Following the death of our loyal member Roy Owen last year we have been in contact with his family to identify the best way to commemorate his love for the club and his ever presence at our home games. Roy would have loved this to be debuted at the first home game of the season and there was definitely someone missing from the crowd on Saturday.
A complimentary drink for the man of the match was agreed as the most appropriate way to remember Roy at our home games. Those who attended Roy’s service will remember the brilliant story of him being introduced to cricket and the reason why this will be called the “Keep it up” Man of the Match award.
There was of course only one winner this week and a perfect first winner for Roy’s award as Greg is a player Roy saw come through from the juniors at Selkirk. If you don’t know the “keep it up Roy!” Story his son Alastair has kindly outlined it below. Congratulations to Greg and thanks to Roy’s family for agreeing to put this commemoration in place.
“The “Keep it up Roy” Story.
It was Roys first ever exposure to playing cricket and was the result of his neighbour, who was the captain of the village team, asking Roy if he wanted to play as they were short. A conversation that probably took place in the village pub as that’s where most selection decisions occurred. In his white golf shoes and borrowed cricket whites, Royturned out in the traditional rainy April fixture. It was whilst fielding on a wet pitch he wanted to make it easy for the bowler so, when returning the ball to him, Roy was certain to make sure that it bounced a bit before rolling up to the bowlers feet. This was met with cries all round of “keep it up Roy” which Roy took to be positive feedback.
The cries became a bit more forceful as the balls went on, which Roy took to be the whole team supporting and encouraging him as the new guy. It was at the end of the third over that a furious bowler strode over to Roy to explain that keep it up was an instruction to keep it off the wet grass not congratulations on his skill in getting the ball soaking wet, only he didn’t quite use words that can be spoken in polite company.
That was Dads first game.
Alastair Owen”