cricket.

In 1874 the club was born, playing its first games where the 13th green on what is now Flinders Golf Course.

John Barker jnr and his brother Richard were the first two presidents, and owned the land on which the early games were played. Descendants of their families and of other founding families will be attending over the weekend.

A family day on Sunday 18 February will round out the weekend when the women’s team will show its skills. This will allow members and visitors to view an historical display in the clubrooms and will be an opportunity for team recipients or their representatives to receive their pennants if they cannot attend the previous evening.

The club has already announced a team which encompasses the period between the beginning of the Southern Peninsula Cricket (SPCA) in 1922/23 and the start of World War II.

That team consists of Bill Matthews, George Smith MBE, Herbert and Albert Cairns, Neil Challis, Yanna Mirabella, Bruce Bennett, Alf Murray, Gordon Inglis, Charles Delaney, Walter Cleave and Sir John Holland.

A second SPCA which started with the resumption of cricket in 1947/48 and finished with the merger of the SPCA and its northern counterpart in 1965 to form the Mornington Peninsula Cricket Association (MPCA) has also been selected. Members are Matt Edwards, Harold Smith, Keith Buchanan, John Lawson, Grahan Peck, Kevin Torney, Russell Cairns, Tom Lamb, Len Moon, Don Milligan, Peter Patterson and Stewart Bartel.

The first decade team starts with the formation of the MPCA in 1965 and runs until 1975. Subsequent teams follow this pattern embracing the 2023/34 season. Former Australian player Shaun Graf and former MPCA general manager Jason Nagle will host the festivities.

For more details call Clint Munday on 0404 359 506 or the president Dwayne Field on 0417 392 900.