One player who is itching to get a start in the Goulburn Murray Cricket season on Saturday is Kyabram Fire Brigade’s overseas import Char (pronouned Corry) Smith.
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The lithe West Indian has been cooling his heels for a month in Kyabram waiting to display his pace bowling skills honed from six years playing in the United Kingdom.
Smith has won the approval of club legend Paul Newman who said he will be ‘‘a very handy player’’ for the club.
Smith will get a baptism of fire on Saturday when The Flames host last year’s premier Echuca, again expected to be one of the key players in the premiership race.
The one-day game is being played at Kyabram’s Northern Oval.
Smith and the return of champion batsman Newman have bolstered The Flames’ chances of returning to finals cricket this season after a rare non appearance in the finals last season.
One of the only two teams to play a game this season in the John McMahon Shield competition, Cooma will have another week on the sidelines on Saturday with a bye.
Cooma played and lost to Moama in the opening round. It is the only game that has been played in Goulburn Murray Cricket this season under a new ruling that if games can be played they proceed.
Moama, which hosts Rochester this Saturday, has recruited well and is expected to be a key player in the flag race.
Rochester won’t have its 2018-19 premiership coach lining up with it with season.
UK-based professional Vibhor Yadav was only 24 hours from boarding a plane to come to Australia to take up the coaching reins at Rochester when he was informed by the Rochester Cricket Club that due to the ground and facilities at Rochester after the floods it was unable to honour his appointment.
Games for this Saturday: Nondies Cohuna v Echuca South; Leitchville Gunbower v Bamawm Lockington United; Kyabram Fire Brigade v Echuca; Moama v Rochester
Redbacks at Deakin
Kyabram Cricket Club takes on Central Park St Brendan’s when Cricket Shepparton’s revised season gets under way on Saturday.
Kyabram has lost gun batsman Paul Newman who has returned to his home club Fire Brigade and also another top-order batsman Cade Mueller is recovering from a knee injury.
But the inclusion of accomplished Tongala duo Adam Nunn and Jayden Tucker and the return of allrounder Paul Parsons should keep the side, which lost the flag by a handful of runs last season, competitive again.
Tucker is likely to open the batting with regular run maker Billy McLay.
Skipper Kyle Mueller, the competition’s leading run maker last season turned out for Wodonga in the Cricket Albury Wodonga competition last Saturday in a one-off appearance to help tune up for the season.
Girgarre centenary
It was 103 years in the making, but Girgarre Cricket Club finally got to celebrate that elusive century on Saturday night.
COVID-19 had prevented the milestone being celebrated in the centenary year of 2020-21, but officials were still pleased with those who made the effort to attend and reflect on the club’s rich history.
More than 100 former players and officials and supporters gathered to honour the milestone and grab a copy of a very informative centenary book put together by Garry Lennie, Wayne Peterson, Simon Doolan, John Roberts and Mick Coventry and with assistance from Kyabram historian Eileen Sullivan.
A highlight of the evening was the bestowing of a life membership on club stalwart Mick Coyne.
Former players who made the longest trip back to their old club were Graham Tomasini from Adelaide and Jason Varcoe from Tamworth.
Rob Varcoe had the distinction of being the oldest former player to attend.
There was a touch of sadness at the function with the passing of one of the club’s stalwarts, life member and former star player Fred Andrews Sr during the week.
Copies of the Girgarre centenary book can be obtained from David Asquith at Kyabram’s Albion Motors.
Paddock football
My query a couple of weeks ago on where Kyabram’s footballers played their games prior to 1902, has produced an answer.
According to the Tatura Herald in 1887 games were played between Kyabram, Echuca and Tatura teams at Mr Fenaughty’s paddock in Kyabram.
In 1887 a contingent of 250 people made the rail trip in style from Echuca in three luxurious government carriages, but those from Tatura had to rough it, making the rail trip in goods trucks.
This was actually the year before the Echuca-Toolamba rail line was officially opened in 1888.
Presumably Fenaughty’s Paddock was somewhere near the street with the same name today. One ex-Kyabramite believes the oval was at the western end of Fenaughty St.
Kyabram historian Eileen Sullivan was able to establish the present Kyabram recreation reserve was not used for football or cricket games until it was established in 1902.
In another newspaper clipping from 1892 a return match between Imperials and Invincibles was played at Kyabram West (Meehans) where there was a hotel of that name.
Joint Nathalia coaches
Murray Football League club Nathalia has appointed joint coaches for the 2023 season.
Ryan Butler and Glenn Boyd will share the role.
A multi-premiership player with the club Butler returns after spending this year with Picola league club Strathmerton.
Boyd, a former VFL player with Casey Demons and Glen Eira, was an assistant coach of Nathalia this season. At the veteran stage now Boyd is undecided about continuing as a player, but with 35 goals in 10 games he played this season there is likely to be a lot of pressure on him to keep pulling on the boots.
Butler and Boyd take over the coaching reins from Mal Barnes.
Schram new president
The new president of Bowls Victoria is well known in northern Victorian bowling circles.
Echuca Bowling Club’s Pat Schram, known far and wide for her administrative skills, was elected unopposed to the role and will now oversee Victoria’s 16 bowls regions.
Schram, who has served on the Bowls Victoria Board for the past four years takes the role from Peter Inlgis.
Maiden win for Sebastians Boy
Brent Thomson produced three-year-old trotter Sebastians Boy for his maiden victory at Maryborough last Sunday.
Sebastians Boy had put the writing on the wall for a coming win with an impressive second at his previous start and was even more impressive in posting his maiden win.
Thomson gave the son of Sebastian K time to settle at the start before ushering to a midfield position and then getting the better of a two-horse duel with Acool Investment for a soft win at the finish.
Sebastians Boy was having only his fifth race start, but is an impressive mover and looks to have a bright career in front of him.
Sports reporter