Welcome to the seventh instalment of the GDCC Awards for 2019/2020. It is now time to congratulate another long term player who is retiring (well maybe) from grade cricket. Below is a video interview between Cameron Eccles and Ed Howitt and this is followed by a short tribute to Cam and some statistics.
Cameron Eccles has announced he is not playing next year after a fantastic career with the Stags, however he has not ruled out coming back in future years to play lower grades. So maybe it is not a retirement but more a rest.
Last season when Cameron reached his 5,000 milestone a story was posted of his achievements for the club so we won’t repeat that story, however some details of Cam’s career with Gordon are as follows:
Cameron has played 12 seasons for the club starting as an 18-year-old cricketer, who had joined the Gordon Cricket Academy at the end of the season before after impressing for CHS at the Lord’s Taverner’s Cup in Sydney.
At the end of the 2019-2020 season Cameron has scored 5,615 runs in 197 innings for the club in all grades at an average of 28.50. In first grade he has scored 3,939 runs in 148 innings at an average of 26.61.
In the story about Cam’s 5,000 runs achievement Ed Howitt made the following comment.
It is only fitting that the batsmen who has shielded the likes of Colley, Richtor and Evans from the new ball for many years has now joined them in the 5000 club. I had the pleasure of playing with Cameron on his way his up to 1st grade. I recall, Round 1 v Randwick Petersham at Kensington, he peeled off a 100 which I will always remember for the sparkling, crisp straight drives. He followed this up with another 100 in 2nd grade the following round, was promoted to 1st grade in Round 3 and peeled off another 100 against Sydney Uni in Round 5.
Cameron can also claim to being in the elite group of players with only 1 grade wicket. This was achieved under the less than predictable captaincy of Brett Rosen, who himself managed a few overs the game Cam cleaned up the Parramatta number 7 in 2nd grade.
This is a significant achievement. I think the fact he joins the majority of our current the Top 5 in 1st grade with 5000 runs is testimony to his commitment to Gordon and we should also pay credit to the mercurial Mark O’Neill for his coaching and guidance over many years.
Congratulations Cameron…See you soon
