It’s a tradition older than the Boxing Day Test, and it stirs up family and friendly rivalry as fierce today as it did when it began.
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The annual ‘Conargo versus Connell/Landale’ cricket match was played at the Conargo Recreation Reserve on Saturday.
It was the 60th consecutive match after being started in 1964.
The spoils were claimed by the Conargo side, which also celebrated a special three generations moment.
Fourteen year-old Sam Mecham - the grandson of founding team member Colin Bull and son of Liz and Pete Mecham - got the call up from team organiser Will Bull for the match.
Sam played alongside his uncle Lachlan Bull, while his grandfather was one of the umpires.
The cricket mad teen travelled with his family from Hamilton in Victoria to be part of the day, and mum Liz said Sam was quite excited to have been selected.
“It was also quite nice, because that’s what I grew up with - watching dad play cricket at Conargo,” Liz said.
“It is a nice tradition, and if Sam get’s the call up next year we’ll be there with bells on again.
“But it may even be Lachie’s kids who get the call up next year.
“It was Sam’s first time playing as part of the Conargo team, but also playing at Conargo.”
Lachie and Sam were among eight members of the Bull family to make up the Conargo team.
Colin said while he had to be impartial on the day, he can now say the Conargo side put in a brilliant effort to claim bragging rights.
“It was a convincing win to Conargo, who finished at 6/129 while the opposition were all out for 62 after 23 overs on a wet oval,” Colin said.
“Rob Wettenhall, whose mother was a Bull, put in some brilliant bowling, and the catching from the Conargo side would be better than the Pakistanis.
“The top scorer for Conargo was Sam Crossley, who is a well known young local cricketer.”
Colin said he and Donald Bull are the only original team members still involved in the games today, albeit in a different capacity to when they first started playing in their 20s.
Conargo team organiser Will Bull is the son of Donald, and is very keen to see the tradition continue.
Coordinating the Connell/Landale side this year was Jack Eastman, a second generation player following in his father Doug Eastman’s footsteps.
“It’s all based on connections and friendships,” Colin said.
That first match came about after Dan Connell made a bet with Jack Nisbet at the Conargo Pub.
Dan reportedly told Jack ‘‘I bet I could get a team together to beat yours.’’
When Jack agreed to the challenge, a friendly rivalry was born.
Since then the annual event has seen some very handy recruits come in for the game.
One year, Mr Connell recruited Victorian wicketkeeper Norm Carlyon.
Carlyon then brought with him South Australian batsman John Lill, and the first man to make a triple century on Australian soil, Test cricketer Bob Cowper.
Other famous names to have played in the match over the years include local sporting greats like Test cricketer Simon O’Donnell, as well as Geelong premiership players Jimmy Bartel and Tom Hawkins.
AFL footballer and local product Sam Lloyd - the grandson of original player Barney Ross - has also been involved over the years.
“It’s been interesting to see who has turned up throughout the years through team recruitment,” Colin said.
“It was very competitive in those early years, and taken very seriously.
“We would dress in whites and the play was of a high standard.
“It is still pretty competitive to this day though, because of the friendly rivalries.”
Senior journalist