Sport
22 February, 2026
Golden memories flow from old flag stars
ROBERT Asquith had memories to share in stories and smiles when Boort Yando Cricket Club celebrated its 40th anniversary at the weekend.
The former Boort newsagent - he left town in 1989 - was at the forefront of cricket four decades ago.
Besides selling newspapers reporting on local sporting exploits, Richard was the cricket club captain and president.
“It was a golden era in the 1980s ... we had a lot of kids playing and that gave the new club a great foundation,” he said during a reunion dinner on Saturday night.
Richard’s greatest memory was skippering the club to the flag in 1986.
Now aged 85, he was the oldest former member taking part in celebrations.
Andrew Kane, another premiership star now better known for his success as a golfer and the current Loddon Herald Sports Star of the Year, wore his old team cap. “You might not believe it, but as a kid I was a better cricketer than a golfer,” he quipped.
Another former captain who regaled more than 150 people with stories during the dinner was one-time Australian skipper Graeme Yallop.
Club president David Rees said: “The biggest event we have attempted and it was a run away success because everyone did their bit.”
Current club captain James Byrne said: “The whole group has been involved in everything the club is doing this season.
“The reunion has been a pet project of David’s and he has put a lot of time into making sure everything happened,” he said.
“There‘s been a big few weeks at training as well ... this is big for the club and something really special.”
Byrne swapped stories with Mark Perryman who skippered Boort Yando when in another flag year - 1999-200, its last in the Kerang association before switching to Upper Loddon.
The Magpies are headed towards Upper Loddon finals and hoping to claim another senior flag this year. Its juniors are already in the grand final next month.
Chances of completing a cleansweep - Boort has already been awarded the Loddon Herald T20 Cup prize - would cap off the club’s 40th year.
Rees says that would add to the club’s storied history.