By JARROD POTTER
AT the intersection of immeasurable sporting talent and niceness is one of the Dandenong District Cricket Association’s (DDCA) greats who decided to pack away the pads last week.
St Mary’s Cricket Club life member Troy Cashman, 46, from North Dandenong, called it stumps on a prodigious career in the DDCA following an outright defeat at the hands of Turf 2 finalist Parkdale.
With around 8000 DDCA runs to his name across 22 seasons in the competition, it makes Cashman one of the greatest to ever don the cap and play in the association.
Even with four years spent plying his craft in the District set-up playing for Richmond, Cashman’s devotion has always been to St Mary’s.
He believes there’s a bright future ahead for the club under new captain-coach Pete Dunlop and enough positive signs to get the club moving back towards promotion into Turf 1.
“I’m happy – we’re going in the right direction – I’m not finishing unhappy with where the club is going,” Cashman said.
“I care for the club and want to see them do well – I’ve always prided the side on being a good Turf 1 side and obviously that’s waned in the last five years as we’re now in Turf 2 but these things happened.
“This is a good opportunity for them to rebuild – we’re good off the field now so we can rebuild and get back into Turf 1.”
He fondly remembers “that century” – his 149 not out to guide St Mary’s to a DDCA Turf 1 premiership in 2002/03 against Dandenong West, but another century – smashed against Coomoora – stands out in his mind as his best.
“That’s the one that stands out – chasing down a lot of runs – that’s the one that always gets talked about,” Cashman said.
“I reckon I made a century 22-years-ago in Turf 1 that probably was a better century cause I think we were 8/100 and we made 200 and I made 100-and-something not out and batted all the way through.
“But no one would remember that one except me, and maybe a few other blokes who played that day.
On top of his on-field success, St Mary’s Circket Club means the world to Cashman for the camaraderie he’s gained there throughout the years – from family and friends.
“Enjoyment and family participation – my parents are here all the time. My three brothers all played at St Mary’s and my two brothers in law – so the whole family played juniors and Turf 1 at St Mary’s and a lot of my friends,” Cashman said.
His legacy on the football field was just as impressive as his cricketing achievements – as Cashman is Beaconsfield’s games record holder with 371 senior games along with four senior premierships and five senior Best and Fairest awards.
With him hanging up the pads now, it leaves Saturdays free and they now belong to his family – with his wife Adrienne setting Troy on driving duties to sporting events for his kids’ Hayden, Leah and Chloe.
His presence at the club will be guided towards starting a Milo IN2Cricket program at St Mary’s to help his son and other young cricketers in the area get their first chance to play the sport.
“I’ve got a five-year-old boy so he’s going to do Milo Cricket next year and instead of taking him somewhere else to do it I’m hoping to get it up and going here,” Cashman said.
“If we can get seven to 15 kids here, we might be able to get it going and help the club potentially get back to three junior sides.”
Cashman wanted to thank his family, St Mary’s Cricket Club and all his mates he’s played with over the years for their support.
