A FITTING tribute to a sporting colleague took the form of an emotion charged memorial cricket match played at Mick and Jean Walker Oval in Mount Burr recently.
For the third time since cancer claimed the life of 30 year old Bryce Pollard in 2019, the T20 cricket match was played between Mount Burr’s cricket club and football club.
Bryce played for both clubs where he cemented friendships that have lasted beyond his passing, and have made the memorial match an annual event on Mount Burr’s calendar.
Covid-19 fears looked like putting the event in doubt this year and, despite short notice, three of Bryce’s former Mount Burr sporting colleagues came from Adelaide especially to play in the memorial match to pay tribute to their mate.
They were Chris Puiatti, Daniel Cooney and Tom McBride.
However, the three were not alone in remembering Bryce on Sunday.
All their fellow players and a strong group of spectators knew why they were there, and the bond through their shared loss was palpable.
After a day of good natured competition played in pleasant conditions on Mount Burr’s picturesque oval, with spectators enjoying the facilities of the renowned Can Hill, the organiser Nathan Muhovics thanked all for attending, making particular mention of the trio who had travelled from Adelaide.
“It’s a special day for us to remember what Bryce meant to us,” he said.
“It’s been good fun and Bryce would have wanted that.
“He was a great bloke and we all miss him.”
Bryce’s mother, Sue held back tears in thanking people for attending the event in memory of her only son.
“He loved Mount Burr; he loved playing cricket for Mount Burr, he loved playing football for Mount Burr, and he played out here from when he was little,” said Sue.
“His memory will still live on because of people like Nathan and he will never be forgotten.”
She also thanked club stalwart Peter Henderson for ensuring the field looked so picturesque before congratulating the cricket club players for defeating the football representatives for the first time in the competition’s history and earning the right to have their name added to Bryce’s cricket bat which has become the perpetual trophy for the event.
