Allan 'Drag' Douglas Harris

Born

02/01/1938-11/08/2015

Clubs

Wangaratta, Yarrunga. Also involved with College, Bruck

W.D.C.A. Record  

256 games from 1954/55 to 79/80 and 1985/86.

6070 runs.                

259 wickets.            

 5 (100's)     

19 (50's)

R/Up 'Chronicle Trophy' 1966/67       

P/ship in 1963/64

Melbourne Country Week   

4 trips as a player between 1957 and 1967

Member 1957 Provincial Premiership

Bendigo Country Week       

8 trips as a player between 1966 and 1977 (Captain 1976) 1 (50)

North East Cup                   

11 games, 138 runs and 5 wickets

Curator

45 years @ Wangaratta Showgrounds, College and Bruck

Umpire                                

28 years including WDCA U.A. Administration 1996-2006

Also played                         

Peechelba, Woollen Mills, 76 games with Royal Vic C.C. (aka City Wanderers, City Central 1482 runs and 103 wickets

Manager                              

WSCA Country Week Teams 1991 -2003

Cricket Life Membership    

Wangaratta C.C., WDCA, Royal Vic C.C. , WDCA Umpires Board, Wangaratta Sunday C.A.

50 Year Certificate             

Cricket Australia, Cricket Victoria

Other Honours                    

Life Member Wangaratta Football Umpires Board, Tarrawingee Baseball Club

His ticker has already let him down once; his knees are shot and he can barely shuffle his once powerful frame. But, still he remains besotted with the game he served so diligently for almost 60 years. There are many different facets to the 'Drag' cricket story. Perhaps you recall him attacking the bowling with gusto, never afraid to lift the ball aggressively or trundling his innocuous left arm tweakers. Allan is the youngest of 19 kids ! (13 girls and 6 boys) was introduced to cricket by the headmaster at Peechelba Primary Mr Tom Stevenson. Cricket was never a big deal in Peechelba before old Tom arrived. Allan listened to Tom and took on the game with gusto. He never looked back and at the age of 10 he filled in for Peechelba's Social cricket team alongside skipper Stevenson and at 12 after his father died the family moved to Wangaratta; he was playing for Woollen Mills. But the moment he threw his bat over the handlebars of his bike and headed down to the showgrounds, he began a love affair with the Wangaratta C.C. which was to last the best part of a quarter of a century.

Clem Fisher, Max Bussell and 'Cappy' Ritchens were to become team mates and terrific mentors and the youngster with a ton of cheek settled into the side. Drag went onto earn selection in Wangaratta's Country Week team in 1957, alongside Graeme Kerr and Tommy Crosher. It was the first of his four visits to Melbourne and provided an unforgettable memory, as Wangaratta took out the Provincial title. He was at his peak in the 1960's and was rated among the competition's outstanding all rounders. Whilst he scored 5754 runs and snared 238 wickets for Wangaratta, his sole premiership with the club came in 1963/64.

He Captained the Wangaratta League side in Bendigo in 1976. As a curator for 45 years Drag's wickets were held in high regard particularly the international prepared wicket for the 1959 match with England and for Shield fixtures at the Norm Minns Oval (Showgrounds). He also prepared the wickets for College and Bruck and received the highest commendation.

He was instrumental in the formation of the Yarrunga C.C. as he saw a need for kids in that area to have the chance of playing senior cricket. He played 21 games with the young side in 2 seasons. He also helped the down and out College club and within half a year helped them to reach the finals to be overcome by the Corowa juggernaut. Unfortunately these 2 clubs folded.

He later became a well-respected Umpire and had a good rapport with the players. He was later coaxed into playing alongside son Gary, with Sunday team City Central which later became Royal Vic. Wife Betty who was a loyal supporter was delighted. She was beaming with pride on the day Allan and Gary 'Me and Dad' figured in a 200 run second wicket partnership against Woollen Mills. The old fella added a further 1796 runs to his career tally in his 7 years at Royal Vic. (Royal Victoria Hotel once stood at the corner of Faithfull Street and Victoria Parade).

Drag and the Harris family were synonymous with the Sunday association. They pushed for a Sunday rep. team and with 'Drag' and Manager/Coach the WSCA surprised the cynics with their success at Melbourne and Bendigo Country Weeks. The demise of the Sunday comp in 2003 saw the close of another chapter in the Allan Harris story.

A true Legend.