
BRENDAN McCosh's first game of cricket in more than two decades had extra special meaning.
The father-of-four lined up with son Mitchell, 13, in the Koroit division four team on Sunday.
An already memorable moment was enhanced when Brendan and Mitchell combined for a match-defining 162-run partnership as the Saints produced a 65-run win in the Warrnambool and District Cricket Association.
Brendan made a century in his comeback game while Mitchell - a Brauer College student - scored his first half century in senior cricket.
"I haven't played cricket since I was 17, so a long time," Brendan, now 39, said.
The chance to play with his children - oldest son Lachlan, 15, is away on a nine-week school leadership camp - encouraged Brendan to return.
"Luckily Koroit have put together their first division four team they've ever had in the history of the club and the whole team is pretty much made up of dads and their sons," he said.
"I thought it was a perfect time to do it."
Brendan, who batted at number three, finished unbeaten on 104.
"I was a little bit lucky. I was probably more focused on how Mitch was going than myself," he said.
"It was heaps of fun. It was great to be out there with him. The hardest thing was the running between wickets - I haven't been able to move for the last two days."
Mitchell, who opened the batting and made 62, was surprised but proud of his dad's innings.
"I said before the game he might be batting high and he said 'I can't bat' and then he made 100," he said.
"It was awesome. I've been waiting for it for a while so it felt good to be out there.
"I was very proud especially when it was his first game in 20 years."
There were moments of banter at the crease as well as a bout of seriousness.
"I told him before the game if he made more runs than me or was on more runs than me I was going to run him out," Brendan joked. "We were actually pretty focused."
The father and son are both left-handed batsmen but the youngest plays "with more patience".
"Dad went for it a bit but I was more nervous about getting out so I slow batted for a bit and once we needed the runs I started to go a bit," Mitchell said.
The McCosh family hopes there's more family memories to be made later in the season.
Lachlan will play division four when he returns home prior to Christmas while Harry, 12, is pushing his case for next season. Nine-year-old Billy is waiting in the wings long-term.
Then there's Brendan's dad Barry who will visit from Esperance in Western Australia in December.
"We are hoping my dad can actually play so we can have three different generations play for the team," he said.

Challenge set
HANNAH Rooke is one of the region's most promising cricketers and she showed why in the Warrnambool and District Cricket Association women's season-opening round on Sunday.
The Brierly-Christ Church teenager caused headaches for the Hawkesdale attack, finishing with impressive bowling figures of 2-4 off four overs.
Her spell also included a maiden over and a handy stint with the bat - she made 19 runs off 20 balls faced - as the Bulls edged home by two runs in a thriller. Rooke is part of the Victorian Premier Cricket system, playing for Essendon-Maribyrnong Park.

Cashing in
Russells Creek teenager Jordan Cashin had a memorable weekend with the willow.
The opening bat made an unbeaten 77 for the Creekers' division four side against Nirranda on Sunday before backing it up with 60 retired in the opening day of their two-day under 17 match against Koroit on Tuesday.
Three other under 17 players - Brierly-Christ Church pair Matthew Gome (63) and Isaac Wilson (61) and Russells Creek's Noah Greene (60) - had made half-centuries.
Breakthrough
Former Wesley-Yambuk player Nick Blacker made his first half-century in the Sunraysia competition on Saturday. Blacker, whose first three innings featured single-figure scores, hit 62 for Nichols Point.
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