VTCA club Barkly Street Uniting celebrating centenary season

Local cricket club Barkly Street Uniting is celebrating its centenary this season and marked the occasion by inducting new legends and a beer collaboration.

(from left) Barkly Street Uniting junior cricket director Marcus Curnow, president Chris Lacey and inducted legend Jeffrey Law.

Barkly Street Uniting raises the bat this season.

It’s also raising a glass, responsibly, with a beer collaboration with local brewery Urban Alley.

The Dragons are celebrating its centenary in 2024-25, hoping to add to its proud history.

The Maribyrnong-based VTCA club kicked off the season last month with a celebration dinner, inducting a 12th club legend.

That was Jeffrey Law, who joins his father and mother in the prestigious group, having spent almost 60 years at Maribyrnong Reserve.

Barkly Street Uniting's legends, hall of famers and life members.

“I’ve been involved since I was five, I’m that person who has played 600 games,” Law said.

“I was inducted as a legend on the night, you have to be in the hall of fame first and to do that you have to be retired but I might play if needed.

“I’m trying not to play too many games these days but my son informed me he might play some games this season but he’ll only play if I play, so I might rack up a few more.”

Founded in 1925, Uniting originally played in the Footscray District Protestant Churches association before it became the Western Suburbs United Churches association.

The club moved to the Moreland Moonee Valley association in 2003-04 and has been a part of the Victorian Turf Cricket Association since 2011-12.

It now has 12 legends, with five in their 90s – Jack and Joyce Law, Leon Bates, Peter Hollings and Jack Collett.

“We had a dinner with more than 130 people there,” Law said.

“We had five legends of the club there, who are all in their 90s, which was fantastic because they’ve all been such a large part of the club.

“My father, Jack, was secretary for 57 years, Leon Bates, between he and my father, got the club going again after the (Second World) War and was treasurer for 33 years, Peter Hollings was there 27 years as president and the great Jack Collett, who was one of our best ever cricketers.”

The night also featured a beer with commemorative can, which can be bought through Urban Alley.

“We did our own beer, a beer with our commemorative logo on it,” Law said.

“The cans, I don’t drink, but the cans are sensational, the artwork they did is sensational.

“We were lucky enough to get some short videos from the likes of Mark Waugh, Michael Clarke, Doug Hawkins and Lenny Pascoe, all these things added to a great night.”

Barkly Street Uniting has won 15 First XI premierships, a dominant power through the 1930, 1960s and 1970s.

It’s last senior flag came in 2003-04 but it won a one-day title in 2023-24, a under-15s in 2021-22, under-13s in 2021-22 and under-11s in 2020-21 and 2023-24.

The Dragons compete in the Russell Pollock Shield, the fifth-tier of the VTCA.

Led by captain Julian Powell and coach Lou Raffaele, the club hopes to pick up a few wins and challenge for finals.

“We’ve picked up a couple of players,” Law said.

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“We did OK last year but fell away after Christmas and hopefully the new recruits will cover the couple we lost.

“You never know what the opposition has picked up, until you start playing you never know.

“We’re certainly hopeful after what we did last year and the continued improvement of our players on turf.”

Uniting has the bye in Round 1 before kicking off the season against Burnside Springs United at Maribrynong Reserve on October 19.