There were players from every decade of the club’s history, some who had travelled long distances and others who had not met up with former team-mates for many years.

Representatives of several other SDCA clubs were in attendance, showing the respect in which Ex-Servicemen are held.

Colourful decorations were hard to escape, and the scene was completed with displays of photographs and newspaper clippings, while old scorebooks and trophies were there to be examined.

Master of ceremonies Robert Crawford kept the program moving with short interludes from past summers, while introducing the various speakers.

Club president Cathy Russell welcomed the large crowd, and paid tribute to members of the organising sub-committee who had planned meticulously for the occasion.

Her work in preparing a DVD presentation on the club was enthusiastically received by players past and present, as well as the many visitors.

Copies of it were later sold with proceeds going to the Perth hospital which treated Barry Cruickshanks prior to his death last year at the age of 39.

Kevin Duffey represented the board of Shoalhaven Ex-Servicemen’s Club which had supported the cricketers from day one.

He highlighted the work done with the juniors, and the coup achieved by the Milo Cricket organisers who took the children to the SCG to stand with the players at the start of a Test match against South Africa in 2008-09.

Speaking on behalf of Cricket NSW as well as his own body, Southern Zone Cricket administrator Graeme Creighton congratulated the club on its milestone.

He also brought a bat signed by all members of the NSW SpeedBlitz Blues squad to be used as a raffle prize.

Daniel Gleeson spoke towards the end of proceedings, and the fact that he came through the grades from under 10s to be captain of first grade speaks volumes for the work of the club.