Shane Norman’s analytical and statistical ability has proven of great benefit in his work and sporting circles.
With a total of 379 games, batting 375 times with Corowa Cricket Club including 230 A Grade games for a total of 7,146 runs at an average of 20.65 and opening the batting on 241 occasions, these statistics and many more in respect of all open age cricketers in the club have been compiled by Norman since season 1988/89.
Every sporting club should have detailed records but someone has to undertake the role. Fortunately for the Roos, the club has that person.
“Shane is a current life-member of the Corowa Cricket Club and, notwithstanding his cricket ability and long playing career, has been a cornerstone of the club as the longest serving secretary/treasurer in the club’s history,” former premiership teammate, star batsman and wicketkeeper for over 10 years, Paul Miegel said.
“His attention to detail, together with his meticulous record-keeping, has enabled the club to showcase the feats and statistics of all its players, in all senior grades, since Shane became secretary in the early 90s.”Miegel described Norman as “the club’s version of ‘Champion Data’ that the AFL use”. “He has won numerous batting and club awards, and is the model clubman with his dedication to the organisation of the club, the game and the community.”
Although he has ‘retired’ from cricket, the much deserved past club person of the year and 2013-made Life Member who has played in nine premierships still helps out in various ways.
This assistance includes helping with the playing numbers with B Grade in 2019/20 and, after taking on the roles of club secretary in 1992/93 and treasurer in 1999/20, continues in both roles.
“I still had plenty of jobs last season with the move into Provincial in CAW and with all the COVID rules,” Norman, who will hit 50 age-wise in November, said.
“At the end of every season I’d receive all the scorebooks. Just before we moved to MyCricket I found another program and started entering all the old records into the program.
“Luckily for me they had an import from MyCricket so it hasn't been that hard to keep the records up to date.”A well respected batsman, Norman has played all his cricket with Corowa, commencing as a
as a 15-year-old in season 1987/88; amassing 4041 runs in A Grade at an average of 18.37, playing
rep cricket for the Wangaratta & District Cricket Association, Melbourne Country Week, Bendigo Country Week and North East Zone Comp. He also represented North East Zone in 1998/99 against three other zones.
Norman’s top score was his one century in A Grade, 117 against Whorouly. He hit an unbeaten 102 against Ovens Valley United in B Grade.
“I started in 1987/88 as a leg spinner who batted at eleven!” he said. That wrist spinning claimed 11 wickets in A Grade at 25.82 and an overall 76 wickets at 16.51 with a best of 8 for 37 against Bruck in B Grade.
Highlights include playing in four A Grade premierships in 1994/95, 1997/98, 1998/99 and 1999/2000 premierships, and the 2009/10 one day grand final win.
Memorable individual performances include 1994/95 when, batting at number seven, he strode to the wicket with Corowa delicately poised at 5 for 112 chasing 182 to win. Norman made 38 not-out in the five-wicket win.
In 1997/98, while opening the batting and the Roos requiring 139 to win, the side slipped to 5 for 51. But Norman’s unbeaten 74 saved the day in another five-wicket win.
Playing in four B Grade premierships, in 1989/90, 1991/92, 2013/14 and 2017/18 are other fond memories of Norman’s.
“Shane was a very positive opening batsman who had a ‘great eye’ and was not scared to loft the ball over the infield, which suited him to the shorter formats of the game,” Miegel said.
“He was renowned for scoring quickly which was a great advantage for the team, especially if he batted for any length of time.
“His biggest detraction was his concentration - he had a habit of scoring 20-30 very quickly - and then getting out however, when he concentrated for longer periods, he would make bigger scores. He was also an excellent fieldsman.”
Who does Norman rate as the best player at Corowa? “I only played a couple of games with John Macpherson, but saw him win a game chasing eight runs an over for 10 overs without hitting the ball in the air or hitting a four,” Norman said. “It was amazing to watch.
“With centre wicket training, he would have four bowlers bowling at him and I was the only fielder and he hit every ball to me. He said by doing this it was easy to pick gaps when he got to game situation. Rod Lane over my time was so consistent.”
For the record, Norman also played football: 13 senior games for Corowa/Rutherglen, about 110 reserve grade games from 1991 to 1997, played in the 1992 reserves premiership side that won by two points after being 29 points down at three-quarter-time – he kicked three goals in that last quarter) – and played at CDHBU in 1998, notching up 175 seniors games and 43 reserve games. He last played in 2011 after being in the 2006 and 2007 premiership sides.
Norman has a 30-year to date local government career, having started with Corowa Shire Council in 1991, as finance trainee and rising to the role of finance manager in 2013. He has worked in all areas of finance including accounts payable and receivable, rates, water billing, payroll and accounting.
“When I started, council only had the one PC, with the rest being dumb terminals hook to the server,” he said. “There were no emails. Chris Erickson was shire clerk when I started, then Bruce Corcoran became shire clerk about 18 months later. Ian Rich was working back then.”
Like cricket, there’s a lot of statistical work in council (becoming Federation Council in 2016) for Shane Norman who continues to deliver the results.