It’s blue skies for Sturt’s Parker brothers as trio make their mark
Brothers Max, Charlie and Angus Parker are padding up together for this first time this season in Sturt’s first-grade side, making up more than a quarter of the team.
Cricket
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Mention the name Parker at the Sturt District Cricket Club and there’s a fair chance the response will be: “which one?”
Brothers Max, Charlie and Angus Parker are padding up together for this first time this season in Sturt’s top side, making up more than a quarter of the team.
And with dad Stephen the Blues’ secretary and scorer and mum Deb looking after the afternoon tea, it’s become a real Parker family affair at Price Memorial Oval.
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Max, a batting all-rounder, and leg-spinner Charlie have become regulars in Sturt’s top side while batsman Angus, 17, made his debut in round one earlier this month.
Max, 27, says the special feat came as a bit of a surprise.
“There’s quite an age gap between myself and Angus, so to be able to play some B grade cricket with him last year was really good and I definitely didn’t expect to be playing some A grade cricket with him,” Max says.
“But he’s taken the opportunity he’s been given due to a couple of guys leaving and the club’s youth policy, which I think is fantastic.
“It was more of a reward for mum and dad as well because of the sacrifices they’ve made over the years for us.
“For those two to see the three of us run out was pretty special.”
Backyard battles unsurprisingly shaped the Parker brothers’ skills and competitiveness, including fourth brother Lewis who has given up the game but still plays football alongside Charlie at Adelaide University.
Charlie modestly names Max as holding the mantle of the best cricketer in the family but says Angus has the potential to take the title.
“I think Angus probably has the potential to be the best in the family and Max has probably held the reins for a while, being the oldest,” Charlie, 22, says.
“We have played a lot of heated battles in the backyard, ending in tears a lot of the time, it’s nice that we can play together instead of against each other now.
“I’ve also been lucky enough to play a fair bit of footy out at Uni with Max and Lewis and now Angus and Max with cricket.”
Unfortunately the Blues were not able to snare wins in their opening two rounds with all three brothers playing, before breaking the duck against East Torrens – a win Max missed through injury.
Max says Sturt’s policy of bringing through youth ahead of heavy recruitment is the right way forward.
“The core is there from the last two seasons where we’ve played a one-day final and a two-day final so we’re confident with the group we’ve got,” he says.
“The challenge we’ve got now through guys like myself, Brad Davis, Ty Watson and Ziggy Kulesza is to be role models and leaders for the young guys coming through, like Angus.”
The eldest Parker made his A grade debut in the 2012-13 campaign while Charlie made his first appearance in the top side at the beginning of last season.
Both were part of the Blues losing 2018-19 One-Day Cup grand final side.