Life Member
Hall of Fame
Club Champion
1st X1 Cap No. 262
3rd XI Captain for 8 years
Treasurer for 11 years
Secretary and Assistant Secretary
Geoff passed away on August 24 2022 at the age of 84.
Geoff joined the Club in 1954 when he was 16, playing mainly in the 2nd XI as the Club had no juniors at the time. He was a right-hand bat and a medium pace bowler who used subtle changes of pace and line to take 200+ wickets over his career.
At age 17, at a time when the Club was fighting for survival, Geoff was drafted into the Committee as Assistant Secretary and a year later assumed the role of Treasurer, a position he held for over a decade.
Life Member and club stalwart from 1954 to 1964 Ray Wigley remembers: We played many games together, mostly losses, but we refused to let the club die.
One of the key drivers in the formation of junior section of the Club in 1959, Geoff later found his niche as Captain of the 3rd X1 where he nurtured many of the up-and-coming juniors including John Wintle, John Manzie, Peter Neville and Laurie Morrison all of whom played significant roles in the 1st X1 across the next decade.
Life Member, Hall of Famer and fast bowling great John Wintle recalls: Geoff was my first senior captain – a Hampton man through and through! He was an important clubman who helped many a junior player learn to love HCC back in the early 1960s. He always encouraged us to strive to improve our cricket skills.
Geoff was a sound captain and a fine all-rounder in the 3rd X1 … he was a good judge of the game. RIP Geoff.
Dennis Bouyer who captained the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th X1s in a 30-year career at Hampton reflects: What a great legend of the HCC. Geoff was my first captain – he could do it all, a real all-rounder. I sat beside him at the 2021 luncheon and enjoyed his company telling old stories. Vale Geoff.
Geoff captained the 3rd X1 for 8 seasons playing a leading role as an untiring medium pacer and middle order bat. In the 1961-2 season Geoff took 55 wickets – an impressive tally that has not been surpassed since in the 3rd X1. He took 7 wickets in an innings on 3 occasions and a match tally of 12/64. His all-round ability was recognised in 1963/64 when he won the Club Championship. After this award Geoff acquired the nickname of Garfield (Sobers) as an irreverent nod to his achievements.
In addition to his great contribution as Treasurer Geoff was also the main organiser of the annual car trials and golf days as well as hosting several of the highly successful gambling nights.
Life Member, Team of the Decade – 1970s and Hall of Famer Peter Neville recalls: Geoff played a huge part in my development as a Hampton cricketer. He captained the 3rds, when they were on mats in the CMCA back late 60’s and early 70’s, when l was a kid, and l did learn a great deal from him. He was a true gentleman, and also a very, very handy cricketer. He will be sadly missed.
Team of the Decade – 1970s and great off spinner, Andy Robertson says: I remember Geoff as a significant and important member of the Hampton Cricket Club. When I came to Hampton around 1965, Geoff was one of the level headed and sensible people who ensured that the sometimes volatile mix of temperaments were [most often] contained and were able to focus on winning games of cricket.
Geoff, and his brother Grantley, made me welcome at the Club and I was always appreciative of that. Good men.
Geoff’s passing brings to a close the Club’s long association with the Evans’ family. Geoff (G.L Evans) and his brother Grantley (G.H), also a Life Member, made enormous contributions to rebuilding Hampton in the late 1950s and continuing through to the early 1970s. Their father was also a regular fixture at Castlefield oval supporting the 1st X1 over many years.
Geoff’s brother Grant was a non-playing administrator who served variously as President (3 years), Secretary (11 years) and Treasurer (2 years) over a 20-year period on the Club executive. Grant was also the 1st X1 scorer, a member of the VJCA executive for many years and, on moving to Queensland for work, became Secretary of the Queensland Cricket Association from 1979 to 1991. Jim Kenny described Grant’s influence as ‘ a contribution beyond measure’.
It is fair to say that the Evans brothers, along with Harry Sutton, John Kenny and later Con O’Donohue, led the revival of the Club as it entered what became, under their stewardship, a very successful 1960s era – and the genesis of the great club it has become today.
Geoff gave outstanding service both on and off the field and provided wise counsel to the Committee for over 20 years. The award of Life Membership and induction into the Hall of Fame are testament to his contribution to the Club’s history.
A great Hampton man.
Rest in peace Geoff.
Acknowledgement: This tribute draws on material from Jim Kenny’s magnificent history of the Hampton Cricket Club ‘There’s a bit of a Larrikin Element down there…
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