150 years on

Dapto Cricket Club celebrates a long and distinguished history

DAPTO Cricket Club celebrates 150 years in January 2007 and a number of events have been planned to mark this milestone in the clubs history including a special 150th Anniversary Dinner to be held on Saturday January 27 at Dapto Leagues Club.

Guest speakers at the anniversary event will include Australian Cricket Legend Doug Walters and former Test Wicket Keeper and high profile coach Steve Rixon. MC for the evening is former Dapto Cricketer and well known journalist Jeremy Lasek.

Matt Fanning will provide the background music and entertainment during breaks.

On the night the naming of the Dapto Cricket Club Team team of the Sesquicentenary will take place, including the best XII players, captain and the most influential committee members.

This team has been selected from a large group of players by a special committee of long term or Life Members with over 70 years of involvement with Dapto Cricket Club.

The selection criteria included whether the player had either scored 1500 runs or taken 100 wickets in first grade for the Club; played either 50 first grade games or five seasons of first grade with the club and achieved representative status at Illawarra, NSW Country, Sydney First Grade, First Class or International level.

Five Committee members will also be named as those most influential to the longevity of Dapto CC.

Over the years some of the players who have represented Dapto CC with distinction include Trent Johnston - former Dapto Junior player who played First Class Cricket for NSW and is currently residing in Ireland and will lead Ireland at the ICC World Cup; Henry Longbottom - a legend of Illawarra Cricket for many years over the 1930's to 1950's with Dapto, Keira and Corrimal; Colin Pitt a Life Member who played in the 1975/76 premiership team and captained the 1985/86 premiership team; Bill Moffatt who captained the 1975/76 premiership team and had a long and respected career with Dapto, Wests and Keira and Alan Hayes - Dapto CC and ICA Life Member.

On Australia Day, Friday January 26th there will be a Past vs Present match held at Reed Park, commencing at 11am. Past players should contact the Secretary, Mark Simula on 0401752620 or ksimula@bigpond.net.au to register their interest in playing in this game.

Tickets for the Anniversay Dinner are $55 per person, or Tables of 10 can be booked for $500. The cost includes a 3 course meal, History of the Club book and entertainment. Contact Troy Redman on 42612189 or Ross Hawksworth 0413673485 to book your tickets, a limited number of tickets are on sale via the Ticket Office at Dapto Leagues Club. Tickets will NOT be available at the door on the evening.

For more information about Daptos 150th Anniversary activities visit the web site www.daptocricketclub.org.au and go to the 150th News page.