Sport
2 February, 2023
Graeme Crossley reaches incredible milestone for Talbot Bowling Club – and plans to go on
Talbot Bowling Club’s Graeme Crossley brought up an incredible milestone this season, notching up his 700th game for the club. The 86-year-old is still playing at a remarkably high level this season, with his Talbot Gold team pushing for a top two...
Talbot Bowling Club’s Graeme Crossley brought up an incredible milestone this season, notching up his 700th game for the club.
The 86-year-old is still playing at a remarkably high level this season, with his Talbot Gold team pushing for a top two spot on the Saturday pennant division one ladder, while wins in his last three matches alongside teammates Colin O’Halloran, Paul Radstock and Matt Vernon have vaulted the group into the top 25 in the standings, with Crossley enjoying a 6-1-4 record for the season.
The man they call ‘Binga’ takes up the story of how he became defined in the sport that he loves within the Talbot Bowling Club.
“My nickname of Binga started with my eldest brother, and it was after Bing Crosby, because of how similar our last name of Crossley was. He used to be called Binga, then it went to me and my brother, and now my kids have it as well. It just keeps going down the line,” he said.
Crossley says that his journey in lawn bowls has now lasted the best part of 44 years — an incredible show of longevity, having passed his 700th game just before Christmas.
“I started bowls in 1979/80, and they used to have 16 a side in those days. It was pretty hard to get into the team, as there used to be a lot of players around,” he said.
In that time, plenty of changes have been made to the sport, with the strict measures that were implemented back then slowly fading away over time.
“I’ve seen some changes from years and years ago. They used to line the bowls up all along the bank, and they’d check them all out before you were able to start. If one of the stickers was out, you had to go to fix it, and the dress code has changed as well,” Crossley said.
Crossley has admitted that he too has made changes to his game over the years, particularly recently when he took to the rink using bowling aids for the first time just over 12 months ago.
Crossley said that even at his age, there are still plenty of tricks to learn, citing influences such as his long-time teammate Vernon as people he’d like to emulate while he’s still in the sport.
“I’m 86 years of age now, turning 87 later this year. I have the stick that people use sometimes. If I didn’t have that, I wouldn’t have been able to bowl, as I can’t get down and deliver my bowl. I enjoy it now that I have it with me,” he said.
“I’d like to be as good as what Matt Vernon is at the moment with it — he has it down to a fine art. I’m still learning with it. I’ve had it just over 12 months, and I’m starting to get better with it."
However, Crossley’s finest achievements have come with his wife, Barb, who herself is still bowling at a level that allows her to mix it with the finest in the Goldfields region.
Together, the duo have won the regional mixed pairs title on nine occasions — but with Graeme sitting out this year, Barb called up long-time friend Radstock to fill the void, landing Barb’s 10th title last month.
“In the period between 1991 and when Barb and Paul (Radstock) won it this year, we’d won it nine times together. Barb’s one up on me now, and I don’t think she’ll let me live it down,” he said.
“When the mixed pairs first came out it was around 1991. It was called VicHealth back then, and it was played at association level first, and then it went from there to group level. The first prize back then was worth $1000 and a gold watch each. Barb and I won it. We played against some great bowlers, and we went over to Kyneton to play against them. The next year, they dropped it to $750, and we won it again, but there was no gold watch the second time.”
Graeme says that watching Barb has been an incredible journey of her own longevity, having served in all facets of lawn bowls right up to the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in 2006.
“She’s the one that’s been all over Victoria, having umpired and marked at the Commonwealth Games, winning a Victorian state fours and being a runner-up in over 60 Victorian state singles,” he said.
While Graeme reminisces about his time in lawn bowls now, he is also aware that there is unfinished business in the competition this season, knowing that Talbot Gold are right in the frame to land a title.
Graeme is aware that Highland Tartan and Dunolly Blue are still the teams to beat at the moment, having virtually sat inside the top two all season long in both midweek and Saturday competitions, but is also excited at the prospect of vaulting headfirst into the premiership race should they beat the latter tomorrow afternoon at Dunolly Bowls Club.
“Tartan and Dunolly Blue have skipped away a little bit in midweek, but in the senior Saturday competition, we’re only four points behind Dunolly Blue. If we can go and beat them this week, we’ll be moving into top two. I don’t think we will take top spot, but second is a possibility,” he said.