Stirling Cricket Club
150th Anniversary Celebration Dinner
On 24 August 2024 the Club held a celebration dinner at Mt Lofty House to mark 150 years since the Club’s formation in 1874. A similar event had been held at the Mt Osmond Golf Club 25 years earlier to mark the Club’s 125th year. The 150th function was attended by around 100 past & present players and supporters including a number who had travelled from interstate to attend.
Life Member Mark Bevan performed the role of Master of Ceremonies with distinction when he started the night by outlining the significant things that were younger than the Stirling Cricket Club, including test cricket and the SANFL. He also outlined the many family connections that have been a feature of the Club, with generations of players pulling on the whites for the Eagles over the years.
Jack Pick (President) also spoke of the significance of the Club and the characteristics that had contributed to its longevity. He introduced Jack Read, the newly appointed 2024-25 Club Captain, who made a short speech with an eye to the future.
During the evening Life Members Steven McGregor and Peter Fryer spoke about the 1975-1999 and 2000-2024 eras. As part of these presentations a team from each of those eras was announced. The main selection principle was that the team had to be a functional playing unit – meaning it needed to be balanced side capable of taking the field. To be eligible for selection players must have played at least three seasons for the club. The 1975-1999 team was selected based on the collective views of a group of eight Life Members, whilst the 2000-2024 team was selected by a group of current senior players.
The two teams were, in order:
1975-1999:
Paul Horsnell
James Baker
Grant Brooks
Robbie Evans
Chris James
Mark Bevan
Andrew Bevan
Murray Horsnell
Steven McGregor
Jon James
Tim Bull
Angus Hambrook
2000-2024:
Daniel Gonzalez
Jack Read
Peter Fryer
Jack Pick
Harrison Webb
Ben Zampa
Kosta Sinodinos
Julian Zytnik
Joel Van Paridon
Daniel Parfitt
Chris Shaw
Lloyd Pope
All players in attendance were presented with a commemorative medallion in recognition of their achievement.
Unfortunately, Murray Horsnell and Paul Horsnell from the 1975-1999 team were both unable to attend the evening due to ill health, and Lloyd Pope’s professional cricket commitments meant that he was interstate. The rest of the selected players were in attendance.
Following the announcement of the 2000-2024 team Peter Fryer formally introduced the latest two Life Members: Jack Pick and Daniel Gonzalez. Both men had been inducted at the recent AGM. Both Jack and Daniel have served the club for an extended period of time in both on and off-field roles. Their significant contributions as office bearers, club captains and most significantly junior coaches, were acknowledged. Having remained at the Club during its lean years in the early 2000s, it was particularly rewarding for both of them to be key players in the 2021-22 A Grade premiership team.
Following the formalities Mark Bevan introduced guest speaker: former Australian and South Australian cricketer Wayne Phillips, who regaled the crowd with colourful & amusing stories from his career in the 1980s and 1990s.
The evening ended with the guests mingling for a few hours to catch up with friends, embellish past performances and debate which of the two selected teams would win if they played each other.
