MPCA pavilion at RM Hooper Oval in Hastings knocked down
The 60-year-old brick pavilion at RM Hooper Oval in Hastings was demolished last week, and with it went a piece of local cricket history. We look back at the champion players and administrators who graced the rooms.
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Tree roots were causing cracks in the walls.
The building’s foundations were moving. Doors no longer closed properly. The roof was leaking.
The historic cricket pavilion at RM Hooper Oval in Graydens Rd, Hastings was at the end of its innings and last week it was demolished.
In a sad way, a piece of local cricket history went with the old brick building that was built in 1961.
The Mornington Peninsula’s finest cricketers and most esteemed administrators graced the rooms, as had international players, including a touring Indian team in 1977 and Sri Lankan sides in 1985 and ’89.
Tribunal meetings were held there.
If only those walls could talk.
“Especially the committee rooms,’’ chuckled MPCA historian Simon Fiedler.
Fiedler spent many years at the ground tending to the wicket, the pavilion and the surrounds. Pat Foy and John “JL’’ Lillico were other long-time curators at RM Hooper.
Fiedler said the pavilion was a bit shaky since a tree crashed on to the roof about 10 years ago during a storm.
“It wasn’t a safe building,’’ he said.
A new modular sporting pavilion will be built, hopefully by December.
The picturesque oval is named after the great Bob Hooper (RM Hooper) who was the inaugural president of the Mornington Peninsula Cricket Association in 1965.
The ground has hosted 38 MPCA Provincial grand finals and two District grand finals — making it 40 in all.
The first flag decider there was in 1964-65.
Champions have played on the oval. Shane Warne was part of the Victorian squad that took on a young MPCA side in 1993, just weeks before his “ball of the century’’ in the Ashes in England.
In 1977, an MPCA XI took on the touring Indians, who boasted names like Gavaskar, Bedi, Mankad and Venkat.
Tony “Spider’’ Hillas (91no) and Graeme “Gus’’ McPherson (69) put on 150 for the third wicket but India won.
Mornington’s Mick McLear dismissed Gavaskar for 86, but should have had him earlier.
“I should have had him out for a duck,’’ Enzo barked.
“He was dropped fourth ball...an absolute sitter.’’
In February, 1985, an MPCA side including Brian McCue, Hillas, Phil Graf, Robbie Bedford, Laurie Slocombe, Stephen Johnson and Stu Burrows faced a touring Sri Lankan side featuring Aravinda de Silva and Arjuna Ranatunga.
Slocombe made 21 and took four wickets and, Johnson also impressed, but India blazed 327, with Ravi Ratnayeke cracking a century.
A Victoria Country side played against the touring Sri Lankans under a blazing sun on December 23, 1989.
A huge crowd watched the Vics muster 7-176 in reply to the 174 put together by a Sri Lankan side containing the Asanka Gurusinha, Hashan Tillekeratne and Sanath Jayasuriya.
The Vic side included legendary MPCA players: John Lillico, Gary Cooper, John Hille, Robbie Bedford, Doug Rolland, Robbie Jackson and Terry Doyle, as well as Tootgarook colt Shane Reed.
Highlights of the day were the controlled leggies sent down by JL (2-37 off 10 overs), Doyle’s pace (3-38 off nine), the quality batting of Lindsay Wulf, a right hander from Ferntree Gully who made a composed 30, and some power-laden shots from Bedford.
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