Tales of triumphs and tribulations will be to the fore at Shepparton United Cricket Club this weekend as the club goes on a historic walk down memory lane.
Honouring the club’s past, a 20th anniversary of the merger between Shepparton Youth Club Cricket Club and Shepparton Cricket Club will culminate in celebration.
Following the day’s play on Saturday, past and current players as well as club affiliates converge to reminisce about the past two decades shared on and off the oval.
“We’ve got a ball that night at the GV Hotel, where we’ve tried to get a lot of past players back and current players back together,” club president Steve Nash said.
“We’ll be looking at announcing the best team of the last 20 years in A-grade, lower grade and the best women’s team from the last five years.
“We’ll be honouring and recognising achievements, putting up statistics of the 20 years ― highest run-scorers, most wickets right across the club.
“(There will be) a bit of nostalgia going through all our achievements, recognising that we have won a couple of premierships, achievements of developing the first women’s team.”
Celebrations begin on Thursday night when United and Mooroopna square off for the inaugural Beecroft-Hall Shield.
It honours the first captains of United (Lia Beecroft) and Mooroopna (Lauren Hall), with the latter side starting its maiden campaign this season.
On Saturday, United’s A-grade contingent starts against Euroa at 11am, fighting for ownership of the Greening Euroa Standpipe Cup ― a project aiming to bring recycled water back into the Strathbogie Shire town.
Closer to home United’s B-grade plays at Princess Park.
Once the last ball is bowled the celebrations will ensue at the GV Hotel where the fusion of Shepparton Cricket Club and Shepparton Youth Club and everything after it goes under the microscope.
The tapestry is rich with history; both clubs boasted 23 combined A-grade premierships and were founded in 1874 and 1944 respectively before coming together in 2003.
That’s when Nash’s own affiliation with SYC began ― right as dawn broke on the merger.
As newcomers to the area he and a friend agreed to play for the combine and said there were no doubts in his mind the sailing had been smooth since.
“I think it’s worked well, I’ve pretty much been involved in the leadership group or on the committee since,” he said.
“We certainly recognise (the history), our jumpers show the history of both clubs with the dates they were formed.
“We carry their colours and emblems and we’re very proud to have those two clubs as our origins plus the players from Kialla ― and we’re pretty proud we’ve survived.
“We’re a little bit different; we’re an inclusive club, we’ve got our all abilities event, our women’s team and we’re certainly multicultural and that’s probably where we’re going to go forward.”
The future is important, but Saturday is all about looking back.
Nash said the reunion would delve into the club’s greatest moments, smiling when talking about the fateful day when United laid a rival to ruin.
“Hopefully we’ll get 100 people out celebrating and talking about old times,” he said.
“We haven’t got a cupboard full of premierships, but we’ve got a few and we’ll recognise them ― and clearly the time we bowled Old Students out for two.
“That will be clearly getting mentioned, don’t you worry about that ― that is one of the highlights which we’ll have great pleasure of putting that photo up on the board.”
Tickets for the SYCUCC ball are still available to buy via the club website: https://www.sheppartonyouthclubunitedcc.com.au/shop