VCCL Hall of Fame: 19 players and officials part of the first induction

Nineteen Melbourne Country Week greats will be inducted into the Victorian Country Cricket League’s Hall of Fame on Sunday. See the names.

Brad Hauenstein will be inducted into the VCCL Hall of Fame.

THE first 19 Melbourne Country Week inductees to the Victorian Country Cricket League’s Hall of Fame have all made significant contributions to the sport.

And they will be celebrated on Sunday, when the VCCL launches the Melbourne Country Week section of its Hall of Fame at Wendouree.

Among the Country Week inductees will be Ararat’s “Bush Bradman’’ Henry Gunstone, who made 129 centuries, including six tons in six consecutive matches in the 1967-68 season.

Other Melbourne Country Week inductees include:

*Sale champion Neil Tatterson, who was named an All-Australian country player in 1996.

*Geelong’s great all-rounder Brad Hauenstein.

*Benalla’s Greg Hoysted, who once made 44 opening the batting against the touring West Indies in Wangaratta.

*Western Districts stalwart Ian “Lefty’’ Wright, who played in 15 club premierships.

*Trevor Saker, who was a regular player at Country Week and became a key Benalla cricket administrator, helping to mentor young players and enhancing the pathway for country players into first XI cricket in Melbourne.

Neil Tatterson is going into the Country Week Cricket hall of fame. Picture: Zoe Phillips

There will be further MCW inductions as new nominations and statistical evidence comes to hand.

Melbourne Country Week has recently turned the grand old age of 100.

A big day of celebrations is planned at Wendouree Cricket Ground on Sunday, with Ballarat and Hamilton, who played in the first-ever Provincial final in 1922, to re-enact the match.

Some of the country’s best cricketers have graced Country Week, including Bill Woodfull playing for Castlemaine, and Lindsay Hassett with Geelong.

Organised by the Victorian Country Cricket League, Country Week has been an annual tradition since 1922.

In the past 100 years, only World War II, droughts, a washout and Covid have blocked the event.

Bendigo wicketkeeper Linton Jacobs.

The first round of inductions

Melbourne Country Week section:

Henry Gunstone (Ararat)

Norm Reeves (Ferntree Gully)

Alan Sperling (Leongatha)

Brad Hauenstein (Geelong)

Adam Burns (Bendigo)

Rob Oborne (Colac)

Alan Anton (dec Traralgon)

Jim Anton (dec, Traralgon)

Jim Merrett (dec, Traralgon)

Glenn Ward (Geelong)

Ray Johns (dec) (Bendigo)

Greg Hoysted (Benalla)

Bryan Mitchell (dec) (Ferntree Gully)

Linton Jacobs (Bendigo)

Trevor Saker (Benalla/Wangaratta)

Vin Cahill (dec, Ballarat)

Ian Wright (Warrnambool)

Barrie Wrigglesworth (Sale)

Neil Tatterson (Sale)

VCCL life members to be automatically inducted are Geoff McRae (Ballarat), Ed Parker (Melbourne, formerly Geelong), Bill Williams (Echuca), Warren Riches (Colac), Keith Thompson (Yarra Valley), Kelvin White (Cobden) and R F Merriman Medal winners for meritorious services to country cricket include Kevin Myers (Hamilton), John Donegan (Casterton), Anthony Martin (Stawell), Garry Underwood (Kyabram) and Steve Brown (Ferntree Gully). Apologies are Bob Merriman (Geelong), John Hewitt (Bendigo) and Gordon McLeod (Warrnambool). Other winners of this prestigious award will be inducted at future events.