Sport
7 December, 2024
Volunteers the backbone of Gil’s rep cricket side
Gilgandra captain Ashley Hazelton has attributed the importance of representative cricket within the association to the hard work of former and current volunteer administrators.
Gilgandra captain Ashley Hazelton has attributed the importance of representative cricket within the association to the hard work of former and current volunteer administrators.
The Gilgandra District Cricket Association has won the past two Brewery Shield titles and after the first three rounds of the 2024/2025 competition is undefeated with a first-round bye, a big win against Narromine in round two before Sunday’s (December 1) round-three wash-out against Dubbo.
While it has been a stop-start beginning to both the GDCA local competition and representative cricket in 2024/2025, including last weekend’s wash-out of all club and representative action, the building blocks are in place for continued success at Gilgandra.
Back in 2022/2023, Gilgandra (5-127) defeated Cobar (126) in the Brewery Shield final.
Gilgandra also won the prestigious Country Plate competition in 2022/2023, defeating Griffith in the final in February 2023 at Cricket Central in Sydney.
On that day Gilgandra wicket-keeper Matt Everett bagged four leg-side stumpings to win the player of the match as Gilgandra (3-71) cruised part Griffith’s 68 after Hazelton sent Griffith in.
The success in the final came after Gilgandra has already beaten another large population area, Cessnock, in the semi-final, thanks to an Everett century.
Everett has represented NSW Country previously and in that season won the Josh Hazlewood NSW Country player of the year for his efforts.
Last season, Gilgandra again won the Brewery Shield, as the GDCA (5-67) overcame Narromine (66).
The Brewery Shield is a Sunday representative competition that involves sides from Narromine, Dubbo, Bourke and Cobar alongside the Gilgandra association.
Last season the GDCA (87) was eliminated in the Country Plate semi-final finals by Narrabri (7-88) in a close low-scoring affair.
Speaking back in November, Gilgandra association skipper Ashley Hazelton was quick to praise the work of former Gilgandra District Cricket Association (GDCA) secretary Matt Zell in initially driving representative cricket.
He also noted that the GDCA treasurer Jon Kilby and president Jaimie Zell play key roles now to keep the squad moving forward.
“Matt Zell was a big driver … without him and his connections with the other clubs in our association it wouldn’t be the same,” Hazelton said.
“Matt did all the behind the scenes work to make it happen and had a side pencilled in.”
Representative cricket in Gilgandra, like for so many other associations, was a battle initially.
With the GDCA now being a regional competition spanning east to Coonabarabran, west to Warren and north to Coonamble, Hazelton said it is important that all seven clubs are represented in the district side.
Tyne Chapman, who looks after Gidgee cricket club in Coonamble, one of the seven current GDCA sides, has also put his hand forward to play representative cricket for Gilgandra.
“The first few years we struggled … using 25 players across the course of three or four games,” Hazelton said.
“The best thing is for the past two seasons; we have had a committed group of 15 players.
“I think the success of a couple of years ago (winning both the Brewery Shield and Country Plate in 2022/2023) made last year easier by getting people wanting to be involved.
“There was a lot more interest from other clubs (outside of Gilgandra).”
Hazelton is aware it is a big commitment.
“It makes it difficult if you have played half a day Saturday and especially blokes with families, then to play again all day Sunday, it’s two days every couple of weekends,” he said.”
The selected side for last Sunday’s washed-out match against Dubbo, was as follows.
Ashley Hazleton (c), Scott Basham, Liam Zell (all Town Services), Brandon Hammond, Preston Ah-See, Jaylem Peters (all Gulargambone), Lachlan Ferguson, Oscar Spora (both Biddon-Tooraweenah), Ben Hjort, Cameron Whittall (both Coonabarabran), Tyne Chapman (Gidgee), Hugh Duncan (USC-Marthaguy).
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Last Saturday’s scheduled round five of the Bendigo Bank ABC Shield on November 30 was also all washed-out.
Bendigo Bank ABC Shield unofficial ladder after round five (according to Play HQ): Coonabarabran (27), Biddon-Tooraweenah (26), Curban (22), Gulargambone (21), Gidgee (20), Town Services (18), USC-Marthaguy (13).
Round six Bendigo Bank ABC Shield draw (according to Play HQ): Saturday, December 7; Gulargambone v Biddon-Tooraweenah at Gulargambone; USC Marthaguy v Town Services at Victoria Park No. 1, Warren; Curban v Gidgee at McGrane Oval, Gilgandra. Bye Coonabarabran.
