WITH the 2009-10 summer season just under way, there is a select group of Shoalhaven cricket stalwarts who have been recognised for their long involvement in the sport.
The four are identified when they wear a tiny gold pin that has been struck by Cricket Australia (CA) for those who have been active for 50 years.
Having been nominated by the Shoalhaven association, Ted Regan, Foster Emery, Bob Webster and Alan Clark have recently received the pin, along with a certificate signed by CA chairman Jack Clarke.
While none of the group has represented their State or country, they have dedicated huge amounts of time and effort to cricket, and to continue for so long, they have obviously enjoyed every minute of it.
Ted Regan played in his first SDCA premiership in 1936-37 with Greenwell Point in the southern division of second grade.
That club merged with Pyree, and he made his first grade debut in 1938-39.
With the number of clubs limited during World War II, he appeared in his first premiership in the top division with Numbaa in 1941-42 but then enlisted and overseas service ensured he would not return until 1946-47.
He was soon acknowledged as one of the top opening batsmen in Shoalhaven, a left-hander who was a master of the quick single, and he also got runs on the representative scene.
The pinnacle of his career was probably to represent Combined Country against Metropolitan at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 1948-49.
He would return to that annual clash on two future occasions as an umpire, a role he would fill locally until the 1990s.
For two years in the 1950s he played with Canterbury-Bankstown in the Sydney grade competition.
However he returned to Shoalhaven where he would feature in eight first grade premierships with five different clubs, and amass more than 7000 runs.
He was one of the founders of Ex-Servicemen in 1960-61, leading the inaugural team and playing in the first three premierships.
Foster Emery played the odd game locally prior to going to school in Sydney and seeing service with the RAAF in World War II.
However on his return, he put in 50 years as a player, administrator and finally as an umpire.
His 15 first grade grand finals has been rarely bettered, but he created a record with the first two of his seven premierships, with centuries in the second innings.
Playing with Nowra in 1945-46 he made 123 in a total of 539 against Tomerong, and the following year 105 in a 235-run partnership with Alan Davis that enabled the side reach 368 and win the flag.
The 1953-54 premiership with Currambene saw Foster contribute 74 and 62, along with 6/55 and 4/40 in the grand final.
With that club he had career bests of 187 against Cambewarra, and 9/42 against Berry.
By the end of the 1950s he was with Bomaderry where he played the rest of his career.
A regular representative player, he three times played for Combined Country against Metropolitan.
He had a record 16 seasons as SDCA president, and was the first president of the South Coast and Highlands Cricket Council, a position he held for seven years.
His five cricket life memberships include Bomaderry club, Shoalhaven association and Southern Zone.
Bob Webster has had a constant presence in Shoalhaven cricket since 1958-59 when he was a member of the first junior competition.
He was quickly into second grade and despite being a prolific wicket-taker, it would be 1963-64 before he got his chance in firsts with Bomaderry Colts.
Predominately youngsters, this team won the premiership and Bob finished with 47 wickets.
Over the next 25 years, he would be a regular in Bomaderry firsts and his career aggregate would reach about 800 victims, including 34 bags of five or more and a best analysis of 8/23 against Kangaroo Valley in 1968-69.
He eventually moved back to seconds where he finished with more than 300 wickets.
When he hung up his boots to become an umpire, he had appeared in 12 first grade grand finals for seven victories, and there were three premierships in seconds.
Apart from his on-field activities, he served nine years as club president, and continues as SDCA junior committee secretary, a position he has filled since 1972-73.
Along the way he has taken on many roles on the junior scene, including selector and team manager, and carried them out with a minimum of fuss.
He was awarded life membership of Bomaderry in 1981, and the association in 1983.
Alan Clark enjoyed all his cricket in senior grades with the St Andrew’s club (now Western Park) at Warragul (Vic.), playing in its inaugural match in 1958-59.
While there were some times when his allround skills took him to first grade, he did best in seconds where his leg-spinners brought a couple of seven-wicket bags.
When he left for Nowra after the 1974-75 season, he was honoured by St Andrew’s with life membership.
Having spent four years as recorder at Warragul, he offered his services when that position with Shoalhaven became vacant in 1976-77.
He has held it ever since, and became a life member in 1985.
Spending Saturday afternoon at a first grade match, he started writing about that for the Monday edition of the South Coast Register, but this gradually expanded to all senior and junior matches.
On four occasions his articles have won Cricket NSW media awards.
Wanting to focus on the traditions of the sport, he started researching Shoalhaven competitions, and this work continues to the present day.
This has led to six books on Shoalhaven cricket, and he is now working on a seventh.
A delegate to Southern Zone Cricket since 1981-82, he is also a life member of that body.
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