Mr Hair, who ran the competition as the sole full-time board member for the past two seasons with support from his wife Kate and Tony Wills, said last night’s meeting was ‘a really good result’.
“We had to pull the pin out of a hand grenade, but we got the desired effect,” he said.
“[The new board members are] good people. All those guys are doing it for all the right reasons.”
Mr Combe said he stood for president out of a desire to ensure his sons were able to continue playing cricket.
“I’ve got three boys who love their cricket, so I couldn’t go home at night and say ‘there’s no cricket this year boys’ and have them ask me ‘what did you do about it, dad?’ and not do anything,” he said.
“I’ve been involved in cricket for so long that it was time to give something back.”
Mr Combe thanked Mr Hair for his contributions, as well as the new board members for stepping up.
He said the board also expected to name a new treasurer before its first meeting on Wednesday next week.
He encouraged people to support the competition by volunteering in any capacity they could.
Grampians cricket on the brink
While Horsham Cricket Association’s short-term future is secure, Grampians Cricket Association faces uncertainty after its executive called a special meeting for July 15.
The senior competition lost two teams last season and could lose another, with the board intent on examining all options including disbanding, amalgamation and continuing as a junior-only competition.
In a statement, the association said it had gone from more than 30 teams in three senior grades down to ‘a single, depleted grade’.
“It seems that there is a lack of commitment, so clubs are encouraged for input if cricket is to survive in our area,” the statement said.
The meeting is planned for 7.30pm on Monday at Ararat’s Alexandra Oval Community Centre.
See Wednesday’s edition of The Weekly Advertiser for more.