South East Cricket Association: Tim and Paul O’Meara of Le Page Park hit 300-game milestone

There was a fairytale finish in store for the O’Meara brothers as they brought up a mighty milestone at Le Page Cricket Club.

Milestone men: Tim and Paul O'Meara of Le Page Park Cricket Club.

What a milestone for the O’Meara twins, Paul and Tim.

And what a memorable match for the pair as they hit the 300-game mark for Le Page Park in the South East Cricket Association.

Playing Elwood in the Quiney Shield last Saturday, Le Page needed three runs off the last ball to win, with Paul on strike.

An inside edge went to fine leg, there was a misfield and 15-year-old Lenny Wilton scampered home for the winning run.

The big crowd that turned up to cheer the O’Mearas erupted.

Paul’s 24 not out off 18 balls was superb as the Panthers had needed to go at seven runs per over for the last four overs.

Paul O'Meara at the creases for Le Page Park.

Earlier Tim had put on 144 with Aaron Carroll for the second wicket. Aaron was classy in his knock of 88 off 81 balls and Tim peeled off 64, playing some slashing square drives. Paul’s son Jackson also batted well for his 23 at a run-a-ball.

Paul and Tim have been part of the furniture at Le Page Park since 1986, when they played their first senior games together as 15 year olds alongside their father, Marty, in the Fourth XI.

Four years later Tim played in the club’s first senior flag, in the Fourth XI.

Paul was already making his way as an opening batsman in Longmuir Shield.

Both wicketkeepers, they finally ended up together in the first grade in 1996-97.

Paul took over as First XI captain in 1999 and did it for five years. He was crowned club champion in 2002-03.

The brothers have also be important at the club off the field, with Paul serving as president for two seasons and Tim as secretary for four years.

Both coached their sons at junior level, and Tim has been the junior co-ordinator for the past four seasons.

With a hard working committee the club has gone from nine to 14 junior teams, including four girls sides.

The pinnacle for the O’Meara brothers came in 2006-07 when they played in the club’s first premiership for the First XI.

Marty O’Meara shared the success as scorer.

Tim O'Meara on the attack.

Tim went on to play in the club’s next First XI flag in 2015-16 (and he holds the club record for dismissals, more than 400).

Paul played in his second flag the following season in the Third XI, where he made a dashing 115 in the semi-final and 57 in the grand final.

It has been 12 years since the twins played together regularly. But this season they’ve played in the Quiney Shield team with young Jackson.

And at the age of 51 they hold the top two spots in the team’s batting averages; Paul’s average of 61 puts him at the top of the tree in the whole of Quiney Shield.

As a left-hand opener, Tim is having his best season with 305 runs at 43.57.

Both have given so much to Le Page Park over 32 seasons – and they will continue to give a little bit more on and off the field for a while yet.