The 2021/22 Annual General Meeting of the Glen Iris Cricket, saw a passing of the guard somewhat, with Paul Lourey stepping back from his role as Secretary of the Glen Iris Cricket Club.
Paul joined Glen Iris in the 1979/80 season and played 269 games, before retiring from on-field service in 2003/04 except for the odd call-up to help out Vets and play with some old mates.
In those 269 games (which is the 20th most in our history for games played), Paul made 2999 runs (48th on the all-time run-scorers list) with the highest score of 76. During that time, he served as the 3rd XI Captain in seasons 1992/93, 1993/94, 1994/95, 1995/96, 1998/99, 1999/2000 and 2000/01 and was the 1997/98 Jim Toohey Most Determined Player.
A 3rd XI premiership player in 1995/96, Paul’s off-field service has been outstanding and the pinnacle of our club for over 40 years.
Paul joined the committee in 1986/87 and served as a Committeeman in 1989/90, 1990/91, 1993/94, 1994/95 and 1995/96 before becoming Vice-President, in a role he held for 5 seasons, from 1996/97 until the merger of the Club in 2001. Paul re-joined the Committee in the 2002/03 season and served again as a Committeeman for another five seasons from 2002/03 until 2007/08. Following that, Paul took on the role of Club Secretary in the 2008/09 season and continued in that role for 14 seasons, to the end of last season.
Fittingly, a long-serving Life Member of the Glen Iris Cricket Club, Paul’s efforts off the field have seen him awarded the 1985/86 Alex Pinkerton Award for Best Clubman, which was renamed in honour of Phil O’Rourke. Paul then won the 1993/94 and 1998/99 Phil O’Rourke Best Clubman Award and upon the merger of the Club, where the award was re-named the Bill Hutchinson / Phil O’Rourke Best Clubman Award, Paul has since won that award 9 times in 2002/03, 2003/04, 2006/07, 2008/09, 2010/11, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2015/16 and 2021/22.
It is an unbelievable record of off-field service, that Paul has made to the Glen Iris Cricket Club, which continues to this day. Paul will continue his daily roles at the Club as Operations Manager, but he has taken the opportunity to stand aside from the Secretary’s role. It would be remiss of us though, not to acknowledge Paul’s unwavering dedication to making the club what it is today and thank him for his service to the Club and Committee over 43 seasons.
All members, past and present players, supporters should thank Paul for his continued and ongoing service to cricket and our community.
Well done Pal.
