Coffs Harbour Masters Cricket Club had its origins in 2013 when a local cricket enthusiast, Lieutenant General Ajai Barnabas Masih (Ex Indian Military Officer), placed an article in the local Coffs Harbour Advocate inviting those interested in forming an older players group to meet at Coffs CEX. The informal meeting was attended by Barnabas, Graham Doust, Russell Gill and one other. An article in the paper then invited those interested to meet at the cricket nets located at Leisure Park to have a “hit”. John Leahy had enjoyed games with Hastings (now Mid North Coast) Seniors in Port Macquarie and also joined the group. The numbers at these sessions increased and it was not long before quite a few Coffs Harbour “senior” cricketers were travelling to Port Macquarie to play with Hastings. John and Graham were invited to play in the Hastings representative side which played in Armidale at the Senior Over 60’s Championships in October 2013. Whilst they were away Barnabas submitted an article to the Sydney Telegraph inviting those in the Coffs area interested in forming a club to make contact. Graham’s phone ran hot with calls with wide-ranging interest and over the next year numbers increased with Coffs players venturing to Port Macquarie to enjoy games.
By mid 2014 there were so many players it was decided to form the Coffs Harbour and District Golden Oldies Cricket Club. A constitution was adopted and the club was registered with Fair Trading. The first three years saw Graham Doust as President, Rob Lidbetter as Secretary. Kevin Walker as Treasurer and Russell Gill as Public Officer nurture the club through its infancy. All club members took active roles in establishing the organisation. John Leahy, an experienced coach and captain managed training routines and often officiated as captain.
A NSW Government Sports Grant enabled the purchase of a cricket kit which was well received by the members. The club welcomed players of all abilities including novices….a “Men’s Shed in Whites”. A further sports grant enabled the club to refurbish the nets at Leisure Park which was the practice venue for Colts Cricket Club benefitting both organisations. Colts had been supportive when the club was formed and encouraged the use of the facilities available.
Our first official game as Coffs Harbour Golden Oldies was held on Sunday 20th September, 2015 at the Boambee Hall and Recreation Reserve. Our opponents were the Dolphins Club from the Gold Coast and the day was a great success both on the field and as a social occasion with generous hospitality. Now established, Coffs Harbour was able to arrange home and away games with teams such as Mid North Coast (previously called Hastings), Tamworth and Quirindi. Most home games were played at Leisure Park on wickets that had been used by Colts the previous day. At this stage there were only two “Seniors” State divisions, over 60’s and Over 70’s, and it was easy to field teams from our small pool of players. Our first entry into State competition was the Over 60’s Championships held at Tamworth.
NSW Seniors teams were entered into the National Championships; with Over 60’s and a fledgling Over 70’s competition, this allowed most players to be selected and experience national tournaments and also provide opportunities for friendships across state and country. The annual NSW / Queensland Cooper-Finlay Cup also provided more representative opportunities for many of the club’s players.
The club continued to progress with contributions from many members. Presidents included Rob Lidbetter, Bruce Lumb, Eric Higgins and Laurie Newland whilst an enormous amount of work was done by Noel Chapman (Secretary) and Andrew Hunter (Treasurer).
Coffs Harbour hosted the NSW / Queensland Cooper-Finlay Cup (State of Origin) tournaments in 2016 and 2018. The support of Coffs Harbour Council and the Coffs Colts Cricket Club assisted greatly with the organising of these successful events.
The participation rate has increased remarkably across the nation which has seen the introduction of many age divisions. The Coffs Harbour Golden Oldies name has changed with the times but the opportunity to participate in cricket, a sport with so much tradition in providing friendships and fun, remains at the forefront.
