Legendary Geelong cricket curator Reg Carter passes away at the age of 86

A long term curator, who produced some of the region’s best cricket wickets without ever playing on one, has been farewelled as a “gentleman of the game”.

A curating stalwart of many decades, who prepared some of the region’s best decks without ever playing on one, has passed away at the age of 86.

Reg Carter, who died last Friday after a lengthy battle with dementia, served Newtown & Chilwell, Geelong Cement, Manifold Heights and Murgheboluc cricket clubs with his skills and flair for turf.

The father of four, grandfather of nine and great grandfather of four, played key roles at four different cricket grounds.

However, his son Peter said his father never played a proper game of cricket, to his knowledge.

“He was known for making the fairest wickets around, it didn’t matter who was playing who, he just wanted to make the best wicket he could every week,” Carter said.

The late Reg Carter played a key role in installing several cricket wickets across the Geelong region. Picture: Murgheboluc CC.

“He was highly respected by anyone that met him, if you knew him you were his friend.

“I never heard a bad word spoken about him in his whole life.

“Just a genuine good bloke.”

Carter initially looked after Newtown & Chilwell’s Queens Park wicket as part of his greens keeper role with the then City of Newtown — a responsibility he held for more than four decades.

He also helped set up Geelong Cement’s wicket – then known as the region’s best – before also assisting with Manifold Heights’ new turf at McCurdy Rd in the late 1980s.

Murgheboluc administrator Rick Inglis said while Geelong Cement’s former ground was now “weed-infested paddocks” it was a “great cricket ground back in the day”.

Reg Carter (left) was a life member at Manifold Heights Cricket Club. Picture: File.

“It was genuinely regarded as the best batting track in Geelong, if you couldn’t make runs there you couldn’t make runs anywhere,” Inglis said.

Carter would then lend his guidance to Peter after he put his hand up to install Murgheboluc’s new wicket table in 2010 at King Lloyd Reserve.

“He’d not done it before, but being Reg’s son he knew a little bit about it,” Inglis said.

“Reg was basically his sounding board for a number of years.

“He had a very significant influence on the development of our turf wicket, there’s no doubt about that.

“For the lion’s share of the 2010s, he held no official role but was always happy to give his guidance and have a look and tell Pete what he thought.”

City of Greater Geelong’s senior capital projects officer Garry Condon and Cr Stretch Kontelj standing on the mud base of the new turf wicket at King Lloyd Reserve in 2009.

Peter said the best piece of advice he ever received from his father was to “always put plenty of water in your wicket”.

“You can always get a wicket dry but you can’t always get it wet, when it’s getting towards the game,” Carter said.

Peter was his father’s carer for several years at his Bannockburn home before he was moved to Kardinia House’s dementia ward in January this year.

King Lloyd Reserve is one of the region’s most beautiful cricket grounds. Picture: Glenn Ferguson

In a statement on its Facebook page, Manifold Heights CC was “deeply saddened” by the passing of Carter who was a “great friend” of the club, a life member, long serving curator and an “absolute gentleman of the game”.

“Reg created a playing surface at McCurdy Rd that was the envy of Geelong cricket,” the club said.

“We feel blessed to have been able to call Reg a friend.”

Inglis said Carter’s health was “one of those gradual declines”.

“His passing wasn’t a shock, I think they all knew it was coming,” he said.

“He’s been slipping away the last few years, really.”

Murgheboluc players will wear black arm bands in Round 1 against Bell Post Hill on October 7.

Originally published as Legendary Geelong cricket curator Reg Carter passes away at the age of 86