Nunawading Cricket Club mourns the passing of Margaret Saker who died on Thursday June 18, 2020 aged 86.
Margaret was a great woman with a strong constitution, a love of family, sport and community and was an active supporter and contributor to all her children’s’ sporting endeavours.
Those of us with a long association with the club will remember Margaret’s contributions where, dating back to the 1950s, as wife of Club Legend Bob Saker, Margaret would host theatre nights, fashion shows, cards (Crazy Whist) nights, BBQs, committee meetings, junior presentation days, after-match drinks and special events such as Mannequin Parades at the family home in Will St Forest Hill. The Mannequin Parade, something hard to even understand what it was now, was attended by 46 Nuna CC ladies.
Margaret was the second mother to many young cricketers in the 1970s and 80s. She was known as the ‘behaviour constable’ as no one would dare to do things like use bad language, fight or muck about in her presence. On one occasion, Bob was playing In a final at Blackburn when the game was stopped due to an altercation between club supporters off the field that Margaret was trying to break up. Bob told the umpires to carry on as Margaret was more than capable of looking after herself!
One great story told by Margaret was that of the post 1960 A Grade (the top grade in the BHRDCA at the time) premiership. Bob was captain and, after the win, forgot to collect his family on the way back to ‘drinks’ at Alec and Joan Culvenor’s in Station St Nunawading. The house backed on to a creek which Bob fell in to after a few too many beers and Margaret had to stop 3 times on the half a mile drive home as Bob was not too good
The naming of our main ground at Mahoneys Reserve to Bob Saker Oval in 2001 was, in a small way, an attempt by the Club to recognise and thank Bob, Margaret, Trev, Ros, Alan, Bill and Dave for their contribution to our Club both on and off the field for many, many years.
Here is a great pic taken at the Saker’s home (guess early 80s) of Margaret and her Nunawading contemporaries.
Back Row: Bob Saker, Tom Reeves, Joan Culvenor, Wendy Rowe, Alex Culvenor, Ian Rowe, Mick McLachlan
Front Row: June Thornton, George Dolan, Ken Rout, Shirley Rout, Gladys McLachlan, Margaret Saker, Betty Reeves, Marie Dolan
Margaret and Bob moved to Narooma in 1987 and Margaret became very active in the local community there, culminating in her receiving an Order of Australia Medal for community services in 2018.
Our club remembers Margaret as ‘the mother of the modern Nunawading’ and passes on our sympathies and greatest respect to Ros, Trev, Bill and Dave.
Vale Margaret and thank you from your old friends at Nunawading Cricket Club.
