Marcus Curnow
Credo Cricket: The History
October 31, 2007
Credo Cricket: The History
from www.myspace.com/credocricket
Credo is the name of Urban Seed's café in the heart of Melbourne where an open lunch is served to all comers including many who struggle with homelessness and disadvantage. Credo Cricket takes the values that have shaped this space and apply them to cricket.
"You know you're in Melbourne when you're walking through the park and you see someone kicking the footy with cricket pads on." said Viet-Aussie comedian Hung Le.
Credo Cricket began in parks and laneways around Melbourne in just such a way in 2001. People would meet "down the nets" after Credo Lunches as a way of building relationships and physically beating some of the pressures of depression and addiction which followed the then so called "heroin crisis".
The cricket match at the Credo Christmas BBQ became legendary and so in the January of 2002 we entered our first team in the Reclink Australia’s Super 8's Competition. In that first season we won the A Grade Premiership in a thrilling last over victory final on the hallowed MCG. In 2003 at the eve of the second Gulf War we repeated the feat at the Junction Oval (in retrospect perhaps they should have sent "Waugh not War" as our victory banner proclaimed!) The Super 8's continues to be a great time over Jan/Feb each year.
In 2005 we partnered with St Marks in Reclink's 25 over-a-side Clem Brigg's Jnr Memorial Cup which runs through October till December. With their close links at St. Mary's House of Welcome in Fitzroy we formed a merged team known as the Credo/St Marks Lions. Once again we triumphed in our first season with a thrilling A-Grade final win against a team from St Kilda's Sacred Heart Mission. St Marks and Sacred Heart were both foundation members of Reclink cricket in 1995 and in recognition we now play a match each season known as the Peter Ryan Cup.
Since 2005 we have played a number of games against teams comprised of our corporate supporters such as Price Waterhouse Coopers and Clayton Utz . This not only gives our team a workout but brings different people together in a fun environment.
Since this time we have also been building closer links with the Barkly Street Uniting Church Cricket Club with some of our players joining the iconic Footscray club. This has improved the cricketing ability and broadened the social circles of a number of Credo Cricketers beyond the "welfare recreation" scene and added to the diversity of the local club.
In 2007, seeking to extend the important role Credo Cricket plays in peoples lives through the winter months, we entered an Action 6+ indoor cricket team in the Action Indoor Cricket Centre competition in Footscray. Over 30 players played in over two fifteen week seasons and although we only won a handful of games, two were thrillers against much stronger opposition.
In the future we are keen to keep playing as much cricket as possible and to welcome all comers in the spirit of Credo.
• We aim to provide two cricket or team related events per week throughout the course of the next year in order to provide a reliable sense of community, access and opportunity for those whose lives are in crisis or transition.
• We are building our links with our corporate partners local cricket clubs, welfare bodies, cultural groups and cricket authorities.
• We have enjoyed making connections with Samoan friends via Praxis NZ and the “Homies and the Popz” Compton Cricket Club from LA. Perhaps one day we will get to go ‘on the road’ for a cricket tour.
The Credo Cricket story continues... pad up, you're in!
Posted by marcus at 09:11 AM | Comments (0)
PWC Blues vs Credo Lions
November 30, 2006
Another great days cricket with the PWC Blues helping out the Credo Cricketers with a practice match at the Brunswick St. Oval. photos below...
The toss....
Braedon begins against Credo's own David Boon...
And goes down like a sack of spuds...
Assessing the damage....are those workmates laughing...???
Clearing the pitch so the game can continue....the diagnosis...medial ligament in the knee....best Credo wishes for the recovery!
Will in full flight...
Arash goes the dash...
Dylan top scored for the Blues with 25...
The flying Scotsman...
Another great Credo Cricket day had by all....save for the knee!
Posted by marcus at 12:01 AM | Comments (2)
Peter Ryan Cup
November 22, 2006
The Clem Briggs Jnr competition heats up with traditional rivals Credo St Marks Lions vs. Sacred Heart playing for The Peter Ryan Cup as a recognition of 10 years involvement in the competition. Sacred Heart revenged their loss in last years grand final with Credo collapsing to be bowled out for 15 after a solid bowling performance.
Reclink legends Tim Clark of St Marks and Peter Ryan of Sacred Heart.
Woodsy takes out Credo Lions player of the match with 3/11 including former Credo gun bat Robbie for a second ball duck.
Lace picks up the umpires award! and we say goodbye to Trent after a couple of years working with the Hearters!
We called off Credo Cafe lunch for the day in favour of a barby at our historic Brunswick St Oval home ground.
Posted by marcus at 10:16 PM | Comments (0)
The Long and the Short of It!
November 08, 2006
A classic Credo Cricket image! After 11 days cricket in 13 for Fitzroy Doncaster and the Victorian 2nd XI Jono Fagg stands at six foot (and the rest of him..!)and towers over all five foot nothing of G."Madonna cant" Singh. I love Credo Cricket!
