CRICKET Australia has honoured Mt Clear stalwart Allan Spratling for an "outstanding contribution toward making cricket Australia's favourite sport" in more than 50 years' service to the game.Spratling was presented before a large formal gathering in the MCG's illustrious Olympic Room at tea in Ford Ranger Cup action on Wednesday."They had me first on the agenda ... when they read out my 44 years as Mt Clear Cricket Club president and 44 years on the Ballarat cricket pennant committee the crowd clapped and clapped and clapped," Spratling said."When they finished reading out my achievements, there was a big ovation again."It was really good but pretty emotional."Spratling was treated like royalty with a padded seat, offering plenty of leg room, to watch Victoria battle a tight match against New South Wales.While eating dinner, Spratling had a seat with uninterrupted, panoramic views of the ground.Spratling first pulled on the whites aged 15 with Blakeville, near Ballan, and three years later was promoted as club president, secretary, treasurer and captain all-in-one.He moved closer to Ballarat in his early 20s and served a four-year stint as Ross Creek Cricket Club president before his long-serving terms as an executive for Mt Clear and Ballarat Cricket Association.At the Mounties, the wicketkeeper-batsman also captained the seconds in his playing days and remains involved in the club's executive committee.When international touring teams came to town, Spratling was called on to help manage squads, meeting player requests for England, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and India."It was tremendous," Spratling said."Some even had me buy their wives birthday presents _ I had to pick it out."He stills helps manage the BCA's Melbourne Country Week team each summer.In almost 60 year in the game, Spratling said not much had changed when it came to the basics of cricket - "Eleven fieldsmen, a bowler and couple of batsmen playing a game" - but he had been privileged to watch young Ballarat cricketers grow into solid A grade players.He fondly remembers a "special" Mounties senior premiership from about a decade ago in which every player had started in the club's under-12s.Spratling said all his work had been voluntary and he has loved every moment."Everything I've done has been a highlight to me and if I had my time over, I'd do it all again," Spratling said."Getting to know so many good people is the secret to all gifts."