They are royalty of Port Pirie cricket, a
family who have lived and breathed the game and who have amassed some amazing records.
Malcolm Fuchs and his sons Simon and Andy have cricket running through their veins and have each achieved at the highest level in the game they love.
Malcolm first played for Port Germein and was in the premiership side in 1967 when the team played its last match in the Pirie Association.
They changed their name to Props and in 1968, the first year in the competition the team won the shield.
Then after a 23-year drought Malcolm, Simon and Andy played in Props next premiership.
“This was my greatest moment, playing with my two sons and winning back to back premierships,” Malcolm said.
The sixty-six year old patriarch retired from playing 16 years ago but has coached the combined side for the past 10 or more years and, for 15 years, he has been the manager of the Upper North Cricket team that competes in the Bank SA Carnival each year.
During his illustrious career Malcolm, who is a life member of the PPCA, won a Grewer Medal creating a record of a father and two sons winning the prestige award.
The impressive bowler has won the Association bowling aggregate six times and holds a record for 85 wickets in 1970/71.
Malcolm’s career statistics are a total of 4,815 runs and 1,336 wickets, which include an amazing 10 wickets for 36 runs in one innings and also 8 for 8 during his career.
The cricket master’s advice to an up and coming player is, “train hard because you only get out what you put in.” “It may not work but always listen.”
“Believe in yourself.”
Malcolm’s wife Lorraine has had a love-hate relationship with cricket.
“I knew nothing about the game when I met Malcolm,” she said.
“I laughed when I first saw him bowl and thought there was something wrong with him.”
For many years after cricket matches she would have up to 14 sets of cricket whites to wash.
But it is clear this was a labour of love as she acknowledged how very proud she is of her men.
Simon, 39, has an astonishing record of winning 13 Grewer Medals and has won the Bowling Aggregate for the Port Pirie Cricket Association five times.
He has played in numerous Bank SA Carnivals and, along with his brother Andy, has won player of the championships. What’s more he has twice captained the SA Country State Team and has played in the Australian Country Team. He has played against touring sides from Sri Lanka and England; a match that was played at Memorial Oval in Port Pirie.
Being a huge fan and admirer of David Gower, the highlight of Simon’s career was when he caught and bowled the champion while playing against England.
During his brilliant career the all rounder played district cricket with Woodville A grade for four years, traveling down and back each weekend to play.
He has impressive career statistics of 10,621 runs and 749 wickets.
Simon is married to Sandra and they have two children Meg, 9, and Joel, 11, who doesn’t yet have the passion of his dad for cricket.
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Thirty-seven year old Andy also has remarkable statistics with a total of 10,804 runs and 139 wickets to date.
He was a member of the U/13 SA State team that won the National title in Queensland.
A winner of two Grewer medals, Andy has played on two occasions for the SA Country team.
The batsman come wicket keeper speaks about what inspires him.
“It is the best feeling you can get when you make 100,” he said.
“When you bat you strive to get that feeling.”
Andy and his wife Leah have two children, daughter Ashlee, 9, and Owen, 7, who is sure to play cricket.
Malcolm and Lorrain's daughter, Debra Ganley, knows more about cricket than most, gaining knowledge from following her brothers to coaching clinics with Barbie Dolls in tow.
Debra has not yet carried on the cricket dynasty as she has two daughters Jordan, 6, and Alyssa, 2.
This family was destined to be champions, proving that practice makes perfect.They would go to an oval and train at 6am every morning before school and then before work.
Eventually Malcolm built cricket-training nets in the family’s yard with a bowling machine, where they would practice every night of the week.
Even now, Simon and Andy meet each Friday at the family home to have a hit and then stay for a barbeque.
Malcolm’s family work with him in his business and it is apparent that the Fuchs’ are a very close family.
“We have lived together, we work together, play together and we even take holidays together,” Andy said with a smile.
Both Simon and Andy have captained Props to several premierships and captained the combined side on numerous occasions.
They agreed there was never ever any rivalry between them; only shared encouragement and the joy of seeing each other do well.
With great modesty the Fuchs’ men were uncomfortable talking about their own success but each was eager to proudly tell of the others achievements.
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