By Marcus Uhe
Cricket is back at the swamp.
It was 1071 days between home games for Fountain Gate’s First XI in the Dandenong District cricket Association due to ongoing upgrades to its home ground at Max Pawsey Reserve.
But the drought was finally broken on Saturday when the Gators’ First XI welcomed Narre North for action.
Bruce MP Julian Hill, City of Casey Councillor Kim Ross and Hill’s upcoming Liberal opponent at the 2025 Federal Election, Zahid Safi, joined the presidents from both the Cricket Club, Turhan Khalil and Fountain Gate Junior Football Club, Anthony Scolyer, in cutting the ribbon before play on Saturday.
Encased by a traditional white picket fence and on a freshly sewn playing surface, the match marked the end of what Secretary and former president Justin Smith described as “the most challenging 36 months in the club’s history.”
With the club’s Turf sides unable to play matches at home, the flow on effects rippled throughout the club and compounded the existing issues unresolved from Covid-19.
“First and foremost, our second XI have to play every Sunday, which means our ones also play every game away, which means those who come back to the club on a Saturday afternoon traditionally, that doesn’t happen anymore,” Smith said of the issues associated with the redevelopment.
“Your twos don’t want to come back (to the club) because they’re playing on Sunday, your ones are playing away, no one wants to come down and watch your lower grades play synthetic cricket so that in turn has seen club revenue go down and sponsors don’t want to sponsor clubs that don’t want to play at home.
“We try and we thank our current sponsors for all their support and commitment, but we’re stoked to be back and increase our club revenue through canteen, bar sales, attendances and culturally, it’s really important for us.
“(Last summer) our second XI were probably our fifth-best XI due do the fact that asking our players to play Sunday is a very difficult ask.
“When your second XI isn’t your second XI, it is embarrassing, but we got through it and here we are.”
“It’s been a long time coming and I’m proud – proud of the group, proud of the club, proud of everyone for pushing through like we have done.”
Smith said he hopes the completion of works can mark the beginning of a new era for the club, with the ambition to host finals and major events in future seasons once teething issues are addressed with the playing surface and centre wicket area.
Along with the new fence and surface, works were completed to improve the drainage and irrigation at the Highway end of the facility, and the wicket table increased from four pitches to five.
While disappointment remains at the scrapping of plans to build new clubrooms between the two ovals and instead upgrade the current pavilion overlooking the synthetic oval, things are looking up for Gators as one of the contenders for the Turf 3 premiership, currently atop the standings with two rounds remaining.
“It’s Ray’s (Pal, Coach) first year and the first year for a lot of the boys as well; we’re looking at locking them in for future years to come,” Smith said.
“We’re not looking to get players for one or two years, it’s a four/five/six year, long-term commitment to really drive what we want as a club.
“Hopefully that’s Turf 2, and maybe even a 10-year goal is Turf 1.”
