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Tongala Cricket Club has a huge night coming up on Saturday, February 9.

It’s the official opening of its new clubrooms and a highlight will be the induction of five former club players as legends of the club.

One of the organisers of the night, Des Campbell, said this week invitations were being sent out, but anyone who has had anything to do with the club at any stage, including supporters, would be welcome at the evening.

‘‘It’s going to be a big night for the club and the more there the merrier. It’s a big night in club’s history really,’’ he said.

Just who are the five ex-players who are going to be officially recognised as ‘‘club legends’’ will no doubt be a hotly debated subject in the lead up to the evening.

Atkins hits mark

Although his halcyon days in the sport may be over, Tongala hot-shot Steve Atkins is still very much on target.

The multiple state, national and international marksman collected both the 25-target handicap and 500-target skeet event, a graded-cash shoot, at the January shoot at the Echuca Clay Target Club.

Shooting from a backmark, he finished with 34 hits out 35 targets and in the A-grade skeet event won with 48-50.

Fair point ‘Stats’

While well aware that a new draw in grouping neighboring clubs in the draw to get a maximum spectator response over the season, I think new joint sports co-ordinator at radio ONE FM, Mark ‘Stats’ Owens, makes a good point.

His suggestion is a Shepp United v Rochester opening round clash could have been publicised as a shoot-out between the respective boom full forwards of both sides.

‘‘It would be (former Bendigo League star) Grant Weeks’ debut in the league for Rochester and the return of Jason Eagle to the United side,’’ he said.

‘‘You’d reckon if a game under lights at Deakin Reserve between two sides with these two players playing would be a great attraction and get a huge crowd on Good Friday night.’’

Instead Rochester is hosting Echuca in the opening round the following day, which is very much a sore point with Echuca, which has traditionally hosted a home game over Easter for 15 years to cash in on the influx of tourists to the area.

Despite Echuca’s constant protests, GVFL general manager Keith Wellman confirmed this week the league had informed Echuca of its responsibility, under league rules, to play the game at Rochester on March 30.

GVFL club delegates made the decision initially to take away the opening round game from Echuca which was then confirmed by the GVFL board.

As yet I haven’t struck anyone who doesn’t think Echuca has got a raw deal.

Ky cricketers represent Rivers

Promising young Kyabram cricketers are representing the Northern Rivers cricket zone in State competitions in Melbourne this week.

Brothers Kyle and Cade Mueller are in Northern Rivers’ under-16 and under-14 teams respectively, while Cooma young gun Liam Barrett represented the zone at the under-18 state championship last week in which the Northern Rivers won two and lost two games.

Liam picked up three wickets in one of the wins.

Cooma celebrates

Cooma Cricket Club’s premiership reunion last Saturday night turned out to be a most enjoyable night with some blasts from the club’s distant past appearing.

Ron Pell, who skippered Cooma to a flag win in 1950, attended along with other club veterans Peter Fry, Lindsay Clapp and Ray Tuhan, while stars in the 1970s Bill Fry and Peter Warburton were also in attendance.

‘‘More than 100 people attended and it was a really top night with a lot of memories relived,’’ club president Russ Barrett said this week.