EAST BURWOOD / BENNETTSWOOD CRICKET CLUB

FRANK HORNE MEMORIAL CUP GAME

in conjunction with the BLACKBURN CRICKET CLUB

A yearly match between great rivals East Burwood/Bennettswood and Blackburn Cricket Clubs to honour the memory of cricketing great, Frank Horne.

This game means a lot to the East Burwood / Bennettswood Cricket Club, particularly the players that were team mates of Frank Horne at Bennettswood and then later at the combined club.  Frank was tragically taken from us in April 1997 when he collapsed and died suddenly at home after going for a run to maintain his fitness.

Frank was only 37 years of age at the time leaving his wife, Kay and four children.  The tragic loss was felt hard by his family who had to deal with raising four young children.  We caught up with the family a couple of months ago and Frank would no doubt be very proud of Kay and the development of the children.

The cricket club not only lost a champion cricketer but also a champion bloke.  Frank was awarded life membership at Bennettswood Cricket Club in 1991 and was treasurer of the club at the time of his death.  He was during various seasons, captain/coach, captain, vice-captain, club champion, leading wicket taker, leading run maker and above all, a tough yet sporting competitor.  He played in a total of four senior premierships at Bennettswood in B1, A1 and two in Shield grade.

Frank was a true club man who worked tirelessly in the club through the many years of his involvement and always had the club and his team mates at the forefront of his mind.  His achievement in helping build a strong and cohesive club at Bennettswood and then at the combined club is something he and his family can be extremely proud of.

To commemorate his memory, the club instigated the idea of an annual match against a team and a club that Frank respected and loved to compete against.  This team and club was immediately picked by the committee as Blackburn.  Evidence of the esteem Frank was held in and the mutual respect between him and his opponents at Blackburn, the Blackburn committee immediately accepted our offer.

The annual Frank Horne Memorial Cup game commenced in the 1997/98 season and we hope will continue indefinitely in the same fashion as the Paul Melville trophy for the club champion.  We were fortunate to win the first cup but it has been evenly spread over the years with Blackburn winning last season in their premiership year.

At the conclusion of the game, the umpires award the man of the match trophy to the best player and once again this has been shared between the two clubs.

Both club’s teams in all grades celebrate at the home club’s rooms at the end of the game joining in reliving Frank’s memory and the clashes and events of previous seasons.  The presentation of the cup and man of the match trophy are normally made by a member of Frank’s immediate family, either Kerry, Colleen, Angela, Gerard or Kathy.

We hope and generally achieve a huge attendance at this function.  To ensure Frank’s memory, contribution and performances are always remembered, we must continue to support this match and the function afterwards.  In this way, new members to the club will be immediately acquainted with Frank’s contribution and then try to emulate his contribution and performances.

For the first time in 2008, and at the suggestion of the Blackburn CC, the Frank Horne Memorial Club will be played as a twilight Twenty20 match.

Frank Horne
Games:  174
Club Champion:  13 times (10 for Bennettswood, 3 for East Burwood/Bennettswood)

FRANK HORNE MEMORIAL CUP
1997/98  East Burwood Bennettswood 6/202cc defeated Blackburn8/182cc
Man of the Match:  M. Kiraly (East Burwood Bennettswood)

1998/99  East Burwood Bennettswood 142 defeated Blackburn 136
Man of the Match:  M. Jones (East Burwood Bennettswood)

1999/00  Blackburn 239 defeated East Burwood Bennettswood 149
Man of the Match:  W. Twite (Blackburn)

2000/01  Blackburn 8/230cc defeated East Burwood Bennettswood 123
Man of the Match:  P. Brown (Blackburn)

2001/02  East Burwood Bennettswood 9/241cc defeated Blackburn 47 & 1/73
Man of the Match:  G. Angelis (East Burwood Bennettswood)

2002/03  East Burwood Bennettswood 9/194cc defeated Blackburn 169
Man of the Match:  D. MacKechnie (East Burwood Bennettswood)

2003/04  Blackburn 211 defeated East Burwood Bennettswood 89
Man of the Match:  S. Clement (Blackburn)

2004/05  East Burwood Bennettswood 135 v Blackburn 7/107 - Match Drawn
Man of the Match:  M. Jones (East Burwood Bennettswood) & P. Meilak (Blackburn)

2005/06  Blackburn 95 defeated East Burwood Bennettswood 73 & 5/161
Man of the Match:  P. Brookes (Blackburn)

2006/07  Blackburn 3/181dec def East Burwood Bennettswood 6/179cc
Man of the Match:  R. Willis (Blackburn)

2007/08  Blackburn 7/160cc defeated East Burwood Bennettswood 9/114cc
Man of the Match:  B. Byrnes (Blackburn)

2008/09  Twenty20 match - Monday 3rd November 2008 at Morton Park, Blackburn
East Burwood Bennettswood 9/130 def Blackburn 9/124
Man of the Match:  S. Bramstedt (East Burwood Bennettswood)

2009/10  Twenty20 match - Monday 2nd November 2009 at East Burwood Reserve
Blackburn 5/144 def East Burwood Bennettswood 111
Man of the Match:  H. O'Dwyer (Blackburn)