Craigieburn Cricket Club has paid to tribute to club legend David Woodgate, who died on Saturday after a short illness.
Woodgate, whose involvement in the club started more than 30 years ago, was involved as a player, parent, coach, president and committee member.
He was also an umpire and a board member with the North West Metropolitan Cricket Association.
All of Craigieburn’s sides wore black armbands at the weekend, with a minute of silence before several games.
Eagles president Gerard Laffan, who was a close friend of Woodgate, said he was a valued member of the club who stepped up when needed.
He said Woodgate coached several junior sides and also coached representative junior sides.
More recently, Woodgate coached the Craigieburn women’s side for several years, including the current season before he became sick .
Laffan said it was a testament to the person Woodgate was that he took on coaching the women’s side when a lot of other people wouldn’t.
Laffan said Woodgate held a special place in the hearts of the club’s female players.
He led them to a premiership in the 2013-14.
His wife, Heather, and son John were on hand on Sunday when the women’s side had an emotional win against Jacana in the Cricket Victoria women’s Community Cricket north-west competition.
The Eagles made 6-125 from their overs, with skipper Litara Va’auli top scoring with 38.
They then bowled Jacana out for 88. Va’auli and Rebecca Lines took three wickets each.
The win moved the Eagles into fourth spot with one round remaining in the season.
Laffan said the club’s 40th anniversary celebrations the previous week had taken on even more significance with Woodgate in attendance.
“It was pretty special,” Laffan said. “I know he was pretty chuffed and had an absolute ball with people he hadn’t seen for a long time.”
