Vale Vic Cristofani - First Grade Player No.167
St George Cricket Club | January 17, 2025
The passing of Vic Cristofani on Saturday 11 January brings to a close an 88 year association of the Cristofani family with St George DCC. Vic Cristofani with both St George and Sydney University, and 11 January was day 1 of their 1st grade fixture at Hurstville Oval.
Vic Cristofani made his debut for St George as a 13 year old in the AW Green Shield team of 1944/45 , the first of three years representing in that team. By then his brother Bob, who played AW Green Shield 1937/38, had already played first grade for a number of seasons and in 1944 was having a season away representing his country on the battlefield.
A leg spin bowler and middle order batsman, Vic captained the Green Shield in 1946/47, also playing Poldevin Gray that season. While studying at Sydney University throughout the late 1940s he continued his cricket there, before returning to St George in 1952/53 with his brother Bob to win the first grade Premiership. His batting was consistent, leading the averages at 45.87.
The following three seasons were spent at St George before, frustrated by limited opportunities in a strong team, he moved to Wests, returning for the 1961/62 season, where he moved between first and second grades. The next nine seasons at the club brought considerable success, including two first grade premierships, before promotion in his employment at the ABC necessitated a move to Adelaide where he continued his cricket.
Vic Cristofani loved cricket. He loved playing, he loved coaching and he became a respected administrator of the game. His coaching commenced at St George, often with his friend Ray Flockton. It was in Adelaide and later Canberra where he took on the role of captain coach, still playing first grade in ACT in his mid forties. His success as a coach saw him appointed to oversee and develop ACT representative teams. He was known as a man with a lot of coaching theories, always looking for ways to improve his own game and that of his charges.
In his 93 years Vic Cristofani had a successful year in public service but also a successful career in cricket. St George DCC was the beneficiary of the latter as he scored in excess of 4500 runs and captured over 100 wickets in first and second grades. A life well lived
