Terry Croton's cricket career started like many others – in the backyard at home with his family.
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Croton started playing the game at a young age against his brother, Graham.
“We were really serious about our cricket at home,” he said.
“We would mow a strip out the front of the house in the paddock and by the time we got to around the age of 11, it became a game with a real cricket ball.
“That’s where I started bowling as a kid.”
The former left-arm bowler practised his bowling as Graham stood at the crease.
“He was relentless and was never going to let me have a bat,” he said.
“I was happy when the hardball came along – I put plenty of bruises on him.”
From then, Terry and Graham took turns filling in for Crowlands alongside their father
“Quite often they were one short and we got the opportunity to play a match here and there,” he said.
“I would have been 12, no more, and I remember playing Rhymney at Rhymney and it was my turn to play.
“There was an older bowler, who was a legend in his day but was getting towards the end of his career.
“I thought if I could hang around, I could help out the batsmen at the other end.
“After a while, the old express bowler got sick of me and I was introduced to bouncer after bouncer after bouncer.”
Croton stuck at cricket through the football off-season, as well as owning his own business as a bricklayer.
“I was always really busy, very time poor and a lot of the time stuffed from laying bricks all day, ” he said.
“I look back now and wonder how I managed to fit everything in.”
Despite missing some training sessions, or only training for a short period, Croton managed to keep his skillset at a standard that earned him representative cricket selection.
“I played in several country weeks and in interleague squads,” he said.
“Some of those matches are some great memories.”
One particular outstanding memory is when he captained a country week side in Melbourne.
“I knew this was going to be my last Melbourne Country Week,” he said.
“Our whole team really wanted to win a final for, and with, Henry (Gunstone) and honour all the work he put into cricket within the area.
“We were fortunate enough to get to the final at Punt Road but weren’t able to win it.”
Croton said some of the most enjoyable moments during his cricket career was the hype and adrenaline building up to the big games.
“During the season it was great to play against some of the best players in country cricket,” he said.
“I used to love the challenge that came out of playing Youth Club – especially facing Peter Homden.”
As Croton looks back on his career, he said he only has one regret.
“I wish I took my batting more seriously,” he said.
“I made a few hundreds but one of favourite things was carving up the opposition and take the bowler on.”
Croton’s batting and character was on display in one interleague challenge against Horsham.
“There was always a great rivalry between the sides – just like in footy,” he said.
“Henry came up to me and five minutes before we were to start, he told me I was to open the batting with him.
“I poked around a bit and missed a few, I was a bit scratchy.
“There was a howling gale bowling around the ground.”
Croton said he was lucky to make more than 10 runs.
“I snicked one through to the wicketkeeper and slips – I hesitated, the umpire didn’t put his finger up and I didn’t know what to do,” he said.
“I walked off towards the boundary and from the sidelines the Grampians boys were yelling some profanities (and to) get back to the crease and keep batting.
“I was reminded that from my bowling, sometimes not outs were given – so I thought, ‘bugger it, I’ll go back’.
“I thought I would just swing the bat around at everything and sure enough be out after an over or two.
“It didn’t really happen that way – the first bowl I went bang and hit him for six.
“More than 100 runs later, let’s just say the Grampians boys were really happy.”
Although commencing his cricket at Crowlands, Croton moved to Swifts to gain more experience on a turf wicket.
“I was very honoured to be named in the team of the half century a few years ago,” he said.
“To be named in the best team for Swifts and Great Western, that is a real honour.”
Croton finished his career at Youth Club – after taking the opportunity to train close to his home in Stawell.
“I always said I would retire when I couldn’t bowl anymore and that’s what I did,” he said.
“I was in my mid-40s when I played my last game and I will always be thankful for the time I got to spend in the sport and the friendships I was able to form.”
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