Plays of the Past

Kyabram was also without Greg Kirkman and Tom Devlin, along with Rod Bray and Ian Burgess. It was relying on improvement from youngsters Steve Sharp, Stuart McKenzie, Greg Bowers and Stanhope recruits, Rob Harrison and Greg Holschier.

– Kyabram’s ace bowling combination of Bob Ferguson and John Calley brought an abrupt end to the battle for Kyabram District Cricket Association’s A grade premiership when they bowled Cooma out for 52 and 54 in the final.

Ferguson took 5-12 from 15 overs and Calley 2-16 in the first innings and Kyabram managed 122.

In the second innings Ferguson took 5-22 (10 wickets for the match) off 12 overs and Calley 5-30 off 12.6 overs (eight ball overs) in two premiership winning displays.

Geoff Sefton and Trevor Stone were the high scorers for Kyabram as Ashley Brown finished with 4-20 from nine overs for Cooma and Doug Stone 2-15.

– Girgarre opening bowlers Maurie Varcoe and Greg Halls were involved in a battle for the title of premier wicket taker in the Kyabram association’s A Reserve competition.

Before the start of the final with Churches Varcoe had taken 68 wickets for the season and Halls 67. Both had taken three wickets in Churches first innings and passed the 70 wicket mark.

Halls was considering not playing on day two of the final when he was scheduled to be part of Tongala’s opening round match in the Goulburn Valley Football League.

– Promising Kyabram athlete Valda Brett had former Australian junior sprint champion Graeme Johnston in her corner for the Victorian Country Championships.

Johnston was coach of the 14-year-old, who had dabbled in sprint events, but was more adept at the 400 and 800 metre distances. She won the Echuca Junior Olympics 400 metres in a record 63 seconds and made the finals of both the 100 and 400 metres at the state titles.

Valda had also competed with distinction in the all-aged 3000 metre event, finishing sixth and was planning to join the Shepparton club the following year.

1989

Two mixed doubles set wins in the grand final of the Goulburn Valley Lawn Tennis Association earned Kyabram its first win in the competition for 22 years.

Kyabram and grand final opponent, Euroa, were tied on 71 games each before the mixed sets. Damien Morvell and Di Hanslow lost 4-8, then Wayne Hanslow and Julie Morgan were beaten in a tie breaker 7-8.

Ross Pritchard and Rachel Elliott then put Kyabram back in front with an 8-0 win and the Dean Fanning/Gayle Steinfort combination was an 8-2 winner to complete a nine game victory for Kyabram.

– Norm O’Brien created a record when he stood behind the stumps of the KDCA A grade final between Tatura and Girgarre, his 10th successive final since taking up umpiring after a long playing career.

The former Tongala Cricket Club star was given the nod to handle the final in his first year of umpiring and hadn’t missed since.

He named Shane Loveless as the most colourful cricketer he had seen, with Lackie Ranson and Bob Ferguson his choice as the best all-rounders. He said John Lilford was the best bowler and Wayne “Doc” Thomas the best keeper.

Of the young players in the association he named Tatura’s Ray Doolan and Scott Miller as stars of the future.

1999

Kyabram Parkland Golf Club stars Naomi Fraser and David Cartwright made it back to back wins when they took out the Goulburn Valley Mixed Championship at Tocumwal Golf Club.

For the second year in a row they took home the coveted George Cronyn Memorial Cup for their score of 80-11-69, beating their nearest rival by one shot in the 80-strong field.

– Kyabram won the W F Cooper Cup after beating Stanhope in the KDCA A grade final at Northern Oval, the first Kyabram premiership since 1989-90 and the 14th since 1950.

KDCA secretary Graeme Chalker had to delay the start of the game due to a rain affected wicket, then Scott Hanson and Leigh Haw made it tough for Kyabram batters Gary McKenzie and Ben Hall.

Brad Mueller came to the crease and guided his team past the Stanhope tally of 203.

Kyabram’s veteran wicket keeper Stephen Bubb used the occasion to announce his retirement from the sport.

– Ten Kyabram junior cricketers from Haslem Street’s Milo Kanga Cricket association travelled to the MCG to contest the state final - winning the crown against a Churchill team.

The Haslem Street team qualified in a regional event at Puckapunyal and went onto win the final by a comfortable margin.

The team included Stuart Thomson, Paul Owen, Brenton Northausen, Brenton Brown, James Richards. Denis Coombs, Sam Hansen and Brett Deledio. They were taken to the final by teacher and coach Neville Hunter.

2009

Close finishes in three of the four Kyabram and District Tennis Association junior grand finals made for a thrilling end to the season.

Tongala White was the only exception, its team of Corey Nexhip, Josh Wiffen, Kaylene McKinley and Cameron Valentine far too good for sister side Tongala Blue.

Stanhope won Section two, the team including Darren Buzza, Paige Patten, Dillon Poole and Hayley Smith and in Section 2B it was again Tongala who claimed the title.

The team included James Thomson, Lachlan Wearden, Abbey Nexhip and Corey Wiffen. In Section three Churches players Jesse Gorman, Connor Sandford, Thomas Owen, Travis Costello and Laura Withall won the title and St Augustine’s was Section four victor - the team being Clair Doolan, Shaun Doola, Olivia Jackson, Kimberley Davey, Bridget Sullivan, Ben Squires and Luke Darling.

– Alannah Scopelliti and Janna Lawson were selected in a Total Girls Tournament soccer team to compete in Ballarat.

The pair were part of the Under 12 team and had won their places through outstanding performances in the Shepparton Junior Soccer Association with the Kyabram club.

There were 300 girls involved in the Total Girls competition and the tournament was a seven-a-side event that attracted teams from several states.