Name of Bendigo sporting great lives on

THERE are few people in Bendigo’s history who have had a sporting precinct named after them.

Ken Wust Reserve in Quarry Hill honours a giant of the city’s sports scene.

A brilliant cricketer across a 33-year career, one of Wust’s greatest off-field contributions was playing a key role in the formation of the Bendigo branch of the Sportsmen’s Association of Australia.

Ken Wust first played in the Bendigo District Cricket Association at the age of 14 and played his final A-grade match at the age of 47.

He had played for South Melbourne in Melbourne’s District Cricket scene, now known as Premier Cricket, and was a foundation member of Golden Square Cricket Club and vice-captain of the Bulldogs’ first premiership team at first XI level.

Among many career highs was in 1945 when he scored more than 700 runs at an average of 141.5.

In the 1960s, Wust was captain-coach of the powerful Sandhurst first XI that included the likes of Barry Ayres, Doug Keck, Ron Slattery and John Turner.

On scoring a century in another grand final victory, the oldest player in BDCA history to do so, Wust announced his retirement.

Wust later coached Bendigo United Cricket Club and racked up more than 20 years with the BDCA board, which included two stints as president.

As president of the BDCA he played an important role in the women’s test match between Australia and England played at the Queen Elizabeth Oval in 1984-85 where Australia won by seven wickets.

Wust and John Harris were joint winners of the BDCA personality of the year in 1990-91 and teamed up to co-author Bendigo District Cricket 1853-1990.

Six years later and Wust was presented with the Victorian Administrator and Services to Sport award.

The gun batsman and captain was inducted to Bendigo’s Sports Star of the Year Hall of Fame in 2002-03.

Clubs to call Ken Wust Reserve home are West Bendigo Cricket Club, Quarry Hill Junior Football Club, and Bendigo East Baseball Club.

The Basil Ashman Hall of Fame, including the story of Ken Wust, is on permanent display at Red Energy Arena in West Bendigo.