By JARROD POTTER
AFTER 28 years playing the game he loved, including 18 seasons in the Dandenong District Cricket Association, Lyndale captain Rory Ingram called it stumps on a successful career.
Ingram, 42, who now lives in Doncaster, strode to the crease for his final innings on Saturday at Lyndale’s Barry Powell Reserve.
Although results didn’t fall his way – out caught and bowled for 15 in his final stay at the crease before his beloved Lyndale (188) fell agonisingly short of victory against Mordialloc (199) – Ingram bows out of the game knowing he played well and will take away a lifetime of memories from cricket.
“It’s been good – I’ve been really lucky to play in this competition for such a long time,” Ingram said. “Loved it, loved the banter, it’s been really good and made a few lifelong friends through this and hopefully I’ll stick around in the association.
“Just want to say thank you to everybody who helped me out throughout my time, and hopefully I played the game in the right spirit, how it should’ve been played, and I’ll keep an eye out to see what’s happening and see how it goes from there.”
Premierships with Springvale South stand out to him, as does last season’s grand final triumph over Cranbourne to earn Lyndale a spot back in Turf 1 for season 2013/14.
A seven-time grand finalist – with three Turf 1 premierships a Damien Fleming medal for best afield in a grand final and a Turf 2 premiership with Lyndale sum up an impressive resume for the middle order batsman as well as three Turf 1 centuries.
“I’ve been lucky enough to play at a time with a club where we had a good few years – played in my first grand final side with Springy South,” Ingram said.
“That premiership was pretty memorable, and then to play in three grand finals in a row and to win two was incredible.
“Won a Damien Fleming Medal in the grand final in my first granny and most importantly making friends and you cherish those moments with your friends for the rest of your life.”
Ingram wanted to thank his family – especially his three daughters Alycia, Brianna and Sarina – and said he hoped to spend a lot more time with them and give them back their dad on Saturday afternoons.
“They haven’t seen dad on a Saturday afternoon in the summer, so it will be good to spend some time with them as family is important,” Ingram said.
