Returning home: Shepparton United to play first match at Princess Park in 20 months

By Aydin Payne

Oct 5, 2023

BAck at home: Abe Lake, Jackson Collins and Joe Hammond will take to Princess Park for Shepparton United Cricket Club this weekend. It is the first match to be played at the ground since the floods. Photo by Megan Fisher

The first ball will be bowled and the first runs will be scored at Shepparton’s Princess Park in more than 600 days as the Haisman Shield season kicks off.

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It will be a momentous occasion on Saturday as Shepparton United welcomes Numurkah for the first match on John Riordon Oval’s turf pitch since February 2022.

Shepparton United could not contest a match on its home ground during last summer’s Cricket Shepparton season after the devastating floods last October destroyed the clubrooms and playing surfaces — effectively leaving the club’s facilities in ruins.

Those were difficult, challenging and bleak times for all user groups at Princess Park.

The cricket club was forced away from its home and shifted to Central Park Recreation Reserve to compete in the Haisman Shield competition.

Home grounds and clubrooms are the fabric of a club’s soul and the events of last summer chipped away at United’s.

Inundated: Princess Park was consumed by flood waters for weeks after last year’s flood peak. Photo by Megan Fisher

Just shy of the one-year anniversary of when the flood peak engulfed Princess Park, Shepparton United will regain a piece of its soul when the A-grade outfit hammers the stumps in and takes place in round one of the season — which will be the 20th year since the club formed following the merger of Shepparton and Shepparton Youth clubs.

Shepparton United youngster Jackson Collins, speaking ahead of the round one fixture, highlighted how important it was to himself and his teammates to be back down among the river gums.

“The boys are pretty excited, it’s good to be back home,” Collins said.

“We had a busy off-season getting everything prepare ... so we’re very happy to be back home where we belong.

“It was a bit unnatural in a way being out at Central Park, it was our home ground but it didn’t feel like our home not being here.

“We’re very grateful for where we were (out at Central Park) ... we had a couple of teammates who were really affected by the floods, but we all stuck together and helped each other out.”

Bring it on: Joe Hammond, Abe Lake and Jackson Collins ahead of Shepparton United’s long-awaited first match at Princess Park. Photo by Megan Fisher

Collins is one of United’s many emerging youngsters.

The 19-year-old joined the club when he was 14 and has risen up through the ranks with teammate Joe Hammond.

The duo join the likes of Abe Lake and Tyler Green as some of the club’s next-generation players, while talented bowler Sam Nash has taken on the captaincy.

“It’s been really good, I’ve enjoyed it a lot so far,” Collins said of Nash’s leadership.

“He’s really organised and switched on and he’s got a lot of ideas and plans.

“We’re really happy with what he’s done after taking over from Chaminda (Vidanapathirana) and Mahesh (Kodamullage), who both did a lot of good things and Sammy is now just following on from that work.”

Looking forward to heading home: Shepparton United’s Abe Lake, Jackson Collins and Joe Hammond. Photo by Megan Fisher

Nash has taken on the top job as the club regroups from the flood damage and departures of senior faces last year’s captain Vidanapathirana and Kodamullage.

The osteopath has brought fresh air to the captaincy and has valued the importance of looking after teammates’ well-being — a timely reminder as we near the 12-month anniversary.

“One of his big focuses has been making sure that we’re checking up on each other and making sure that support is there and needed for a mate,” he said.

“Mostly just being supportive and letting teammates know that there is support there.”