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10 months ago



Bret Kneller – Life Member of Cardiff Boolaroo District Cricket Club

Congratulations Bret “Betsy” Kneller

Last Monday at our 75th Annual General Meeting, Bret Kneller was unanimously elected to receive Life Membership of Cardiff Boolaroo District Cricket Club.

This title is held for our most exceptional members to acknowledge their contribution and service to the club on and off the field. Bret embodies this over many decades as evidenced in his endorsement by Life Member, Mr John Porcheron:

“I am pleased to endorse the nomination of Bret (Betsy) Kneller for Life Membership of Cardiff Boolaroo DCC.

In my time as President of the Club Bret was someone, I could always seek advice from with his broad knowledge of Newcastle cricket & what works & more importantly what what doesn't work.

The Knellers were the mainstays of the CB's in the 2000's - Bret & James both serving as CB president - parents Eric & Halina helping the CB's remain viable & successful. Bret has also served on the CB's general committee for many years.

After a major health setback Bret returned to the field with success & is still piling on runs in 3rd Grade where he also seeks to assist the talented young cricketers in our Club.
Currently sitting third in all time CB runs at over 7,300 as well as being a former seamer with more than 200 wickets Bret's ability speaks for itself in numbers - important in a game like cricket. I couldn't estimate how many matches he has played but it would be a big number.

Off field Bret is legend in CB folklore for the many nights cricket matches at his home "The Ranch" over the years where many unorthodox shots were required on the manicured pitch in his front lawn. He also specialises in trivia running many successful nights for the CB's & penning late late-night poetry over a glass of red or two.

I believe he would be a very worthy addition to the CB Life Member list.

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10 months ago



Vale John Pearson

It is with extreme sadness, I report the passing of Life Member no. 26, John Pearson. John passed away in respite care on Monday evening 8 July. The dialysis treatment he had been receiving eventually got too much for his heart. He was 76.

John Pearson played just two seasons, 13 years apart, with Petersham-Marrickville, yet he was one of the most influential members of the club in the 1980s and through to its merger with Randwick in 2001. After beginning his cricket career with Balmain, he joined Petes in 1968-69 but was forced to transfer to the new Sydney club the following season when residential boundaries were changed. Some 12 years later, he was back in Petersham-Marrickville’s colours.

Increasing family and work commitments, however, saw him retire as a player at the end of the 1981-82 season. But he was not lost to the club and later served as Club Coach and Hon Treasurer. He was also a Delegate to the NSWCA and Sydney Cricket Association for 10 years before taking over as President of the club until December 1995.

During his time as President, he provided outstanding leadership when the club was under continual threat for amalgamation or exclusion from the 1st Grade competition. He and Hon Secretary Tim Dein formed a formidable duo in seeing off many such threats. His contribution to the Petersham-Marrickville club was formally recognised in 1996 when he was elected a Life Member. Four years later in the year 2000, he was awarded the Australian Sports Medal by the Governor-General.

John Pearson was a very successful Sydney Grade cricketer scoring 5,080 1st Grade runs with four centuries and 23 fifties in a career spanning 13 seasons. All but 46 of those were with the Sydney club. With his lower grade performances, his overall tally exceeds 6,000 runs. He also took close to 100 wickets across all competitions.

John was a great supporter of the merger with Randwick to form Randwick Petersham Cricket. He maintained his involvement as a valued Director of the Randwick Petersham Cricket Foundation and a committee member of the club supporter’s group, known as the Randwick Petersham Cricket Legends Society. He and son Corey are also the joint sponsors of the “Clive Johnston Memorial Award”, an annual presentation to the club’s best under 21 Poidevin-Gray player.
Funeral details will be advised when known.

RIP John Pearson. One of the greats and a club legend in every respect.

Lyall Gardner OAM

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10 months ago



In early 2006, The Committee of Western Suburbs invited a group of former players and administrators to advise the Cricket Committee of the greatest players to represent the Club in the period from 1895 to 2000. Alan Davidson, Stan Sismey, Tom Brown and Bernie O'Neil sorted through the Club's records and player performances and produced their list of the Club's finest players.

The Committee then applied the criterion that each player, to be eligible for the "Team of the Millennium". must have been available to play for Western Suburbs for five full seasons. The Committee took into account lavers' performances not only for Western Suburbs, but also at higher levels of the game.

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