Working hard … Mambourin Tigers players Jaime and Andrew at training. 56007 Picture: KRISTIAN SCOTT
By Michael Esposito
FEW people know about the All Abilities cricket league, even though it has been going for six years.
Of the six teams involved in the competition for intellectually and physically challenged people, four of them are from the western suburbs – two from Werribee, one from Altona and one from Sunshine.
In an effort to boost the profile of the Barwon All Abilities Cricket League, Altona Cricket Club invited former Australian fast bowler Merv Hughes to launch the season, which was meant to get underway on 31 October but was washed out.
Instead, the season will start on Saturday.
Altona’s All Abilities side was thrilled to receive their playing caps from Hughes, who accepted the invitation extended by friend Mark McAllion, the sub-district club’s head coach.
Hughes, after humorously reminiscing on his illustrious career, including the 1989 Ashes series (in which he took 31 wickets) and his famous three over hat-trick, Hughes told club members to hold tight in the wake of the wet weather stalling the season.
“Just control the controllables,” he said. “I know you’re itching to get out there. Don’t get too excited, just go about you business, you’ve trained really hard for it.
“Mark (McAllion) is a very knowledgeable person, he’d have you very well prepared, so just listen to what he’s got to say. You’re going have your good days and bad days along the way, but appreciate your team-mates’ performances, and get back and support the club when you can. Just enjoy it.”
Enjoyment is certainly the main aim of the All Abilities competition, but that doesn’t mean the players don’t take it seriously.
Rhonda Templeton, who co-ordinates the two Werribee-based teams – Mambourin Black and Mambourin Gold – said her players were in it to win it.
“You have a few who think they’re Shane Warne, and get frustrated when things don’t go their way, but that’s part of the game,” Templeton said. “They play so seriously, then they come off and they’re the best of mates.
“It’s like having a family picnic. Because when they’re all together they’re one.”
Templeton has been involved with the Mambourin Tigers for 11 years. The club has played in a football league for the disabled all that time, but only joined the cricket league four years ago.
“I have a disabled son. That’s why I became so passionate and joined it, for his benefit,” she said.
Altona only joined the competition last year, and defeated Mambourin Gold in the grand final.
Altona’s co-ordinator Lorraine Woodman said the players were thrilled to take home the cup in their debut year.
The Altona team had previously been playing in the Action Indoor Cricket competition in Footscray, and only found about the outdoor league last year.
The Barwon All Abilities Cricket league in fact has similar rules to indoor cricket. Every batsmen gets to face five overs, and if they are dismissed, five runs get subtracted from the total score.
Sunshine Heights has joined the league this year, and will play its first game against Altona this Saturday.
Brimbank Council’s community wellbeing manager Kelly Grigsby said cricket had been a popular activity at council’s annual Festival of Sport event, which provides sporting opportunities to more than 350 people with disabilities each year.
“The popularity of cricket at this one-day event … revealed an ongoing need for people with a disability to participate in cricket.”
The grand final will be played on 6 February next year, followed by the All Abilities Cricket Carnival at Casey Fields.
Altona will be looking for back-to-back premierships, while Templeton hopes one of her two sides, which play each other on Saturday, will be able to get revenge.
Mambourin Gold won the previous three premierships before Altona entered the league.
“No one likes to lose, particularly to Altona,” Templeton said.
