Julie Owens (Parramatta, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Parramatta has lost another of its greats. Ron Wright OAM, Secretary of the Parramatta District Cricket Club, passed away last week. Even among Parramatta greats, Ron stood out. We knew him as 'Mr Parramatta Cricket'. He was the honorary secretary of the club for 40 years, and that's quite a record. He was secretary from 1979 to the present day, except for one season in 1987-88, when they elected someone else—I'll have to get to the bottom of that one. And that title—Mr Parramatta Cricket—was well and truly earned. As Ron would say: no effort, no crown.

This was a man who turned up. For 40 years, even at the age of 89, he was still turning up, attending every meeting, as well as practice sessions and matches. He was always there if help was needed. There were periods in the late 1980s and early 90s when this man literally held the cricket club together through force of will. The club basically owed its continued existence to his energy, commitment and generosity. Even more amazing, Ron never actually played cricket; in fact, he was a soccer goalie. He got to know the club when his son joined the junior cricket team. The world of Parramatta cricket changed that day. For his efforts, Ron was awarded life membership of the Parramatta District Cricket Club, life membership of the New South Wales Districts Cricket Association, an Australian Sports Medal and the Medal of the Order of Australia. He was 89 years of age when he passed away and was still getting on with his job.

My condolences to Ron Wright's family—his wife, Margaret, and his kids, Martin, David and Debbie—and the Parramatta cricket club community, who will miss him deeply.