CRICKET: Three generations of the Masters family are now life members of the Allora Cricket Club.

The first life membership for the Allora club was awarded to Keith Masters after a lifetime of involvement in cricket.

Such was his involvement in Queensland Country and local cricket, the oval at Allora was renamed the Keith KO Masters Memorial Oval last month.

Keith was a classy opening batsman and wicketkeeper who rarely missed watching any cricket at Allora right up until his death in September, 2013.

He played his cricket for the then Allora National Fitness team in the Back Plains competition.

He was a long-time president of the Back Plains Cricket Association and the Eastern Downs Cricket Council and for many years presented the major trophies at Warwick cricket presentations.

Keith was the first person awarded Allora club life membership after the club was re-formed to play in the Warwick Cricket Association competition in 2006.

He has been joined as a life member by his son Neil and grandson Cameron along with inaugural Allora club president and statistican Glyn Rees. Neil was heavily involved in the re-formation of the Allora club which had gone into recess after playing in Back Plains and Central Downs competitions.

Cameron was appointed the inaugural captain of the re-formed club in 2006 and hasn't missed a season since.

Both father and son were inaugural committee members.

Cameron has captained the club for half the time since 2006 and, like his grandfather, donned the wicketkeeping gloves on most occasions.

His wife Shannon is the Allora club treasurer.

Neil said it was a shock for him and Cameron to be awarded life memberships.

"Dad loved the game of cricket and umpired after he retired," Neil said.

"His greatest thrill as an umpire was officiating in a game between the touring English side and a Queensland Country XI at Gatton.

"Dad said at the time that the Poms complained about the smell from a nearby piggery. They couldn't work out what it was.

"It is a great honour for Dad and the whole family to have the oval named after him."

Keith's wife Maurine was at the ceremony along with his sister Rae Masters.

Rees said it was a surprise to be awarded life membership on the day.

"I am honoured to be a life member of a club which now has two teams and gives opportunities to young cricketers from our area," Rees said.

The 2006 club committee was Rees as president, Neil and Cameron Masters as vice-presidents, Nick Johnson secretary and Terry Doyle treasurer. Like his father, Neil is a long-serving umpire and now club patron.

Current club president Aaron Vietheer, retired player Allan Robin and past Allora player Roy Smith all spoke at the oval naming ceremony which, unbeknown to three surprised cricket fanatics, doubled as a life membership ceremony.

After the ceremony, a Twenty20 game was played with the Allora club team beating a Masters family combination by 20 runs.

The result didn't matter.

The day was to honour a legend of the game and three men who have carried on the tradition.

Life members

•  Keith Masters
•  Neil Masters
•  Cameron Masters
•  Glyn Rees