SPORTSVIEW column with Gerard Walsh

WHEN I heard about the passing of Pat Boyle, I immediately thought about my involvement with Pat, the cricketer.

He was a long-time Killarney cricket captain and premiership winner.

Pat was a solid left-hand opening batsman who was hard to dismiss.

What I remember most was him fielding at short leg, way before the days when close-in fielders wore helmets.

He didn't use his close position to try to put the batsman off, but with George O'Donnell bowling, he was pretty safe close in and likely to get a catch from the bounce George extracted from the wicket.

As highlighted in our story in yesterday's community edition, Pat loved a yarn. He and wife Ann were successful cattle producers over a long period of time. Their cattle were used for the bullock ride at the New Year's Eve Rodeo in Warwick a couple of weeks ago.

Cows grazing

THERE have been many memorable moments in the Condamine Sports Club Warwick Australia Day Cricket Carnival.

One was when I turned up at Maryvale and the Palace Cows were fielding.

The whole team put their mouths on the ground for a grazing photo.

In the early years, the Cows never won a game but improved over the years.

We had an interesting story last week by Jonno Colfs about Australian captain Steve Smith being invited to the carnival by Josh Nolan through social media each year.

Suspect Steve will be busy this year again.

Down the years, there were always rumours of former Queensland batsman Trevor Barsby playing and then shield paceman Mick Polzin coming with Goomeri.

He didn't end up coming but I admit to being scared for three days as Goomeri was to play Greymare.

Simon Beattie played for Queensland and is a Bear's XI/Small's XI regular.