During his heyday the late Justin Burns gave his all when playing for Lake Illawarra and Shellharbour cricket clubs.
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On Saturday the two clubs will honour their former player by contesting the first annual Justin Burns Shield at Tom Willoughby Oval.
The annual contest will honour the Windang father-of-two, who passed away last August aged 50, after a long battle with cancer.
Some 15 years ago Burns, who ran Shell Cove Landscaping and Maintenance, also had a double lung transplant.
In 2014 he told the Mercury he was competing at the Australian Transplant Games in September of that year to shine a light on organ donation.
Two years earlier he won a silver medal at the games held in Newcastle.
''Five years ago I was just a normal healthy middle-aged guy with two young kids and running a landscaping company,'' he told the Mercury.
"Then in November 2009 my lung function started to drop and I slowly deteriorated until I ended up in the intensive care unit at St George Hospital.
''One day everything just collapsed and when I woke up again I had two new lungs."
When Burns passed, he left behind wife Raelene, daughter Zoe and son Jackson, who will take to the field on Saturday as a member of the South Coast cricket reigning premiers Lake Illawarra.
Long-time Lakers player and president Brendan White will also contest the Justin Burns Shield.
"I'm just happy we get a chance to honour truly one of the strongest and bravest blokes I know. What Justin went through battling cancer and he also had a double lung transplant," White said.
"He was well loved by everyone here at Lake Illawarra and also Shellharbour.
"He was also a very handy golfer and well known local businessman. He will be missed.
"It's great to be able to play off for the Justin Burns Shield. I know the family are very thankful. It's also great his young boy Jackson is playing, I know he's looking forward to the game.
"Jackson is one of our key batters in our lineup. He is a good young kid who has really good technique and is just finding his way in first grade this year but he is doing pretty well.
The fourth-placed Lake are also doing well heading into their round 12 stoush against the sixth-placed Shellharbour.
"We are going along pretty well. We are probably exceeding expectations," White said.
"Our whole bowling line up is 16-years-old. So we're relying on three quicks who are just 16.
"So it's a pretty fair effort considering they're bowling against some of the best batters in the competition.
"I'd say we're going along pretty well without sort of setting the world on fire yet. But that's okay, we'll come into our own towards the back end of the competition."
In other matches on Saturday, The Rail play Berry-Shoalhaven Heads at Croome Regional Sporting Complex, North Nowra Cambewarra battle Bay and Basin Dolphins at Bernie Reagan Sports Ground, Kiama Cavaliers take on Albion Park Eagles at Kiama Sporting Complex and Bomaderry Tigers hosts Kookas at Bomaderry Oval.