By Robert Muir and Peter Brear
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Cricket Life Member and administrator for over 30 years, Gerard Martin, has been honoured with the spectators pavilion at cricket headquarters Vic Park named after him.
Yarrawonga and Mulwala cricket community gathered at the Victoria Park Sports Pavilion on Sunday, March 10 to honour a player and administrator who has selflessly and tirelessly contributed to the grand old game of cricket within the district.
Gerard Martin, known widely throughout the river towns and district as ‘Ged’, has been actively involved in the local cricket culture for over three decades, that has seen challenges and many changes occur, largely for the better and mostly under his guidance.
The day to honour Ged’s involvement in and contribution to local cricket was capped off with the large gathering, including former YDCA Presidents in Glenn Brear and James Reilly, witnessing former YMCC President, Dwayne Duxson, unveil the Gerard “GED” Martin Stand.
While Ged, 54, could not attend the day due to receiving chemotherapy at the Austin Hospital, he was represented by his children, Zoe, Finlay and Xavier. Xavier delivered a message from his dad, thanking those who decided to bestow this honour.
Xavier also thanked all in attendance and said he was proud of his dad and all that he had done for cricket.
With over 100 years of cricket history in the district, the popular and respected Martin joins Stan Hargreaves as the only two persons honoured with the naming of a cricket facility at Vic Park.
Upon his return to Yarrawonga from chemotherapy, Ged said he was very sorry he wasn’t able to attend the official occasion.
“But I’m very proud to have been represented by my son Xavier and my daughters Zoe and Fynlay, my wife Christine and members of my extended family,” he told the Yarrawonga Chronicle.
“Let me say how humbled I feel and will be forever grateful for the honour that’s been bestowed on me. Rest assured I will be fighting my best to be well again and to be resting myself on these seats for many seasons to come to watch, and maybe even play some more games for the Yarrawonga Mulwala Cricket Club.
“Being a founding member, I love the cricket club so much. It has the most wonderful facilities, but more importantly the most wonderful cricket community who have provided me with life-long memories and lasting friendships. Thank you once again for this honour.”
The popular and respected Ged was president of the former Yarrawonga District Cricket Association for 11 years, from 1995 to 2006. A Life Member, he carried out the role of treasurer at Yarrawonga Mulwala Cricket Club for 10 years, from 2008 to 2018.
While Ged began his involvement in the game as a player with the Mulwala Cricket Club in the mid-1980s and, by his own admission, was not the greatest cricketer, he had a strong competitive spirit and an even deeper passion for the game.
It was this love of the game that soon led Ged to take up a position on the committee of the Yarrawonga & District Cricket Association. That started a chain of events that was to soon establish Victoria Park as a premier cricket venue in North East Victoria and Southern New South Wales.
His expertise as a curator at the ClubMulwala Lawn Bowls Club was put to work and during his time as an office bearer, a significant sequence of improvement works began at the Victoria Park site.
Installation of automated irrigation led to the sowing of Santa Ana couch playing surface (a drought tolerant grass, donated by the Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort) and resulted in a carpet-like field. Then, the pinnacle - being the establishment of a five-turf wicket square to replace the synthetic pitch and creation of a true cricket venue.
Ged was voted in as President of the Y&DCA in 1995, and looking to grow the game at junior level, set in motion the project to relocate the junior competition from the Trotting Track in-field with no facilities.
Working with Pat Doyle and John Irvine of the Junior Cricket Association, he oversaw the construction of the three junior ovals development to the north of the Victoria Park Sports Pavilion, complete with shelter/toilet/change room access for parents, players and spectators alike.
Ged then became a delegate for the North East 6 Cricket Region, charged with steering cricket in the area and developing the NE talent pathway. The developments kept coming under Ged’s presidency with the next projects being an extension to the machinery shed to accommodate the storage needs of the juniors and then construction of the three-practice net facility.
In 2001, the Y&DCA awarded Ged Life Membership for over 10 years of service above and beyond, culminating in the Victoria Park Sports Precinct growing in stature and to a standard well above a country cricket oval.
Cricket was also growing and a significant merger between the Mulwala United Cricket Club and the Y&DCA was brewing. As association president, Ged took the lead, seeing the potential that a unified cricket body could harness all efforts to improve and grow local cricket on both sides of the Murray.
In 2008, the Yarrawonga Mulwala Cricket Club was founded, and Ged was installed as the inaugural treasurer and delegate to the NE6 Cricket Region, positions he has held and excelled at ever since. Stan Hargreaves Oval was redeveloped and upgraded soon after, with the addition of the ‘very cricket’ picket boundary fence.
The newly formed cricket entity has certainly seen the YMCC enjoy a multitude of successes at senior and junior levels, and now it looks to repeat this formula with the establishment of YMCC Female Cricket and an All-Girl Cricket League.
A previous president, Glenn Brear, said the stand’s naming was appropriate. “Ged Martin is a salt-of-the-earth cricketer and a salt-of-the-earth cricket person,” a member of the ‘Team of the Century’ from the 1960s to 1990s and association president from 1987 to 1990, said.
“Whatever task he was given, he did it thoroughly. When Yarrawonga District Cricket Association joined the Wangaratta Cricket Association, he was only too happy to put his hand up and become involved and was on the board.”
That ‘century’ team’s captain, Ray Irvine, described Ged as ‘a genuine guy” who “was always there” to support and play cricket.
“Ged organised the sowing of the grains for the surface of the Stan Hargreaves at Vic Park. He did an amazing job. It’s a magnificent oval,” Ray said.
“He was the backbone of the association. He was treasurer for years. He had a lot to do with the secondary grounds at Vic Park.
“At country week, Ged scored all day. He’d fill in as a player if need be. He was our unofficial manager. Ged was always there.”
Fundraising
The stand naming day looks to have raised around $20,000, with the last man standing raffle, door raffles, tin can donations and auctions (thanks to local AFL players, Finn O’Dwyer, Ely Smith, Dan Howe and former AFL Player Tom Lonergan) highlighting the great generosity of the local community to come to the aid of one of their own.
A further fund raiser is being held this Friday, March 22. An all ages Barefoot Bowls Night at the ClubMulwala Lawn Bowls Greens from 6pm will be held, with raffles, auction items and $20 per person entry (includes a 2 Drink Voucher, BBQ and Bowls) with 100% all funds raised to the Martin Family.
For those who can’t make the Bare Foot Bowls or missed the Stand Dedication and want to help-out Ged and his family, a fundraising account has been set up at the Central Murray Credit Union. Donations can be made either in person at the Yarrawonga, Tungamah or Cobram CMCU branches or by electronic transfer via your usual online banking. Donate to the Ged Martin Fund by depositing to CMCU BSB Number 803 188 and Account Number 17907.
Journalist