**It’s well-known that CCCA President Robert Hansen enjoys a chat. Unfortunately for Hansen this was cut short when there were technical malfunctions during the Premier Division presentations. The crowd were elated when the sound button apparently “cut out”…leaving Hansen muted. Our mail is a ‘Tubby’…or is that ‘Tubsy’ former KOOWEERUP star may have been near the power-point when the plug was pulled! Maybe Hansen’s opening line, that Kooweerup was fortunate to win the premiership, got a couple of locals off-side!
**KOOWEERUP D Grade captain Brent Wilson had an absolute cracker of a season with over 800 runs. However, after making 74 in the grand final, his best innings was post-match when he finished his speech with this. “I’ve made a shitload of runs this year, but this takes the cake.”
**The Bright brothers, Chris and Matt, have been synonymous with winning Premier Division flags at Kooweerup in recent times – winning a remarkable eighth together on Sunday – but they now have company with brothers Adam and Luke McMaster joining that unique list on the weekend. CARDINIA also had two sets of brothers in the big dance with Bradey and Matt Welsh and Lachlan and Nathan Volpe pulling on the Bulls’ colours.
**Speaking of Adam McMaster, he was just 16 when he won his first Premier Division flag at Kooweerup in 2011/12. Unfortunately, he was sent to school the next day and was not allowed to enjoy the extended celebrations. Even a “bomb-threat” made to the school was not enough to flush Adam out.
**Although disappointed with its elimination from the CCCA Premier Division finals, PAKENHAM has wasted no time in putting its key structures in place for next season. The Lions are delighted that senior coach Rob Elston has recommitted for 2023/24, as well as assistant-coach jack Anning, while talks are progressing well with First XI captain Dale Tormey. Elston has not only made a huge impact in the development of the Lions’ younger players, but had one of his best seasons as a keeper-batter in the Premier Division this season. It’s a great appointment and one that will keep the Lions at the forefront of the CCCA Premier Division next season.
**Being President of the CASEY CARDINIA CRICKET ASSOCIATION has provided some bumpy rides for Rob Hansen this season, but none bumpier than the one he took from Somerville to Kooweerup on Friday. Hansen and his partner Jenny picked up the podium that was supposed to be used for the CCCA grand final presentations from Somerville, and were a bit shaken by the time they arrived at the venue for this year’s CCCA big dance due to dodgy suspension on the trailer. Unfortunately, Hansen’s efforts were wasted, because the podium wasn’t used at all, but full credit to the league supremo for his dedication to the cause!
**While on bumpy rides, MERINDA PARK player Brenton Huyskens arrived a bit late to Kooweerup on Saturday, courtesy of a flat tyre on his way there from Cranbourne. A member of the Cricket Snicks team still hasn’t forgiven ‘Husky’ for getting him out LBW many years ago. The ball wouldn’t have hit a sixth leg-stump…but Husky still went up for a successful appeal. Come to think of it…we hope he got a flat tyre on the way home as well!
**Looking very comfortable in his own skin on the weekend was KOOWEERUP stalwart Stephen Johnson, who recently announced his retirement from the game of cricket. Johnno was a member of the Demons drought-breaking premiership win in 2009/10 and, while talented on the field, is regarded as a better bloke than he was a cricketer. We wish Johnno well as he begins his next sporting journey…as a regular on the golf course. There’s no word yet from the man he will share the golf cart with – Chris O’Hara – on the timing of his departure from cricket.
**The hardest job for a journalist on Sunday was trying to find out the real name of KOOWEERUP’s loyal 13th man ‘BoBo’, who shed tears of joy on Sunday when called out by Man of the Match Chris Bright to receive the 13th premiership medal on offer. It took quite a few attempts to source BoBo’s real name, before we asked the man himself. “Barry Robertson is my name…but nobody knows me by that.” We can vouch for that ‘Bo’, because nobody did know your name!
**CARDINIA captain Jake Prosser is moving back to his MPCA club LANGWARRIN next season, but the Bulls have also lost another with Nathan Volpe announcing his retirement from first-grade cricket shortly after the last ball was bowled on the weekend. Volpe is also expected to return to Langwarrin, playing lower grades, while it’s almost certain that Nathan’s leg-spinning brother Lachlan will not be at Gunton Oval next season. It will certainly be a different looking Bulls’ outfit in 2023/24 with semi-final hero Morteza Ali also said to be on the doubtful list.
**Popular PAKENHAM player Troy Wilson is certainly making up for lost time, winning his second premiership in a row on the weekend after breaking his lifelong sporting drought last year. Wilson has been a gun footballer and cricketer over his journey, but had never tasted the ultimate success until last year’s E Grade grand final victory over NNG/Maryknoll. He made 54 not out in that game last year, and backed it up with 65 in this year’s C Grade decider – again against the Goon – before being given out in unusual circumstances. He was given out ‘Obstructed Field’ but it didn’t stop Troy and his son Luke from sharing back-to-back premiership glory.
**The relationship between SPRINGVALE SOUTH Cricket Club and NOBLE PARK Football Club was on full display on Saturday at the Turf 1 grand final, with many of Steve Hughes’ men choosing to come and support the Bloods after their practice game against Beaconsfield earlier in the day. Congregating under the shade sails, there was no-bigger roar than when premiership player at both clubs in 2022, Jackson Sketcher, deposited Sanka Dinesh for an enormous six that landed on the sails overhead.
**DEVON MEADOWS may have set the benchmark for pre-game entertainment at Glover Rec Reserve on Saturday, with Delta Goodrem performing a stirring rendition of Advance Australia Fair before the CCCA District grand final… kind of. Delta was blasted over the loud-speakers ahead of the finale, to the amusement of Upper Beaconsfield players.
**Blade Baxter came crashing back down to earth after an excellent bowling performance for SPRINGVALE SOUTH in their grand final on Saturday. Despite taking 3/26 from his 10 overs, to take his tally in the finals to 10 wickets from three matches, a club volunteer gave him a hearty pat on the back during the innings break, telling him it was “about time” for a big performance. It didn’t rattle the all-rounder too much, however, as he was ajudged the player of the match by the umpires, not out on 18 when the final runs were struck.
** ST MARY’S have announced all-rounder Susantha Pradeep will shoulder captain/coach responsibilities in 2023/24, the club has announced, replacing Neil Shaw. Pradeep struck 220 runs and took 12 wickets in 12 matches for the Saints this season, in what was his first campaign in green and gold colours. Deeshan Vimukthi, Raveen Nanayakkara and Duveen Sasindu have all been announced as returnees to the club next season, while Mohomad Safras will make the move from the PARKMORE PIRATES.
**What a season for DEVON MEADOWS in CCCA. ‘Pantherland’ will house four new pieces of silverware to show for it, having won the District, F Grade, 1 Day competition and All Star Girls premierships. After the District grand final on Sunday, club President Mick Floyd gathered as many as he could for a lovely group photo with the four trophies that will no doubt take pride of place in the clubrooms at Glover for many years to come.
