IN THE year of 1991, a fresh-faced Nathan Divall would head to Mack Oval to face the bowling of boys up to three years his senior.
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The Russells Creek Cricket Club was in its infancy, and Divall, 12, made up a fraction of the club’s under 15 side.
What started as a club comprised of a bunch of footballers looking to keep fit in the summer months has evolved into one of the biggest sporting entities in south-west cricket.
And Divall, who is now president of the Jetty Flat club, hasn’t missed a beat.
On the eve of his 300th appearance for the blue and white, the 37-year-old admits the Warrnambool and District Cricket Association outfit is as engrained in him as he is in it.
“Back then, I think we had two senior teams and one junior team,” he says.
“Now, we’ve got five junior teams, Milo, three senior teams and we probably could have had four if we really wanted to.
“We’ve just had a function up here that we had nearly 40 people at. It’s really good to see that tight-knit group and really, it’s always been like that. It’s great to see.”
Off the field, the former captain-coach juggles the operation of a busy building design business with parenting three children alongside his wife, Casey.
Twins Ruby and Oscar, 3, and Isabel, 5, are well known around the club and have spent countless Saturdays watching their father take the field at Jetty Flat.
Throw in Divall’s parents, Kaye and Garry, who were long-standing committee members at Creek, and his sister Kylie, and it becomes evident as to why his career in blue and white has stretched for so long.
Originally based in Brierly precinct, Divall and wife Casey built a home on the bank of the Merri River – just a couple of hundred metres from the Jetty Flat complex.
On a clear afternoon, the fall of wickets on the hallowed turf can be clearly heard from the Divall’s living room.
His tenure as captain-coach, under then president Glenn Kelson, oversaw the most radical growth in the club’s short history.
From 2011 to 2014, the club dominated on a junior front and fielded four senior sides. Divall remained captain in season 2014-15, but relinquished his coaching duties.
Fellow Creek stalwart Paul Walker took the reins the following season, and Divall transitioned into a role as a senior player.
“It’s definitely easier when you don’t have the responsibility on the field, as you only have to worry about yourself instead of who is going to bowl or bat next,” he says.
Captaining and coaching was something that I really did enjoy doing. It was something I really did love being a part of.
- Nathan Divall on his tenure as Russells Creek captain-coach
“Having said that, captaining and coaching was something that I really did enjoy doing. It was something I really did love being a part of.
“Cam (Williams) does come to guys like myself, Paul (Walker) and Bundy (Jayaweera Bandara) with questions as captain sometimes but we have deliberately tried to let him run the show because that is what he is here to do.
“He has some great ideas. Yes, we’re always there as a sounding board but we’ve tried to take a bit of a backwards step since he has crossed to the club.”
Divall is in his first year as club president. He was involved on the Russells Creek committee before coaching commitments took over, and returned to the executive after a year of “nothing” last season.
As his 300th game approaches, the father-of-three says the milestone is a “nice feat” but not something he has played exclusively to achieve.
“It’s not something I’ve specifically strived for. I know plenty of other guys who have played 300 games in the association and it isn’t why you play cricket. That’s come about because I love cricket,” he says.
“I played a number of years in A reserve because we didn’t have an A grade side. Once we got A grade, I stepped up to play in that.
“I’ve been lucky enough to largely play in A grade since then.”
Divall’s only match outside the top two senior divisions is one of the most memorable matches of his career to date.
Forging solid form with the ball in 2007-08 leading into the two-day format, Divall was called away for a wedding, forcing him to miss a week of cricket.
The following week, he decided to suit up for Russells Creek’s division three outfit to help with numbers.
“We were out at Allansford for that one,” he says.
“I went out and creamed a shot to a guy whose hand just stuck to the ball, and I was out for duck.
“Then I came on to bowl. I think the first two balls were edged and went for boundaries, and I ended up going for about 25 runs from something like three overs.”
In a career decorated with highlights and memories, Divall is chasing one last trophy for his mantelpiece.
The dream of winning a maiden premiership with Russells Creek is the driving force for his continued motivation in the game.
This season could be one, or at least it is looking as promising as any in his 25-year career.
Creek is lodged comfortably at the top of the table, boasting five wins and two draws from seven matches to date.
It is four points clear of Port Fairy which holds second place.
“We’ve probably got great depth at the club this year, and that shows in division two also being on top of the ladder,” Divall says.
“I think 19 or 20 guys at the club have played division one cricket. That’s a really good strike rate.”
