Vale Nancy Lovitt - Cricket Mum Made of Heaven.
Eastern Suburbs Cricket Club Sydney | July 28, 2025
Nancy was born on 28th June 1929 at Lismore Base Hospital.
Her heritage was Italian, with her family name Roder. Her grandparents immigrated and made Northern NSW their home. They settled at New Italy, a region of the Northern Rivers NSW.
Her early life was living in Byron Bay and Nimbin. A simplistic and peaceful life of coastal and regional NSW and schooling at Mullumbimby.
Post school was the start of her nursing career at Lismore Base Hospital. It was here she met Roy, a man of the cloth. They married at St Andrew's Lismore in 1951.
Nancy's sporting life prior to Roy was tennis. Cricket was not high on the agenda.
Roy was a passionate cricketer, playing for Auburn in their Sydney cricket competition and later in various NSW country town teams.
With three girls as their initial offspring, cricket played a bit of a back seat for a while.
Anne, the youngest daughter, showed an early passion for the game, however.
Her's and Roy's commitment to cricket was the SCG Test. The Sheridan Stand being their favourite choice to watch from.
Anne excitingly returning home from the SCG Test one day to tell Nancy that there was a kerfuffle there that day. It was the John Snow incident in 1971.
My own recollections also being my debut as a young lad with Roy at the Sheridan Stand for a day at the SCG Test…(and a brief visit to The Hill, where some of the words and actions of the patrons that day being a tad different to those of the chapel. We survived!)
World Series Cricket at the Sydney Showground Moore Park was an absolute bonanza for a young cricket fan, although Nancy not initially convinced of this new regime. She soon changed.
Nancy had become a total cricket convert. Rod Marsh and Dennis Lillee, her early favourites.
Ultimately Nathan Lyon and Brad Haddin her new favourites. Fellow Country NSW people made good. “Gee Nathan is a good cricketer” often her words. She also had a soft spot for "Smithy" (Steve Smith).
Nancy marvelled that another NSW Country cricketer in Nic Maddinson and her son were both born in Nowra Hospital. “Yes mum, between us Three Tests so far!”
Mark Patterson was her real favourite. There wasn't another cricketer she had watched and supported more than Mark.
Nancy spent many hours at Waverley Oval. Cricket to her was an extension to a life of community and fellowship. What better way a time to chat to her friends whilst crocheting a new rug for her grandchildren. Jim and June Patterson her regular fellow Waverley Oval counterparts.
Nancy was a great supporter of Eastern Suburbs Cricket Club. Every week even to her last days “how is the cricket club going Peter?”
A mother’s love of her children is enduring and unmatched, and no more commitment than that of a cricket mother. Supporting the highs and lows of the game with always a smile and words of encouragement.
As a younger cricketer, a post cricket match day was greeted with the offerings of a nice shower and Spaghetti Bolognese followed by ice cream for dinner. (and remarkably your grass-stained whites re appearing perfectly clean on your bed a few days later! Some sort of medieval mix to get those whites that perfectly clean! Apparently, Eucalyptus had something to do with it!)
There was also a cross check in after each game "did the opposition get cranky with you today, Peter?" (Nancy's interpretation of sledging)….”No mum…I wasn’t out there long enough" was often the reply!
Epic back yard cricket matches were met with a forced Drinks Break and Nancy’s freshly made Lamingtons!
For dinner and family time, Test cricket was the most favoured for Nancy. Dinner was 6.30pm, post stumps for a cricket obsessed home.
Enter One Day/Night Cricket...that completely messed up that family dinner time routine. The change of innings at 6.45pm! TV and the cricket back on!
Nancys life was her family, her friends, her faith and her church.
Her church prayer group prayed extensively for Mia Haddin's health. Their thoughts with Sean Abbott. Jim Maxwell's wellbeing on their minds too.
Nancy's eldest daughter Lorraine also married into cricket, Steve Campbell (University of New South Wales Cricket Club). Cricketing blasphemy for her son of Eastern Suburbs Cricket Club! Steve was another cricket person for Nancy to chat all matters cricket with, and more importantly for Nancy, a most loved partner for her daughter.
Nancy's life was a continued commitment to watching cricket on TV and listening to ABC Radio and Jim. (She loved Jim’s commentary and the thought of him being at Eastern Suburbs Cricket Club to her, was an absolute cricketing gift).
Even in her later life she continued to learn her Italian, Art Classes, Playing Piano and Book Club. There wasn't a streaming service that Nancy wasn't across. Emails and SMS's second nature. Kayo for the cricket was also her new great ally.
Nancy departed this earth on the 14th November 2024 at the age of 95.
PETER LOVITT
Son of Nancy. Vice President and Life Member, ESCC
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