Willowers All,
March 16, 2002 was a proud day for New Zealand cricket. Nathan Astle scored the fastest double century in test history at Christchurch. For those privileged to be there none will forget it.
March 16 was good for another reason. On that day I was invited into a hospitality box at Jade Stadium.
Present (and unbeknown to any) were fellow Willowers Phil d’Auvergne from Blenheim and Barry Townrow from Westport and some of us townies. We shared the wonderful spectacle together. Our bond was membership of this club, the Willows.
I deliberately start this year with a tribute to the support and commitment shown by all club members and above all to the players for generously giving of their time to assist youth and 1st XI cricket. Ours is a very special cricket club and what we offer is unique. The Willows
gives us the opportunity to put something back into the game we love.
After the Astle gem, it was nice to focus back on us, mere mortals (and some mere crocks), playing at The Willows. Here, the virtues of cricket are reinforced, week after week, during the season. There is something proper(and old fashioned) in escaping the hype of the professional game with its Barmy Army, pop music, “Mad Caps”, promotion to “come make a noise” etc and in enjoying the tranquility of cricket, Willows-style. We are blessed having such an idyllic ground, with vistas out to the mountains, thriving foliage and hedgerows and livestock in adjourning fields. Even the calming aroma of the excrement that wafts across occasionally adds to the character of the place (and is in keeping with dreams of Honours Board glory that regularly go unfulfilled by some of our more geriatric players!).
Working for Secondary Cricket
The challenge of the Willows continues more and more to encourage youth to have a focus. We want to augment the superb work done, sadly by a dwindling number, of secondary cricket masters and coaches in nurturing the talent of our 15-19 year old cricketers. The Willows is determined to play its part to ensure that these players have the chance to acquire the standards needed to go further in the game. So what have we done?
- Peter Nancarrow is our match manager for each school game. He has done a magnificent job to make sure youngsters feel welcome. Not only has Peter won many friends but he has a delightful way with the boys.
- We congratulate the overall presentation and cricket played by all visiting 1st XIs and in particular Wanganui Collegiate (recipients this season of the ‘49ers Cup) and Waitaki Boys’ High School for lowering the Willows to their knees.
- We also hosted three youth teams from Australia (from Armadale, Gunnedah and the Crusaders Club, Victoria).
- Andrew Ellis (Burnside High School) is currently playing and learning about cricket in Surrey, England.
- Sons of club members are now beginning to play at the ground. The first, being James Boock, who fielded for part of the day.
Roger Moses, Headmaster of Wellington College, took up Don Neely’s inspirational idea and hosted an evening at his school for twelve 1st XIs in the Wellington area. Twenty ex-internationals and others attended and were entertained by John Graham and Jeremy Coney.
While on youth, we were thrilled to sign up Sam McMillan as our first Junior Willower. Nine-year-old Sam has endured many operations in his lifetime and has shown supreme courage and is a fine example to members much older than him.
Congratulations
Heartiest congratulations go to our national Black Caps team and their memorable successes this summer. To members Craig McMillan (our first ever half century maker), Chris Harris and Coach Aberhart we salute the wonderful results. We know they have come about through hard work, dedication and team support. Well done!
Ex-internationals like Lee Germon, Geoff Allott, Paul McEwan and Stephen Boock, have all captained teams at the Willows and are integral to our future success as a club. We thank them sincerely for sharing their cricket skills with us. The sight of them coaching the schoolboys post-match has been a welcomed innovation.
Distinguished visitors
The Willows has again had the honour to host many cricket dignitaries at the ground. Very special amongst them were: Lord Robin Cooke of Thorndon KBE (Law Lord, Patron of Cricket Wellington and great lover of cricket), Ivan Baxter (long serving stalwart of Canterbury Cricket) and Martin Snedden (successful CEO of New Zealand Cricket). To these and other visitors we thank you for the interest shown in our club and we look forward to return visits in the future. At the end of the season we
enjoyed the excellent company (at a dinner and for a match) of an MCC club side. Finally, during the season, an international match took place between England and Australia; played by Rotarians. Reports have come back that the elderly gents involved found great difficulty in reaching the boundary.
News too about our Honorary Chaplain and dear friend Father Brian Cummings—he has just completed six months at St Mary’s of the Angels Church (Wellington) before heading overseas. We wish him every success and expect him to continue his Willows chaplaincy duties from afar.
What of the season’s high points?
On that score, there have been plenty. We recorded a favourable win/loss ratio. We finally turned the tables against Roger Macfarlane’s boys and restored his trophy back to its rightful cabinet. Batsmen of the calibre of Paul McEwan, Phil Harris, Derek Burrell and Gary Thomson continue to surge towards the prestigious 1,000 runs for the Willows milestone. Andrew Nuttall stands out mightily with the ball (with 79 scalps thus far in our short history).
From the highlights package, four events also stand out:
Mike Hawke, losing captain, meant that the elusive Diana has again eluded us. He lost the match in the last over which when considered in conjunction with his application for a bishopric will NOT read well!
Lyn Sparks, who happens to live closer to the ground than anyone else, arrived appallingly late for one match (much to the chagrin of the selector). His feeble excuse centred on the changes brought by daylight saving.
The aforementioned selector has been on about signing up Sachin Tendulkar for years (usually after we succumb to Flaxton or Hawkswood or both). That might not have happened (yet!) but Willower John Wright did get an Indian shirt, signed by the master batsman, and it was presented to a Player of the Day.
Spied on the CTV coverage of the SBHS match, the captain of the day (see the match report for his name) not only embraced Mr Nuttall esq. but was seen to deliver a tender kiss when a wicket was claimed. But for all that, he has been reappointed as captain for the 2002/03 fixture.
Contribution to Willows Cricket
All the above (the runs on good wickets thanks to Vince and Peter, cricketers being well troughed, the players of tomorrow being challenged, etc) can not occur without the contribution of so many kind people who believe in the Willows concept. I refer to the umpires, ground staff, scorers, caterers, gardeners, typists, statisticians and more. The members express a deep gratitude to you. For many, it has been years of commitment to our club. For others, such as John Whitty (our wonderful caterer) and the Miller family (barbeque supremos), it has been a more recent relationship—but equally as special. Please accept an apology that not all are named in person this year but your contribution is abundantly clear each Sunday. Thank you.
CTV now wish to record play every game. There must be an audience out there that wants to see what goes on! Video taped copies go to each school weekly.
Conclusion
The planning has started for next season. The square and outfield have been scarified, aerated, seeded and topdressed. Even 20 fluorescent fairy rings have been removed and replaced by clean topsoil.
All that’s left to verify is the rumour that Mr Astle has a membership application pending for 2002/03? So
Hawkswood Wanderers and the Craz, you are forbidden to engage his services next season! Imagine him threatening the safety of the livestock (and opposing players) in the quiet fields of Loburn.
Here’s to that first match against a South Canterbury XI in October.