“ONCE a Pointie, always a Pointie” is Golden Point Cricket Club’s motto.
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And it’s one Rob Osborne believes in strongly.
After almost 30 years from his first appearance with the club, the 50-year-old has finally reached 100 games.
Osborne achieved the milestone in the fourths during the opening round of the season, but had wanted to celebrate the feat the following round in the division five game against East Ballarat last Saturday.
There, Osborne made his first century for the club, with his unbeaten 108 carrying the Pointies to victory over the Hawks.
“The 100th was the game before, which I played in the fourths, but I didn’t want it to be my 100th. I wanted to play it with mates of mine that I’d played cricket with way back, like Bill Coppick, Damon Sargent and all those,” Osborne said.
“I’m glad to get there and it’s even better to get a hundred on it.”
Osborne first joined Golden Point in the 1986-87 season. After returning to former club Skipton and time spent playing with Westmere and Tatyoon, he was back with the Pointies in the late 1990s.
His appearances were spasmodic in those days, but as his children grew up and there was more time for cricket, Osborne became a regular player for the club.
He has played in two seconds premierships with the Pointies and is now in his third season as captain of the division five side.
Osborne has made more than 2600 runs – including 18 half centuries – and taken 64 wickets for Golden Point, but rates two of his premierships with Westmere, where he was captain, and a breakthrough flag with Skipton as a teenager as highlights in a career that he feels still has some time to run.
“I wouldn’t mind getting to 200,” he said. “The aim is to get to 200.
“If I keep playing fifths and there is 18 rounds, that’s only another five years (with) finals in between.”
tim.oconnor@fairfaxmedia.com.au