“We acknowledge the Aboriginal people as the Traditional Owners of this land and we pay our respects to Elders past and present.”
It’s nothing like the usual pre-game speech that Officer captain Allison Isaacs would deliver prior to the Ringwood District Cricket Association (RDCA) game against Mountain Gate at Starling Road on Sunday – but it certainly hit the mark.
Isaacs, supported by seconds captain Michelle Lucas, recognised traditional land owners and delivered the Welcome to Country as part of Reconciliation Round, a Cricket Australia initiative that all clubs were encouraged to participate in.
Both teams, and umpires Michael Meeng and Jigneshkumar Parikh, stood barefoot in a circle prior to the match, to demonstrate their commitment to reconciliation between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and non-Indigenous Australians.
The game itself was secondary, but proved to be a good won for Officer who won by 64 runs.
After Isaacs won the toss and batted first, Shenali Fernando (38) and Donna Jones (32) piloted the Bullants to a score of 8/109, before rocking Mountain Gate for just 45.
Kylie O’Connor (3/13) and Fernando (2/9) claimed multiple wickets for Officer, who remain a game clear at the top of the ladder with just two rounds remaining in the season.
Officer heads to second-placed Mooroolbark this Sunday, before rounding out the home-and-away season with a trip to fourth-placed Chirnside Park.
Semi-finals will be held on Sunday 5 March, with the grand final to be played a week later.
The Officer team on the weekend included: Amanda Collins, Darcy Collins, Kayla Dalgleish, Shenali Fernando, Allison Isaacs (Captain), Kim Isaacs (Coach), Donna Jones, Kylie O’Connor, Kalie Pay, Vianna Siegelwin, Molly Walters and Lauren Williams.
