150 years ago, the Greytown Cricket Club was founded, and although the club faced low player numbers in the 1990s, they persevered and now can celebrate a very special birthday.
Central Stag Seth Rance had a superb McDonalds Super Smash campaign, finishing as the tournaments joint top wicket-taker, and he is also a proud stalwart of Greytown Cricket Club.
Rance has filled an impressive range of roles in his time at the Wairarapa club.
“I'm currently the club captain at Greytown Cricket Club. I began playing for GCC at the age of five so have a good 24 years under my belt. I've been on the committee for six to seven years and have done a stint as groundsman for a season.”
The right-arm pace bowler believes the club gave him the perfect platform to improve as a cricketer.
“The club certainly has helped my development. As a junior, the coaching I received was really good and the facilities we play and train on allowed me to develop and learn my game. As a teenager in a competitive and successful men's side, I was pushed to work hard at trainings and in games.”
The Greytown Cricket Club during the 1920s
For any club to be able to run for such a long time takes an incredible amount of work, and there’s always a few people that put in countless hours to make it possible.
“Jason Osborne, our club president spends many hours a week sorting the ins and outs that goes on with the club. He is certainly someone that deserves a lot of credit for all his work in keeping the club running smoothly.”
“Another club stalwart is former player and head groundsman John Grey. John, along with Rob Saxton spend many hours a week mowing and rolling our wickets. Jo Crimp, has no ties with the club yet still fills the crucial role of club treasurer. Jo does a fantastic job and without someone like her the club would not be celebrating 150 years.”
Greytown boasts two former New Zealand internationals, Glenn Jonas and Michael Mason. Jonas toured Pakistan in the 90s, while Mason represented New Zealand in one Test, three T20Is and 26 ODIs.
Over the years, hundreds of people have put an incredible service to the club, and Rance believes it’s the people that make the club so special.
“The best thing about the club is the people involved. Our committee has people on it who have no affiliation or ties to the club but want to make a difference and help out. We are completely voluntary in everything we do including our grounds work. The players all get along well which creates a great club atmosphere.”
Greytown Cricket Club recently had a celebration for turning 150, including a coaching clinic from New Zealand great Mark Greatbatch.
