By Jonty Ralphsmith
He’s spent more years at the club than some of his teammates have had birthdays and on Saturday at Heatherbrae Reserve against Upper Beaconsfield, Peter Zauner will play game 350.
Each week since 1994, Zauner has steamed in and put the ball on the same spot, the length that’s too full to comfortably play a back-foot shot to, but not full enough to easily drive.
Long-time Panthers say they can’t remember Zauner, now aged north of 60, missing a game.
“He hibernates in winter and gets ready again for cricket,” Devon Meadows president Mick Floyd said.
“Every week he’s there – he doesn’t bowl a lot of second spells anymore, he just bowls through and he is still there chasing every ball.
“He is a great example for younger guys of how to compete and how to go about it.
“It is not win at all costs; you can be passionate and have that will to win, but there is a point you don’t cross and he knows where the line is.”
In his prime years, it was his potent bowling and hard-edged competitiveness that earned Zauner respect across the competition.
He captain-coached two premierships and for different parts of the journey, the right-armer shouldered a huge chunk of the bowling load.
Zauner needed to be a strike weapon, tight disciplinarian and a workhorse that had the fitness to occasionally produce firepower.
The club has naturally evolved around him, but he still enjoys knocking about with the old-timers, even if the body gets sorer than it used to.
Provided, of course, that’s the best thing for the team.
“There was an opportunity last year for him to come up to the ‘seconds’” Floyd said.
“It was the first time I had played with him in about 10 years and the first thing he asked was ‘I’m not taking anyone’s spot am I’?
“He’s the sort of guy you build a club around.
“He has a great presence about him, wherever he plays, people look up to him as a player and a bloke.”
In addition to his reliable form with the ball, the metal worker has become handy with the willow in recent years.
Zauner has scored 10 of his 11 half-centuries in the last seven seasons, including an unbeaten ton to guide Devon Meadows to a thumping semi-final win over Clyde in 2019/20.
There is no sign of letting age catch up with him either; last weekend he passed 50 and was tidy in claiming 1/22 off his seven overs.
Having achieved abundant team success at Glover Reserve after taking up the sport in his mid-20s, Zauner trialled clubs Brandon Park, Cranbourne and Mount Waverley, but it’s the love of Devon Meadows that’s sustained Zauner’s passion.
“It breaks up the mundane life of working full time and it’s something I look forward to each week,” Zauner explained.
“I plan to retire from work before I retire from cricket… I’m nearly there!”
He’ll be the third Panther to reach the milestone after Lincoln Hepburn (464 games) and Darren O’Brien (405 games).
ZAUNER’S DEVON MEADOWS CAREER:
Games: 349
Wickets: 725
Best bowling: 8/31
Runs: 4912
High score: 108
Premierships: four
2009 Devon Meadows life member inductee
FIRST XI STATISTICS:
Games: 232
Wickets: 517
Bowling average: 16.6
Runs: 2531
Batting average: 15.9
