Centrals Cricket Club knocks up half a century

This month saw Orange’s Centrals Cricket Club mark the end of their 50th season and the club is calling on past and present players to join them in celebrating their proud history this May.

Formed in the winter of 1973, Centrals are an amalgamation of the former Borenore and Methodists cricket clubs, whose own histories go back decades further — more than eight decades further in the case of Borenore.

Since 1973, Centrals have won seven first-grade premierships along with six in second grade, 5 in third grade and two in fifth grade.

“And the club has produced one international cricketer, David Langford-Smith,” Central Cricket Club secretary, Ken McCarron said.

“He played with Bowen Centrals juniors, and then through to first grade and he took Ireland’s very first One Day International wicket and played in the 2007 World Cup where they made the final eight. So that's our club's claim to fame,” Ken continued, telling Orange City Life that his own cricket career may include one match with Centrals, where his bowling figures outshone those of Langford-Smith — his claim to fame.

To celebrate the club’s half-century, Centrals are holding a dinner in the Coral Sea Room at the Orange Ex-Services club at 6pm on May 13.

Ken said they are really trying to get the word out to as many past players as possible to come and join them.

“That will double as the club's presentation night for this year, but it’s also a chance to reflect on the 50 years and to honour people,” Ken said.

“We are going to be probably introducing some new life members at that time. But also it's a chance to get together with players from the past, particularly our premiership-winning teams from the different grades, which have been quite a few over the years.

“We'd love to see people there, but particularly to get as many of the past players and older players there… there's an awful lot of people in between the premiership winner and others; we just don't want people to find out weeks later that it was on and they would have liked to have come.”

Tickets for the Centrals 50th Celebration dinner are now available through 123tix.com.au 

But if anyone would like to know more, you can get in touch with Ken on 0403809792.