CRICKET Southern Lakes has submitted a proposal to Lake Macquarie City Council seeking the renaming of Awaba Oval in honour of the late Robert Holland.
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The former NSW and Australian Test leg-spinner is a club legend, having devoted 50 years to Southern Lakes as a player, administrator, coach, mentor and servant.
He passed away on September 17 last year, after battling a brain tumour.
The club, which plays as Toronto Workers District Cricket Club in its senior ranks, submitted its proposal to council this week.
“As a cricket club, we see Awaba Oval as our spiritual home, being our original first grade home ground,” club secretary Chris Kuszelyk wrote.
“This was the place that Robert played his first game of first grade for Southern Lakes in 1961, having debuted for the club in third grade as a 14 year old a year earlier.
“Over the next 50 years and beyond he was a source of inspiration for the many hundreds of Southern Lakes cricketers fortunate enough to play and practice alongside him or even just share a conversation with him.
“Robert’s generosity knew no bounds.”
Holland played 440 grade matches for Cricket Southern Lakes, including 317 in first grade.
“In first grade he took 799 wickets at an average of 17.87,” Kuszelyk said.
“Overall, Robert took 1120 wickets for the club and remains as the club’s fifth highest run scorer.”
After his first class career, Holland returned to Toronto to give back to the sport.
“He was the catalyst in unifying several local junior clubs in the early 1990s to form Southern Lakes Junior Cricket Club, and for many years was the dual president of both junior and senior bodies before they merged to form the one organisation in 2012, now known as Cricket Southern Lakes.”
Kuszelyk said JR (Ron) Hill Oval, in Toronto, and Awaba Oval were “living legacies” to the countless hours of voluntary work Holland dedicated to the venues and playing facilities.
