By JARROD POTTER
YOU would struggle to find six more deserving men to be the inaugural inductees into the Dandenong District Cricket Association’s Hall of Fame.
The league asked clubs this season to submit nominations for those they believe were Hall of Fame worthy and the inaugural six certainly stand up to that status.
The first choice was no great surprise. Alan Wookey – the legendary DDCUA figure who umpired 400 first grade games and more than 25 first grade turf grand finals – was an obvious choice, especially since the league’s medal is named in his honour.
DDCA president Michael Hawking was another to earn his place in the Hall of Fame, with his on-field achievements with Hallam Kalora Park too hard to go past. Another Wookey Medallist, Hawking’s efforts as an administrator are just as impressive as his work as a player – with his 401 Turf 1 wickets making him a nightmare to face in the 1980s/1990s.
“It’s indeed a very high honour and I was very pleased to accept it – I suppose it’s something you’ve got to earn over a long period of time and got to satisfy the criteria and I was able to do that,” Hawking said.
“I’m very humble in accepting it – it’s a great thing that we’ve started.”
St Mary’s duo Stephen Meyer – revered local bowler and dual Wookey Medallist – and Troy Cashman – exceptional batsman with 7500 runs in 250 matches including a whopping 14 centuries – made the grade on opposite sides of the ball and it was no surprise their time at St Mary’s co-incided with the club’s great successes of the 1990s/2000s.
Dual Wookey Medallist and now Victorian Premier Cricket premiership winning coach Steven Chapman was another to get inducted on the first ballot as Chapman excelled for years with Hallam Kalora Park after he moved to Australia.
“All those guys have incredible achievements over the period in the DDCA,” Hawking said. “Meyer with Rob Walton probably the best fast bowler I’ve ever seen, Cashman definitely with John Hammond the best bat I’ve seen.
“Chapman for his all-round ability and Chapman was more than a batsman and a bowler as he revolutionised our cricket, because getting him out here sounded warning bells for all the association.
“They had to improve and perhaps go outside the normal recruiting structure to get an overseas player.”
The final member, and inaugural Administrator inductee, Peter Barnes has been synonymous with the DDCA for the last three decades – 10 of which he served as league president.
Hawking encouraged the clubs to look beyond the recent history and find out the champions of the league’s early days to make sure the Hall of Fame isn’t just for recent contributors.
“You have life-memberships for years of service and some of these cricketers don’t necessarily get life-membership but their performances deserve recognition and I would expect clubs will delve deeper into their history and get a handle on the great names of the past that would qualify,” Hawking said.
“That’s obviously the highest honour you can achieve – in any sport – to be in a Hall of Fame and it’s very important to recognise these people.
“Guys like Harry Shepley and Bill Storan – who had an amazing influence in the Dandenong community in particular in sport; they’re the sort of considerations worth thinking about.
“There’s more than just the people who have performed and achieved over the last 20-30 years and those in the past who have names on pavilions and sports grounds – it would be great to see the clubs that were associated with these people to delve into the past and see their contributions and they also should be added if they satisfy.”
DDCA HALL OF FAME: Alan Wookey, Michael Hawking, Steven Chapman, Troy Cashman, Stephen Meyer, Peter Barnes.
