THE Sunraysia Cricket Association will wear black armbands and observe a minute’s silence before matches in the wake of the deaths of Coomealla Wentworth cricketer Brian McKenzie and SCA life member Bob Walder over the Christmas period.
McKenzie died on December 22, aged 40, after being struck by a ball while umpiring Coomealla Wentworth’s Third Division match against Merbein South on December 12.
He was flown to Melbourne after the incident for surgery, being placed in an induced coma before his death.
A fundraiser set up in his name had raised nearly $20,000 in support of his family.
The SCA will also reschedule Coomealla Wentworth’s Third Division match this weekend due to a clash with McKenzie’s funeral.
Walder died on December 21 at the age of 81, months after being made a life member of the SCA.
Already a life member of the Merbein South Cricket Club, Walder recorded 2149 runs and 179 wickets for his club – as well as many more for the Merbein Cricket Club beforehand.
One half of a set of twins with brother Jim, Bob was one of 12 children of George Godfrey Walder and Noreen Noonan.
He was a stalwart of the Merbein community and represented the district at numerous Melbourne Country Weeks as well as playing for the Mallee against the Victorian Sheffield Shield team in 1963-64 and the touring West Indians in 1967-68.
Walder made the Merbein cricket team of the decade for the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
He was also part of premiership sides at first XI level in 1961-62 and 1962-63 as well as a second XI premiership winner in 1958-59.
His and his family’s contribution to cricket in Merbein is noted with the MSCC’s honour board in its Chaffey Park clubrooms being named in the Walder family’s honour.
