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Congratulations Lee Harradine on 50 years service to the game!!

October 16, 2008 | Filed Under Events, History, Latest News

On Monday 25 August, at the ATCA Annual General Meeting, Club Patron Lee Harradine was honoured with a Cricket Australia Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution and service to the game of cricket over a 50 year period – 45 years of which have been in the service of the Fulham Cricket Club.

Lee Harradine is the most significant figure in the history of the Fulham Cricket Club. Bar none. His contribution to our Club is unmatched.

Lee’s career at Fulham occurred almost inadvertently when as a young trainee accountant he entered the doors of Sands & McDougall’s stationery shop in the city in late 1963. Gordon Brown and Geoff Williams, both Fulham players and Sands & McDougall’s employees, coerced Lee to coming out to cricket practice one night and the rest is history………

In his own words, his junior cricket career at school level was not particularly illustrious, however after his Fulham debut season [1963-64] as B grade wicket-keeper, Lee progressed to A grade in 1964-65 and stayed there until 1981-82 – 18 straight seasons. He continued to play for the club on a regular basis until 1996-97, including some further seasons in A grade. Lee ultimately represented the club as a player with distinction for over 35 years, playing a record 330 games. He was a wonderful wicket-keeper and batsman and represented the Adelaide & Suburban Cricket Association [Fulham did not join the ATCA until the early 1970s] on a number of occasions. He is acknowledged as the finest wicket-keeper in the Club’s history and in 2005 was named in the Club’s Team of the Century in that role.

Lee first captained the Club in the late 1960s and through several separate stints led the Club in this capacity until the early 1980s. He was widely respected as a captain by both his Fulham peers and opponents, not just due to his cricketing and tactical nous, but the fair-minded manner in which he played the game. One of his long lasting legacies to Fulham is the sporting nature by which the Club plays the game. Lee Harradine’s captaincy and coaching style was fundamental to that attitude permeating the Club and being followed by the many young peers who played under him who ultimately captained Fulham sides.

Lee also coached the Club for several stints from the late 1970s onwards. As a Coach he has achieved more success than any other at the Fulham Cricket Club. Aside from leading the club to its most recent A grade premiership in 1989-90, Lee also coached Fulham to the A2 minor premiership in his final year of coaching in 1994-95. Based on this achievement the Club could have entered ATCA Premier League in 1995-96 [for various reasons the club declined the invitation]. Not surprisingly, Lee was also named coach of the Club’s team of the century in 2005.

Apart from his playing and coaching service to the club, Lee was a Committee member of the club for almost 40 years. He also co-authored the Club history document in 1999 and was central to the organisation of the Club Centenary celebrations in 2005. He remains involved with the club in the role of Club Patron, sponsoring and developing the club’s website, and, due to the incredible longevity of his service and contribution, he also provides a vital link with the club and its many past players.

The club congratulates Lee on this fantastic achievement.

[It was also noted that on the same night, Cricket Australia also honoured Lee’s old ‘sparring partner’, Ray Aiston from Flinders Park Cricket Club with a 50-year award. Many of us may know him or would have played against Ray over the years so the Fulham Cricket Club also congratulates Ray on his achievement.]

Career Highlights

Junior cricket at Marion High School;

Joined Fulham Cricket Club in 1963

Fulham Cricket Club A grade debut in 1964-65 at age 18 [final A grade match, 1994 at age 47];

Adelaide & Suburban Cricket Association U/21s representative 1965-66; 1966-67*; 1967-68* [*also captain];

SA Cricket Union U/21s representative 1965-66;

Adelaide & Suburban Cricket Association seniors representative 1967-68; 1968-69* [*also captain];

Fulham Cricket Club captain 1967-68; 1968-69; 1978-79; 1979-80; 1980-81; 1981-82;

Fulham Cricket Club Coach 1978-79; 1979-80; 1980-81; 1981-82; 1986-87; 1989-90; 1992-93; 1993-94; 1994-95 [also Pulteney OS Coach 1997-98];

Fulham Cricket Club Committee Member for almost 40 years 1965-1996; 1998-2006

Fulham Cricket Club Chairman 1998-2000; President 2000 – 2006; Club Patron 2007-2008

Fulham Cricket Club ‘Cricketer of Year’ 1983-84;

Fulham Cricket Club Life Membership awarded in 1973

Fulham Cricket Club Team of Century Member and Coach [2005]

ATCA 25-year Service Award 1996-97 [the first Fulham representative to achieve this honour]

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