It was in 1991 that my family came to Warrnambool. My family had been coming to Warrnambool for years over the Easter and September holidays.

We had relations in Allansford and would often go there for holidays. My dad Ray got a job driving taxis and working up at the Warrnambool Football Netball Club.

Did you play any sport once your family moved to Warrnambool?

I played Colts cricket for Allansford and Tony Rea was our coach before I went down to Merrivale where I played in the Colts and then A reserves.

I ended up winning the Colts cricketer of the year award in the Warrnambool and District Cricket Association after I made more then 460 runs and got 40 wickets.

Shane Madden was the Colts coach for Merrivale in that season and we went on to win the premiership which was a wonderful result.

My dad had played cricket for Nestles so I thought I should go over and play for them in 1993-94.

I started the season in the A reserves before playing in the A grade side. We ended up losing the grand final to Dennington. It was a really tense grand final. Glenn Kelson who was the last man in came and joined me at the crease and we needed 50 runs to win.

Glenn and I whittled the runs down but we could only get 40 runs before I was out caught behind.

The Lilydale Cricket Club is close to the heart of our family from our younger days. The club was struggling for players back in 1995-96 and so I decided to go back and play cricket down there for two seasons while I lived in Warrnambool.

I would travel down to Melbourne on the Friday night or Saturday morning and then head back to Warrnambool for work on a Monday morning.

The great thing is the Lilydale Cricket Club is going well again now. They have just celebrated their 150th year. My family moved back to Melbourne to live in 1997 before we came back to Warrnambool in 2010.

Why did you move back to Warrnambool in 2010?

I just loved Warrnambool and thought it was a great environment to raise children.

The funny thing that happened, I went into the real estate agent when I first arrived back in town and who just happened to be there? It was Glenn Kelson. Glenn told me he had left the Nestles Cricket Club and was the president of the Russell's Creek Cricket Club. The first question he asked me is if I was still playing cricket.

Glenn recruited me then and there to play cricket at Creek. Sadly, Glenn passed away nine months ago and his passing has been tough on plenty of people It's been hard on his family but also difficult for the people connected with the Russell's Creek Cricket Club.

He was a great bloke and devoted so much time helping make the club a powerhouse it is today. I played for Creek in the A grade 2016-17 grand final against Woodford.

We lost the game. At one stage Cameron Williams and I were batting along alright but we both went out and the next minute we lost five wickets for five runs and our chance of winning the flag was gone.

Creek won the A grade 2017-18 flag and it was extra special to be part of that winning side as it was the clubs first A grade premiership.

We defeated Allansford - at one stage we were 6 wickets down for 32 runs and in a heap of trouble. Cameron Williams and I put on an 81 run partnership which helped us get over the line.

Paul, are you still involved with local cricket?

I've stood back as I'm helping my son Lachie with his golf. I still keep a close eye on what is happening in local cricket and how Creek is going

Before we get off your cricket career, who are some of the good players that you've seen play in the WDCA?

There's been numerous good cricketers that I've seen in the local competition. Players like Mick Rantall, Bill Fary, Peter Herbert, Gary MacLean, Ross Corbett and Shane Madden were all very good players.

One of my biggest regrets in local cricket was I never represented Warrnambool in country week cricket. I would have loved to have represented Warrnambool but I missed my chance when I went back to Melbourne for those few years.

How is your son Lachie going with his golf?

He seems to be going along pretty good. He's putting in a lot of practice out at the Warrnambool golf course which you've got to do if your going to be successful at anything in life.

Golf is a very frustrating game but you've got to keep on working at it. It takes years of practice to get your golf game right. Lachie is playing off three which is very good for a lad who is 16-years-old.

I take it you would have hit a lot of golf balls with Lachie out at the Warrnambool golf course. What's the toughest hole at Warrnambool in your opinion?

I would have to say the tenth hole. It's a par five. There's probably nine days out of ten and the wind is coming straight into your face and that makes it real difficult.

Paul, did you play much footy?

I played in junior grades and ended up playing in the under 18s at Warrnambool. I went and played senior footy with Russell's Creek and booted 96 goals in one season. Brendan Broadbent was our coach. We got beat by Merrivale in a grand final which was disappointing.

I also had played at Lilydale and had a run with a couple of other clubs outside Melbourne but I ended up focusing on my cricket and golf careers.

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