By Nicholas Creely
“What happens on the field stays on the field” is a simple yet touching saying.
It means to be competitive in the heat of battle – but when the day has ended and the umpires flick off the bails to signal stumps, it is truly about being kind to others and putting life into perspective.
In the life of the late Andrew Pellissier, a Lynbrook Cricket Club champion, who passed away on 8 November 2016, at the age of just 47, this saying, truly defines a life that impacted on a lot of people.
‘Pellis’, as he was affectionately known by at his beloved Lakers, joined the club in 2007/08 and immediately became one of the most likeable and respected figures around the traps of the Dandenong District Cricket Association.
He went on to play 95 games at the club, captaining numerous sides over the journey, including the club’s E Grade team this season.
But there was more to the left-handed batsman and highly regarded wicket-keeper than met the eye.
He was apparently a star bowler – but only in his eyes!
The four wickets he once claimed in a match truly proved the adage that “cricket is a funny game” because his mates say he “couldn’t bowl”.
Sure he made over 1300 runs for the club, and claimed more than 50 dismissals with the gloves, but his teammates spoke about his loyalty, his passion and his general loveable nature.
He was described as the kind of bloke that would nurture the young players coming into the club and was quick to give them advice and welcome them.
He was often late to training, not because he avoided the cricket, but because he loved nothing more than getting to the rooms to enjoy the banter that cricket clubs are famous for.
Lakers club-president Jason Bishop spoke glowingly about his impact on the club, citing his “prankster” nature, in which he would often take selfies on people’s mobiles, or hide empty cans around someone’s house – but also his incredible passion for music was well-noted.
Bishop said that Andrew was one of the first blokes to offer a greeting with a handshake and a “how you going mate?”, but on the field, he was the master of the understated one-liner, but his sledges were often directed at his teammates, not the opposition.
He described Andrew as a loving father to Cam, Tan and Josh and husband to Kim, and this loving nature transgressed through every individual he encountered.
So much so, that in the week after Andrew’s passing, all the clubs that played Lynbrook allowed the club to farewell him on the field, prompting DDCA secretary Ray Nicholls to say “it shows that this great game of ours can still bring people together during a time of grieving and the respect shown is gratifying”.
Amazingly, his son Cameron is now the captain of the E Grade side, in what is a touching sentiment in his father’s honour.
For Pellis, the bails have been flicked off and it is now stumps, but the legacy left will live on forever.
