History by AI

Welcome to Central Park St Brendans, the home of the tigers. We are a Cricket Club with a rich history, having produced some of the best players in the sport. At our club, we are committed to nurturing young talent and helping them achieve their full potential. We are dedicated to providing our members with the highest quality training, facilities and support, so that they can grow into well-rounded cricketers.

Early Days

In 1977-78 St.Brendan's Cricket Club, under the leadership of former District Cricketer, Peter Morley, won both the A Grade and B Grade premierships in the Shepparton Cricket Association.  Included in their ranks were SCA Legend Gary O'Brien and a youngster named Robert Douloudis.  Also included, somewhat ironically, was an opening batsmen and medium pace bowler named Ray McFadyen.  Ironic because Ray has the distinction of being the only player to represent both Central Park and St.Brendan's in their last SCA A grade premierships.  St. Brendan's in 1977-78 and Central Park 10 years earlier in 1967-68. 

Central Park on the other hand, had quite a significant number of players but after years of propping up the bottom of the SCA ladder, it was seen as an opportunity by the club to cement their future after years of being threatened with relegation by the SCA executive of the day.  To have an affiliation with Notre Dame Juniors was also seen as a vital ingredient to the club's future.  Central Park had previously had junior teams but the travel issue to train at Central Park was a continual problem in attracting players to the club.

In the winter of 1981, both Clubs agreed that for their long term survival, a merger was the best option.  The first A grade team to represent the combined team in October 1981 was:

Gary O'Brien - St.Brendan's - Left hand bat
Paul Deane - Central Park - Left hand bat
Robert Douloudis - St.Brendan's - Right hand bat / Med pace bowler
Graeme Betts - Central Park - Right hand bat / Med pace bowler
Ray McFadyen - St.Brendan's - Right hand bat / Off spin bowler
Don Oliver - Central Park - Right arm fast bowler / Right hand bat
Phillip Thorne - St.Brendan's -  Right arm swing bowler / Right hand bat
Greg Connors - Right Arm Fast Bowler / Right hand bat
Steve Thomas - Central Park - Wicketkeeper / Right hand bat
Barry Ward - Central Park - Right arm leg spinner / Right hand bat
John Sutton - Left Hand bat

Through the 1980s and 90s, the A Grade team had many disappointments playing in 8 losing Grand Finals, however 8 Premierships were won during this period in the following grades:
B Grade Premiers - 85/86, 92/93, 96/97, 99/00
D Grade Premiers - 90/91, 00/01, 05/06
E Grade Premiers - 85/86, 89/90

Under the Captaincy of Bryan Doyle, the A Grade team finally broke through for their maiden Haisman Shield Premiership in 1999/2000 defeating Numurkah by 3 runs.  After losing another 2 A Grade Grand Finals in 2000/01 and 2003/04, the A Grade team created a Country Victoria record in winning 7 straight Premierships stretching from 2004/05 to 2010/11.  The Clubs D Grade also claimed the Premiership in 2004/05.

After losing Grand Finals in seasons 2011/12 & 12/13, the A Graders again tasted the ultimate success by winning 3 Premierships in a row in 2013/14, 14/15 & 15/16.  In an extraordinary 12 year period, the A Grade team won 10 Premierships. The team has also played in every One Day Final since 2003/04, winning 10 titles, as well as winning 6 T/20 Titles.

The A Grade run of Grand Finals was halted in 2016/17 when they were beaten in the Semi Final, however there were still plenty of celebrating at the end of the season when the B & C Grade teams won the Premierships, as well as the Under 16 team saluting to make it 3 Premierships in a row for this age group.

In 2003 we adopted the colours of black and yellow, the tiger as our mascot and slightly changed the words to the Richmond FC theme song to include our own cricket words, which has been sung with real gusto during Premiership celebrations.

Anyone who doubted the wisdom of the merger back in 1981 will have eaten their words for sure.

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CPSTB Players

The club has produced a number of players who have been selected in Victorian representive teams:
Victoria Sheffield Shield – Bryan Doyle, Rohan Larkin
Victorian Country – Sam Ahmet, Bryan Doyle, Peter Holland, Brendan Scott, Ramadan Yze, Tyler Larkin.
Australian U/19s - Greg Connors
Victorian U/19s – Greg Connors, Hamish Winter-Irving
Victorian Country U/19s - Tyler Larkin, Joshua Larkin
Victorian U/17s – Damien Yze, Hamish Winter-Irving

Victorian U/15s – Joe Kelly
Victorian Country U/15s - Ethan Baxter
Victorian Country U/15 Girls - Arnika McGregor
Victorian U/13s – Tyler Larkin, Jesse Clarke, Ethan Baxter
Victorian U/13 Girls - Arnika McGregor

CPSTB players to have progressed through to play in the Victorian Premier 1st XI competition are as follows: Rob Douloudis (Ringwood), Greg Connors (Melbourne), Bryan Doyle (Carlton), Rohan Larkin (Carlton), Damien Yze (Richmond), Jarrod Wakeling (Richmond), Hamish Winter-Irving (Footscray), Mitchell Winter-Irving (Footscray) & Tyler Larkin (Geelong). 

CPSTB players to have won the Cricket Shepparton Lightfoot Medal are Rob Wood (2), Rob Douloudis (3), Sam Ahmet (3), Peter Holland, Rohan Larkin and Tyler Larkin. 

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