Noise, dancing to the strains of Credence Clear Water Survival as well as feting the past and present were some of the ingredients enjoyed as Upper Beaconsfield celebrated 125 years since the birth of the club in 1893.
A large crowd mingled at the Cardinia Beaconhills Golf Club earlier this year to recapture the club’s spirit, enjoy anecdotes of past achievements and hail their host of former greats.
Since 1893, Upper Beaconsfield has moulded its current culture. The 125 year history was broken up by five speakers each paraphrasing a 25 year period. Life Member Bob Taylor summarised the beginnings and related the events surrounding the erection of the first clubrooms in 1908.
The link to the post-World War II era was Ken Murphy who explained the challenges of playing on a small sloping oval in the 1960’s, replete with spindly grassy tufts and malthoid pitches that melted in the Australian summer heat. He also recounted the stresses associated with the Ash Wednesday Bushfires and the amazing community response that helped to heal the wounds of that tragedy, out of which the re-formed cricket club emerged.
1992/93 A grade premiership Captain/Coach Paul Halfpenny claimed that the club had achieved an amazing output of premierships since 1984/ 85 when it re-formed. “All the ingredients that have made UBCC what it is today are to be praised. Upper Beaconsfield has been a great club with a culture that is welcoming and its traditions have shaped many characters,” he claimed. He urged current players to create their own success and traditions as well as working together to add their own story.
Current Vice President and Premiership coach from 2000, Nick Meyers, analysed the contribution made by over 250 players since 2000 suggesting that some of these people needed to take the club into the future to continue the success the Maroons have enjoyed. “The club’s future is squarely in your hands,” he urged.
A host of players were recognised publicly for their various feats. Life Members, premiership players, batting and bowling centurions – all were toasted along with the current season’s four centurions. A number of past players paid tribute to the influence that the club had on shaping who they were today.
Looking at the current day Maroons, and there is no shortage of talent. Just last Sunday,14-year old Nicholas Pastras Junior walked by the Upper Beaconsfield canteen, with the medallions clanking around his neck from his successful cricket weekend where he was named Man of the Match twice in the two Premiership contests he dominated with bat and ball.
First he ripped through Officer U14’s taking three wickets in four balls and finally managing 4/6 from six overs. Next he opened the batting and retired on 30 before the team was able to pass their target of 100 for the loss of six wickets.
Wind the clock back to Saturday and the fourteen year old entered the arena batting after 21 overs at number four for his beloved E grade Maroons facing top side Cranbourne Meadows.
48 overs later he showed the maturity of a thirty year old as he reached a magnificent first ever century in senior cricket – and in a grand final, a feat no other youngster has managed in the recent history of his club.
His 101 earned him a second Man of the Match. He had also assisted his father Nicholas Senior to a 103 sixth wicket partnership.
Then there is young batting talent Jaxon Binns, who was inducted into the Maroons Centurions club in the traditional manner on Thursday 15 March. Club Legend Bob Taylor described the history behind the tradition which sprang from his own performance back in the 1980’s when he crafted his first ton. “Glen Rutherford designed the trophy,” according to Taylor, “änd it has continued over the last 34 years.”
To warm acclamation the club saluted Jaxon on reaching the coveted figure in last Saturday’s semi-final. The 13 year old batted for sixty overs to reach the goal. Interestingly, there have only been two tons scored in finals at Upper Beaconsfield to this point – the other was Phil Worrell back in 1985.
