Current Numurkah cricketers will mix among players from the Blues’ past as the club welcomes in its 50th anniversary celebrations on Saturday evening.
The event commemorates a half-century under the current banner after the amalgamation of Numurkah Youth Club and Numurkah Cricket Club.
In order to properly ring in the occasion, day one of the A-grade and B-grade encounters between Numurkah and Katandra at the showgrounds have been moved an hour forward and will now begin at 11.30am.
The anniversary event will subsequently kick off shortly after the conclusion of play.
Blues president Tyson Woods keenly anticipates a rare gathering of generations.
“To have (the club) still going after 50 years in a small town is a great achievement,” Woods said.
“We’ve still got members coming around who were part of the original merged team.
“It’s a great gathering of past players and members; we have a lot of people coming back who I’ve never met as president.
“We’re looking forward to it in terms of having a big night.”
Now, the raft of players and members gathering from across the eras is one thing.
However, how many local cricket events do you know of that include a dedicated, thoroughly researched book for the occasion ― assembled by a modern A-grade player?
As Woods explains, Mitch Grandell has taken on the task of preparing the club’s complete post-merger historical archive and is leading the preparations for this weekend’s reunion.
“Grandell has been a famous name for the club. It’s something Mitch loves doing and it goes right through the 50 years post-merger,” Woods said.
“Between he and Ross Gledhill, as a past president, those two formed a sub-committee and off they went.
“We did also realise that technically, this is our 51st year.
“It’s safe to say he’s got a lot of good contacts.”
It would also be safe to say the occasion takes on plenty of significance for Woods personally.
During a 12-year stint at the Blues ― through which he has, by his admission, unsuccessfully ‘‘retired’’ twice ― Woods has embraced everything the club has to offer.
“The club has opened its arms up to me and all new players,” Woods said.
“I’ve played a lot of cricket over the years, but the last 12 seasons have been as joyful as anything.
“It’s a great country club and we’ll continue to grow.
“We’re well-led by a great committee and, although I’ve tried to retire, I keep wanting to spend time with the boys.
“Everyone makes it enjoyable and it’s a good place to be.”
There will be an unveiling or two as well come Saturday night.
After the pandemic interrupted plans to name representative teams, Numurkah will finally reveal its 2011-2020 Team of the Decade.
The Blues will also list their ultimate 50-year post-merger team ― a line-up of which even Woods has yet to learn the details.
All in all, it’s shaping as a proper celebration of all things Numurkah cricket.
“We’ve got about 170 people coming and some of them are travelling from far away,” Woods said.
“It’s been 18 months in the making, so it’s been a lot of work, but it’s so great to have players coming from the ’70s and ’80s right through to now.
“Katandra has been one of our main rivals as well, so we’re hoping we can put on a good show for the past players and supporters.
“Hopefully, it re-energises other people who aren’t involved with the club or have been in the past just to keep following us and keep interested in where the club is heading.”
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