Ballarat cricket great Allan Spratling has died at the age of 86.
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Spratling, who was better known as “Ally”, was a member of the Mt Clear Cricket Club and Ballarat Cricket Association halls of fame.
He died on Sunday, having devoted more than 60 years to cricket.
Spratling spent 44 years as Mount Clear president and was rarely seen not wearing a Mounties cap.
He received many accolades for his contribution to cricket.
He was also a BCA and Mt Clear life member, was among the first inductees into the BCA hall of fame in 2016 and recipient of the Cricket Victoria service medal.
One of his biggest moments on a personal level, outside the joy of watching Mounties win premierships, came at the MCG in 2010 when Cricket Australia honoured the Mt Clear stalwart for an "outstanding contribution toward making cricket Australia's favourite sport" – recognising more than 50 years of service to the game.
Spratling’s cricket journey began as a 15-year-old with Blakeville, near Ballan.
Leadership came naturally to him and within three seasons he was club president, secretary, treasurer and captain.
He moved closer to Ballarat in his early 20s and served as Ross Creek Cricket Club president for four years before beginning an epic journey with Mt Clear, where as a player he was a wicketkeeper-batsman, and the BCA.
The move to Mt Clear in 1958 was a result of a merger with Ross Creek to help Mounties comply with the condition of BCA affiliation that first XI teams could not compete unless a second XI could also take the field.
Spratling was elected Mt Clear president in 1960-61 – in the days before the club had a home base – and remained in the chair until 2003-04.
The Mt Clear best clubman award, of which Spratling was a recipient, is named in his honour.
At BCA level, Spratling was made a life member in 1989-90 after 22 years on the BCA committee of management, where his tasks included key roles on the pennant committee.
He took over as Ballarat country week team manager from Vin Cahill in 2000.
Mt Clear vice-president and long-time friend Graeme Jeffrey paid tribute to the unparalleled contribution Spratling made to the club.
Jeffrey, who lived next door to Spratling in Wendouree as a youngster and was recruited to the club by him, said whatever was happening at Mt Clear, Spratling was involved in some way.
He said Spratling had an interest in every facet of Mounties.
He recalled Spratling being a driving force behind the formation of junior teams in the 1960s.
“He was a great advocate for juniors. Ally would be there every Saturday morning.”
Jeffrey said Spratling was also key player in fundraising, including bingo, and had the knack of being able to get people involved in various tasks and projects.
And it was not just the big jobs which Spratling was prepared to take on, with him for many years overeseeing equipment in the days when each team had a kit bag provided by the club, and preparing drinks for match day.
Jeffrey said outside his family, only his love for Carlton Football Club had rivalled his passion for Mt Clear.
“It was family first, Mt Clear second and Carlton a close third.”
He said Spratling had been a regular at Carlton games over the years – rarely missing.
Spratliong is survived by his wife, Noelle, and children Debbie, Helen and Greg.
A Requiem Mass will take place at Our Lady Help of Christians Church in Wendouree on Thursday at 2pm.