Warwick cricket superfan earns lifetime honour

FROM the boarding school pitch to the newsroom, Gerard Walsh has devoted his life to serving the Warwick sporting community.

Warwick Daily News sports reporter and cricket tragic Gerald Walsh was named a lifetime member of the Warwick Cricket Association at the weekend. Picture: Michael Nolan

WHEN Gerard Walsh was a young man he would commentate imaginary cricket matches to alleviate boredom while working cattle on his own.

He would invent games with the greats of the day and throw his own name in the batting order for good measure.

This passion for the game never faded and was recognised at the weekend when Mr Walsh was named a lifetime member of the Warwick Cricket Association.

"My father, Tom Walsh, liked cricket and I suppose I just followed on," he said.

He took up cricket as a student and then later played for Greymare and Wheatvale.

Mr Walsh rose through the ranks of the local competition, served as the Wheatvale club treasurer, a WCA delegate and to this day he supports young players through his role as the Daily News sport reporter.

"It is my favourite sport and that's the reason why I got my job at the newspaper," he said.

In the late 1980s Mr Walsh would roll into the Daily News office on a Sunday night and volunteer writing up the weekend cricket notes.

There was a vacancy for a sports reporter and the editor of the time, Donna Fraser, pushed Mr Walsh to apply.

"I got the job, that was in January, 1991," he said.

Over the years Mr Walsh watched Warwick's cricket prodigies rise from humble beginnings to international fame.

"I was at the Gabba when Doug Walters scored a test century as a 19-year-old," he said.

"He was the name of the era."

Mr Walsh interviewed the likes of Merv Hughes, Neil Harvey and Lou Rowan along with each of the Warwick-born players who earned positions on the Queensland representative teams.

Players like Wilf Brown, Mark Steketee, Simon Beattie and Delissa Kimmince.

But he shows no favour and is keen to give every player a run on the Daily News back page.

"I try to do a bit extra for all sports," Mr Walsh said.

"But I often head to games on my days off, I used to go to finals in Toowoomba. I've probably done a far bit for cricket with helping out with coverage.

"I enjoy sport and I enjoy people."

Giving younger players a taste of fame and recognition is something Mr Walsh enjoys most about his job.

He understands how important a write-up in the local paper is and the lasting effect it has on a player's sense of pride.

"I was just a very ordinary cricketer, but I still have the cutting from the century I scored for Wheatvale," Mr Walsh said.

Originally published as Warwick cricket superfan earns lifetime honour