LIAM DURKIN
LVDCL
By LIAM DURKIN
LATROBE Cricket Club welcomed its latest member into esteemed company last weekend, with Peter Mooney whiting up to play his 400th game for the Sharks.
Fittingly, Mooney was able to bring up the milestone on his home turf at Maryvale Recreation Reserve, all the while leading the team out as captain.
His teammates ensured it was a milestone to remember, as Latrobe secured a seemingly unlikely victory over Newborough in C Grade.
Batting first, the Sharks were bowled out for just 93, but rose to the occasion for Mooney with the ball to see the Bulldogs dismissed for 67.
In a game where wickets were at a premium, the milestone man took a blinding catch to highlight the day.
Mooney joined fellow Latrobe legends Bernie Vizard, Bruce Dalgleish, Tim Cranwell and Steve Grover in the 400 Club.
The Sharks veteran first came to Latrobe in season 1990/91 following the disbandment of Morwell East Cricket Club.
Little was anyone to know it would be the start of a 400-game career.
Reflecting on the journey, Mooney said the people involved at Latrobe had made it an enjoyable place to play.
“It has been a great club to be at,” he said.
“Over the years I’ve met some fantastic people to play cricket with and still friends to this day, you run into them down the street and always have a chat to them, it is fantastic.”
Along the way there has been no shortage of team and individual success, with Mooney making a number of centuries to go with an enviable 10 premierships.
Playing as an opening batsman in his prime, Mooney, who described himself as a “hang-a-rounder”, has made more than 10,000 runs for Latrobe.
“I’ve been lucky, I’ve played with some fantastic cricketers over the years,” he said.
“I’ll go back to my Morwell East days I played with Wayne Mills, Millsy was probably one of the fastest bowlers, Laurie Marks as well at Morwell East, then you come to Latrobe and Bernie Vizard, then you have the likes of Bloomy (Anthony Bloomfield), probably the best country bat in Gippsland for a long time.
“I’ve played with both my sons, Michael and Sam, which was always great.
“I was lucky enough for my son to grow up with Peter Siddle, it was fantastic for Peter to go on and play Test cricket for Australia.”
These days, Mooney is mentoring up and coming Sharks players in the lower grades, continuing his service to the club that has seen him take on roles such as president, vice president and secretary, a role he currently serves.
This service was recognised with the awarding of life membership last year – a moment Mooney looked back on with great fondness.
“Last year was a really big moment for me, they made me a life member of the cricket club, that made me prouder than anything to be part of this club,” he said.
“To be recognised, there is only 14 of us overall that are life members, it has been a great journey.
“We’ve been lucky, we’ve had good people who are prepared to put in the effort.
“We have good members, if we ask them to do something they are supportive, they’ll get in and do the work that needs to be done for the club, it will be all hands on deck.”
Looking back on funnier moments that help make up the fabric of any club, Mooney said there had been plenty of great nights at the Peter Siddle Oval social rooms.
“More off field there has been a lot of laughs and carry on, on the field the funniest things you probably see playing cricket are some of the catches people take,” he said.
“You see some and you just can’t believe how they get a hand to it and then you see other times and think ‘how the hell did he drop that?’ There are just moments, it is just how cricket is.”
With a few other players on the verge of joining the 400 gamers, Mooney said it was great so many players had been loyal to Latrobe.
“Very proud to be in the 400 Club, there is a few more behind to come and hopefully they get there as well,” he said.
“Not many clubs have people who have played 400 games of cricket, what that shows to me is people have been committed to the cricket club and continue to be.”