Posted by marcus at 04:49 PM | Comments (0)
Credo Cricket returns '06
October 11, 2006
Boony strides out on the new Credo Lions home ground....the historic Brunswick Street Oval.
Credo Cricket returns after a footy season with the Urban Seed mob again joining with St Marks to play cricket you can believe in! The season started with a flyer.... Boony bowled 4 overs 3 for 14 supported well by the Peter Helier look alike Raymond. Everybody loved him as he took 2/5 and Shane 2/7 holding the Outer East Topliners to 90 off the 25 overs.
The batting started with "Madonna cant" Singh and David "Talkin" Boon going cheaply. The runs came quickly thanks to Shane and Raymond 14 a piece but the wickets also tumbled just as quickly. Thankfully Ian held the chase together playing a solid 26 not out with plenty of singles to pass the opposition score with 8 wickets down.
Ian and Raymond ponder the chase...
Posted by marcus at 05:50 PM | Comments (0)
PWC Credo Cricket Match
March 08, 2006
Having recently finished the Reclink cricket season as C-grade runners up the Credo Cricket juggernaut moved to the Carey Baptist Grammar Sports Grounds last week. (Thanks Carey for your support over the years, particularly Tranter for the cricket gear.) Some of our supporters from Price Waterhouse Coopers (who are famously sponsoring that other rather large Melbourne sporting event at present) had a great day. After some feilding practise we went straight into the BBQ. Just when it looked like we may just eat and give cricket a miss I gave a Credo "Cricket you can believe in" Sermon and Ali lead a great warm up before finally some real ordinary cricket got played! It was tight right up till the last over with Woodsy seeing the orange team home. Nathan the Giant got re-nicknamed Big Bird for his over use of the one fingered salute in protest at some close umpiring decisions. Thankfully the rest of the day was peace filled! I love Credo Cricket!
Posted by marcus at 10:42 AM | Comments (0)
Credo Lions Cricket Premiers!
December 15, 2005
Sacred Heart 66 all out
Credo Lions 6/74
Man of the Match: Nathan "The Giant" (2 wickets, 2 catches, 1 run out)
A great game against our great friends the Hearters! A whole lot of great stories, too many to tell here!... but some of the things I love most about Reclink.
With much thanks to Tim Clarke from St Marks for joining forces and David Bryce for his presence and personal work at training and games throughout the season.
GO YOU CREDO LIONS!
Winners are grinners Nige!
Boony and Brent with the Clem Briggs Jnr Memorial Cup!
Posted by marcus at 08:00 AM | Comments (1)
Cup Day Credo Carpark Lunch
November 02, 2005
In our ongoing journey of making our laneway a more welcoming, cleaner and safer space the Credo Community took the whole Melbourne Cup Day Carpark Brunch tradition to a new level in our own carpark in Baptist Place. Cup day is an amazing contrast in city of Melbourne when the city goes from a pre race mass of expectant, festive, colourful, frocked up beauty ...to seeing the violence and general ugliness of post race revelry....talk about Makabe Diva "Fever "!!! On "All Saints Day" we wanted to celebrate those Saints of our city that wouldn't get to wine and dine in corporate marquee's. A fab day was had by all. "This should become a tradition." said one punter at the end of the day! Some great pics below.....
Luke sets up the races on the TV. in the laneway with an excited Barries and Woodsy.
Nice pink boa ginge!
The party starts...
Marx and Nige at the Laneway Bar! The Maison flowed smooth.....more pop in the cork than the drink but she still flowed smooth!
Kate Allen takes her turn behind "The Baptist Place Bar"
Luke and Jeff roll the snags whilst the nags roll on.
Credo cricket in the laneway breaks out......
...and goes off....wonder if The Commonwealth Games will be able to live up to this this welcoming, inclusive, freindly city sporting vibe?!
The cricket game was a different kind of hit! " If we weren't here laughing we'd be agro at each other."
Our response to the back doors and laneways of our city can be a mirror to the dark places of our own lives!
Posted by marcus at 09:45 AM | Comments (4)
Credo Cricket Oct 26
October 26, 2005
Credo Cricket is back in action with the Urban Seed mob joining forces with St. Marks and 614 to play in the fortnightly Wednesday comp. Above is the team in the new Urban Seed van (YUMBA-Bird #3) so generously donated to us.
After demolishing Western Storm last fortnight we had a cracking victory yesterday at Poplar Oval in Parkville. A great day had by all. Forget the Ashes the next game will be the big one against the mighty Sacred Heart!
Brunswick Salvos: 9 for 92 (Woodsy 2/12)
Credo Lions: 2:94 (Brycey 22 not out, Curnow 20)
Higlights: Woodsys 2 wicket comeback over after going over the fence in his first. Brycey and Marcus both hit in the box!. ACDC on the new van stereo on the way! Robbies speccy catch to get rid of one of their big hitters for a duck! Snowy throwing himself all over the place in the field...with usual injuries, moaning etc.
Posted by marcus at 12:23 PM | Comments (1)
