One Day premiers announce ambitions for GCA4

IT has been a fortnight since Surfcoast Stingrays Cricket Club trounced Shelford in Geelong Cricket Association’s (GCA) One Day 1 Grand Final, but captain Richard Dawes remembers it like it was yesterday.

Dawes said it was “pure elation” after the team bowled out the Golden Plains side, with many long-time supporters of the club finally tasting the success of a senior cricket premiership.

“It was really big for some of those older blokes, that was specifically who I was getting around personally,” Dawes said.

“It had been 22 years of senior cricket since our treasurer Peter Earl won his last cricket flag, so you can only imagine how he felt. It was a special moment for the club without a doubt.”

While the club, which was a reincarnation of the Aireys Inlet Cricket Club founded in 1984, will continue to look back on its achievements in 2022/23, sights are now set on joining the elite ranks of the GCA, with the president Josh Carey confirming the club’s intention to move up into GCA4.

“We really want to make that jump, we’re super clear on that,” Carey said.

“All that remains is locking in the necessary numbers and the appropriate calibre of team to warrant making that jump.

“With all due respect to our Second XI side, they’re probably not quite at that GCA4 level, but we’ve had considerable interest from new recruits and former players during the season and leading up to the grand final.”

The Surfcoast Stingrays committee will meet on April 23 to “map out” the next steps for the club, which will include ongoing conversations with the Surf Coast Shire regarding the installation of permanent netting for bowling and batting practice.

The shire has estimated the installation of nets will cost about $650,000, but Carey said there were more suitable options.

“We’ve had several conversations, and that’s the thing, I’m a landscaper, Richard’s a concreter, we’ve got enough people in the club that can actually build it, but it needs to tie in with what the council’s future plans are,” he added.

“However, $650,000, for a baby club, is not attainable for us.”

To hear more about the club, or to register as a potential GCA4 player, head to surfcoastcricketclub.com