From debut in 2002 till his retirement from the club in September 2005, Chris Hipwell forged, arguably, the finest Allstars career of all time. An inspirational all-rounder of the highest calibre, a galvanising prescence both on and off the field, and an excellent friend to every team-mate, we shall always remember him with the deepest affection and regard.

Little did Chris realise, when he popped in to a Southampton pub after watching a match at St Mary's, what he was ultimately letting himself in for. Across the table from him was Allstar stalwart Mike Bovill, who'd been reporting on the match for radio, and who knew one of Chris's friends. The two of them got talking, and when the conversation led to cricket, Boves mentioned that we were a man short for the following day's fixture, and would Chris fancy playing? He did, and duly turned out for us the very next afternoon to be inducted into Allstars culture by means of a nine wicket hammering by Kingstonian. Lacking proper whites, he took the field wearing shorts and, incongruously given his nationality, an England Test shirt. The rest is history.

Chris originally described himself as an off-spinner, and his high quality bowling would serve us very well for the next three seasons. Indefatigably accurate, with a lovely loop and a fierce enough tweak to generate an audible fizz, Chris beat batsmen through bounce and turn, earning 43 wickets over the course of his 39 match career. But it soon became clear that he was much more than just a bowler. He was undoubtedly the finest all-round fielder ever to play for the Allstars. He could catch anything, whether at slip, silly point or on the boundary; his Rhodesian diving stops in the covers saved countless runs; in the deep his startling pace and accuracy of returns conjured run-outs out of nowhere.

It is as a batsman, though, that Chris is probably best remembered. Over the seasons his batting grew and grew in stature to the point that opponents regarded him with tangible fear. Versatility, courage and flair were his hallmarks. If a difficult match situation demanded it, he could grind out a gritty 30 on a tough pitch, but when opportunity arose he would counter-attack with awesome vision and merciless power. Although a fine cutter and puller, his trademark shot was the thunderous straight drive: skipping forward to take the ball on the half-volley and pummell it over long-on and -off. Chris's highest score - and a club record - was his imperious 158* against Canbashers in 2005, but his definitive innings was an unbeaten 96 against St John's earlier that season. Facing a talented leg-spinner who'd bamboozled our other batsmen for the third fixture in a row, Chris treated the bowling with utter contempt. We watched amazed at the sheer imagination behind his strokes as he dispatched the ball to all parts in an unanswerable, catherine wheel-like, display of skill, audacity and clean-hitting. Only Maxie Allen's gormless stumping denied him the century he indisputably deserved. It was often the case that Chris's runs alone won the match for us. In all, he made 1245 of them at a signal average of 40.16.

We benefited from more than just his runs, wickets and fielding. His very presence alone lifted us in the field. Chris brought to Allstars cricket a professionalism, tenacity, and will-to-win, which transformed the way we played. When heads dropped, he raised them. When fielders fell silent, he evinced enthusiasm and appetite. When problems arose, he provided answers. He made Allstars players feel like proper cricketers.

Off the field, very few have contributed more to the running of the club than Chris Hipwell. His accomplishments may have deserved it, but he refused just to play the cricket and leave the work to others. He provided leadership, direction and graft, from collecting fees to making teas and packing kit. Chris organised two highly successful season launch parties, and also undertook a labour-intensive fund-raising project to provide the money for our scoreboard. Always conscious of the bigger picture, he worked tirelessly to raise standards and motivate lesser players, with his conception of the '200 Club' just one example of how deeply he cared about the St Anne's Allstars as an entity.

Perhaps most importantly, Chris will be thought of as a terrific bloke and a good friend. Unusually for such a good cricketer, he understood the true ethos of the Allstars, and never let on-field frustrations compromise his natural humility and generosity towards team-mates. He was the best of us, but he was one of us. And he embraced the social side of Allstars life with gusto, always proving excellent company in the bar afterwards.

At the end of the 2005 season, Chris retired from the Allstars, as he was returning home to his native Australia. He is now happily settled in Melbourne with his partner Amy, whom he married the following summer. Everyone connected with our club will wish them the very best for their new life together, and keep fingers firmly crossed that one day, somewhere, he will pull his battered Allstars cap back on, and step over the boundary marker onto the field of play with us once again.

In August 2005, we held a leaving party for Chris, in which he presented him with a specially-made shield to mark his official induction as the inaugural member of the St Anne's Allstars Hall Of Fame.