Cricket Shepparton’s Twenty20 competition got off to the best start possible on Thursday night last week.
While Shepparton United’s Ian Maiden and Old Students’ Jayden Gagliardi were manufacturing magnificent hundreds of their own at Kialla Park Recreation Reserve, Undera’s Paul Wickham was busy blasting his own century in a memorable T20 triumph over Invergordon.
Spectators watched on in awe as Wickham opened the batting and blasted his way to the seventh ton of his career (his first Twenty20) at Shepparton’s Victory Park, whacking a total of 10 sixes and 10 boundaries in his 53 minutes at the crease.
A short stay, let alone when you’re carving out a century, Wickham said replicating the theatrics of the Big Bash League was at the back of his mind when he went in to bat last week.
“It’s a bit of fun, especially this time of year when you’re watching the Big Bash on TV, they make it look so easy,” Wickham said.
“It’s a good fun to get out there and have a dip and see if you can replicate their magic.
“There was no ramp shots in my innings unfortunately, it was a bit more traditional.”
Wickham said the century was made even more special due to the fact two young supporters were in attendance to watch him raise the bat.
“My young fella came and watched, Quinn and his mate Rhylee — Quinn asked me before the game how much I’d make, I said ‘I’ll make a hundred’,” he said.
“I hit the first ball for six and I thought ‘we’re off to a good start here’.
“Then Quinn and Rhylee both ran out onto the ground and gave me a high-five, that was the best moment of the hundred and the game, it was nice they did that and that’ll be a good memory.”
Wickham, 48, has enjoyed a remarkable career across the Cricket Shepparton competition, having enjoyed storied stints at Mooroopna and Karramomus.
A pharmacist by trade, he said pulling on the whites for Undera had come about to repay a special favour.
“I was helping the Undera boys out because they’d helped me during the floods,” Wickham said.
“A lot of the boys from the Undera footy and cricket clubs helped me out in the pharmacy and we moved a lot of the medications.
“I told them I’d come have a hit in the T20s if they needed a hand, I’d been playing for Karramomus and they were good enough to let me go and have a hit for Undera.
“If they keep progressing hopefully I can have another game with them.”