Orange CYMS Cricket Club is preparing for a grand celebration to mark its 80th anniversary ahead of the summer cricket season.

The club, which is the oldest cricket club still in existence in Orange, has planned a weekend of events on November 2-3, with the centrepiece being a gala, three-course dinner in the Coral Sea Room at the Orange Ex-Services’ Club.

Club president Ben McNiven said they are excited to welcome back as many past and present club members for the historic celebration.

"To be able to celebrate an 80th anniversary is a fantastic achievement for any organisation, especially a community-based, volunteer-run sporting club," Ben said, 

"There have been thousands of cricketers proudly wear CYMS's colours since the club was formed in 1945, and we would love to see as many of them, as well as their families and supporters, in Orange to help mark the occasion.”

And Ben said that the cricket club has a lot to celebrate at the moment following back-to-back wins and growing participation.

“We're in a bit of a purple patch,” he said. “We are coming off club championships two years in a row in the senior side of things, which is fast.

“Our junior numbers have been really, really strong the last year or two, and we're looking to increase that participation, but probably the biggest thing to celebrate over the last year is the inclusion of the women's cricket which has just gone berserk to be truthfully honest.”

At the start of the Friday night women’s social cricket competition last year, Ben said they started with two teams, but numbers more than doubled as the season progressed.

 “It was great to see,” Ben said. “Off the back of our AGM, we've actually announced our first Women's Club Captain, which is Joe Ferguson, and also the creation of a Women's Cricket subcommittee, which points to the direction that the game's going for us, which is fantastic!”

Since 1945 Orange CYMS Cricket Club has won more than 50 senior premierships and 19 club championships. The junior teams (previously playing under the names of St Joseph's-Sheahan and Orange CYMS Junior Cricket Club) have also contributed hundreds of premierships.

Ben said the club's successes are the byproduct of a strong culture of volunteerism and respect that has been there from the beginning.

"The premierships, club championships and other accomplishments have stemmed from these values, and the many volunteers over the last 80 years who have worked to build this wonderful legacy, “ he said.

"Someone like the late John Covelli, who passed away last season, exemplifies this more than anyone else, and the anniversary weekend will be a terrific opportunity to reminisce about him and many others in our history."

The 80th-anniversary celebrations will commence with a free barbecue and drinks at the First Grade team's match at the Country Club Oval on Saturday, November 2, which will be followed by the gala dinner at the Orange Ex-Services’ Club.

The semi-formal event will feature the unveiling of the club’s all-time team, as well as a panel interview, conducted by Michael Croke, of several club legends: Bernie Duffy, Peter Snowden, Hugh Le Lievre, and Michael Delaney.

The weekend wraps up with a friendly golf event at Wentworth Golf Club on Sunday, November 3.

Details about the weekend can be obtained by emailing cyms.cricket@gmail.com