Sad farewell to a true gentleman
Cricket-loving volunteer gave decades of service to club and region
Most local sporting organisations have dedicated volunteers whoare critical to their survival.
They are the people working behind the scenes, driven by pure passion for the sport and the thrill of seeing others participate.
There isno doubt Rotorua’s Alan Longwas one of those people.
Long, whodied on September 18, aged 86, arrived in Rotorua from England in 1947, as a 13-year-old and during the next seven decades left hismark on cricket in the area.
Grant Utteridge, former chairman of Sport Bay of Plenty and Rotorua Cricket has fond memories of Long’s love for the sport.
“He wasa true gentleman of the sport. Hewas just a genuine, downto-earth, good guy.
“Icame[to Rotorua] in 1982 and started playing for Central in 83. I knewalan until he died, effectively. Hewasjust a genuine lover of cricket, hewas so passionate about thegameand so passionate about everything he did for cricket.”
Whenlong arrived in Rotorua, he immediately joined the thenrsa Cricket Club. The club changed its nameto Central in the 1950s.
Long played for the Central Cricket Club for 50 years— an extremely rare feat acknowledged in a citation fromnewzealand Cricket in 1997. “In these days of
commercialism, club and provincial loyalty is rapidly fading from the scene and you have set an example which stands out like a beacon,” New Zealand Cricket president at the time Iain Gallaway said of Long’s achievement.
During and long after his playing career, Long continued to be a driving force behind the local game, holding a numberof administrative positions.
Heremains the only person to be nameda lifememberof both the Rotorua and Bay of Plenty Cricket associations.
Hewas elected president of the Bay of Plenty association in 1974, a position he retained until 1989. He spent about 40 years as president of the Central Cricket Club andsome time as Rotorua Cricket president in
the 1990s. Healso had two four-year stints on themanagement committee of Northern Districts Cricket. Heplayed a significant role in securing several first class cricket matches at Rotorua’s Smallbone Park.
Long wasthe prime organiser of the Fernleaf Cricket Club. Fernleaf was an informal ‘Barbarians-style’ club involving players from different sides which played occasional matches against visiting teams
Heorganised a Fernleaf tour to theukin 1990 – he alsomanaged the side which included former provincial representatives Kevin Craig and Richard Shrimpton. Fernleaf played matches in
Northern Ireland, Scotland and England and achieved a respectable win-loss record.
Hehad significant involvement in other sports. Herepresented Rotorua in soccer and table tennis andwas an administrator in both sports. In his later years, he and wife Connie also played indoor bowls.
Utteridge said Longwas always “great to talk to about cricket”.
“Heknewwhat hewas talking about, that’s for sure. Hewould always standup to anyone else, whatever hat he waswearing, he’d standupfor the club or the association. Hewas adetermined character, hewas a bit olderwhen I played with himso he wasn’t scoring awhole lot of runs but he was there and hewasgiving 100 per cent.
“He was salt of the earth and that’s what you needed. Youneeded a guy whowas passionate about your club and wasn’t going to let it fail. Communitysport is bloody hard work so having guys that are willing to put awhole lot of time in is crucial.
“Hewas really well respected by the opposition and his teammates. He’s a total legend of the Central Cricket Club.”
● John Alan Long (Alan), born July 17, 1934, passed awaypeacefully at Cantabria Lifecare on September 18, aged 86 years. Muchloved husband of Connie. Loved stepdad of Colleen and the late Brian, Barbara and the late Gurt, Richard and Kitty, Gordon and Karen, Steve and Paulette. In accordance with Alan’s wishes a private family service was held in Rotorua on Tuesday. All communications to “Long Family” C/- Collingwood, 5 Pretoria St, Rotorua.