STEVE CARNEY
CRICKET
TDCA
By STEVE CARNEY
TOMORROW will see Traralgon Rovers Cricket Club stalwart and life member Simon Duff play his 200th A Grade game for the club, becoming only the second Rovers player to do so behind club legend David Little.
In what’s becoming rare to see in these times, Duff has been a one club player, starting off at Rovers as a stocky nine-year-old kid back in the mid 90s.
He broke into the senior ranks in the 1998/99 season making his debut in C Grade, quickly moving into B Grade then sliding into A Grade for his first game in season 2000/01.
Duff started out as a wicketkeeper/batsman, to date making over 3200 runs with the bat and taking 158 catches/28 stumpings with the gloves.
In 2012, he took on the role as A Grade captain, leading the team for two seasons.
Over the last few years he has turned his attention to becoming a left arm off-spin bowler, thanks in part to current captain Dougal Williams allowing him to bowl in matches.
One of his previous captains, cricket legend Peter Ingwersen, was laughingly once quoted “I’ll never let him bowl in an A Grade side as long as I’m captain!”
There might be a bit of egg on his face now as Duff has 76 A Grade wickets to his name, 44
of those coming in the past two and a half seasons.
At the Christmas break, Duff was leading the league in A Grade for wickets taken, arguably putting him up there as one of the TDCA’s top spin bowlers of late.
During his time at Rovers Duff has had many achievements. He is a two-time A Grade Champion, won nine batting awards, three bowling awards and seven other club awards.
A big highlight was being awarded a life membership at the conclusion of the 2015/16 season. Duff has also held various roles at the club – three years as club secretary, two years as treasurer, two years as curator and over 10 years on the general committee.
At the conclusion of the match on Saturday against Imperials at Duncan Cameron Reserve, all past and present players are invited to hang around for a beverage to celebrate Duff’s milestone and tell a story or two.
