He might not have taken a hanger at the MCG or hit a six in an Ashes test, but Angaston’ s Greg Bain is proving just as inspirational.

Greg is one of those home grown talents whose passion for cricket and football was nurtured at grassroots level. Now, at nearly 30 years of age, he’ s determined to give back to the two Angaston clubs that have helped shape the man he is today.

Bursting onto the cricketing scene as one of the youngest Angaston Cricket Club players in history to debut in a senior side, Greg surprised everyone when he scored 142 not out as a fill-in for the A3 team.

“ I was eight when I played my first senior match,” says Greg, nicknamed“ Bainy” by his mates for obvious reasons.

Even his dad, former Angaston cricketer, Steve“ Bundy” Bain couldn’ t believe how young his lad was when he took to the crease that day. Greg had to unearth a clipping from The Leader dated November 1, 1997, before he was convinced.

“ He couldn’ t have been very big!” laughs Bundy recalling the

innings out on the Nuriootpa High School oval- he was playing in the same team.“ I made 32. I pulled a hamstring and retired hurt and he just kept going. I’ ve never heard the end of it I can tell you!”

Greg was born to play sport because, as Bundy explains,“ it’ s in the genes”.

“ We come from a pretty strong sporting family on both sides and it’ s just continued on,” Bundy says.

Whilst Greg never saw his dad strap on the footy boots for Centrals back in the day, it was Bundy, a trainer for the Panthers, who inspired him to take up the sport. And as a youngster, Greg spent nearly every weekend watching his father play cricket and his older sisters play netball, so it was inevitable he would want to get involved too.

“ I started playing football around the same age as cricket,” explains Greg.

His first memories of donning the blue and white was in the modifieds during the A-Grade half time break. He continued up through the ranks and hadn’ t quite

turned 17 before he played his first A-Grade footy match.

“ Summer was cricket, winter was football, that’ s the way it was all the way through pretty much,” says Greg.

Meanwhile, Greg attended Nuriootpa High School and admitted it really wasn’ t his thing so when an apprentice carpenter / builder position with C O Juncken became available, he jumped at the opportunity.

He’ s been with Juncken’ s for 11 years now.

“ I guess I am competitive in everything I do. Even at work I’ m pretty full on. That’ s my nature.”

Greg’ s talent for cricket continued to shine. He played in Junior state competitions in Under 15s, 17s and 19s and after three years of playing A-Grade for Angaston, ended up at Northern Districts for seven years where he was given the chance to play county cricket in the UK.

“ I was probably about 21-22 at the time … I thought it was a good opportunity to play in different conditions, pretty much fight for myself and get away from my

comfort zone over here.”

Greg spent six months playing for Bexley in the county of Kent, returning the following season for another six.

“ We think we love cricket over here but they are next level.

“ It definitely improved my game and opened my eyes … The pressure of being overseas and having that real drive to succeed was good.

“ I probably would have kept going but after two years my visa ran out!”

By now, Greg had met his future wife, Kylie through friends back home in the Barossa and she was playing netball for the Panthers.

Winter Saturdays were spent playing footy with his best mates and he captained the side for three years chasing that ever elusive Premiership Cup.

After a two-year break from cricket to re-ignite his passion for the game, Greg decided to return to the club where it all began. He rejoined the Angaston A-Grade side as Vice-Captain with a new mindset, more experience and a fresh