This season the constraints of Covid-19 eased, and The Willows advanced on several fronts.
Valete
Notable innings came to a close. Father Brian Cummings SM and founding member Bob Fairbairn gave long and loyal support, as did Vince Cusack, our first specialist grounds supervisor along with Sir Alan Wright, Roger (KR) Moses and New Zealand Cricketers Frank Cameron and my Housemaster Bruce (‘Bags’) Murray.
After nearly 30 years we mourn the loss of Willowers every year, mindful of their contribution to the Club and we send our sympathy to their families.
The grounds
Perhaps not fully understanding the immensity of the task, work began in the belief that it would be completed before the first ball of the new season. It includes an expanded pavilion, a generous changing room for visiting teams, a revamped room forever associated with Mike Dormer, and other facilities associated with a new build. Don Neely and others will be recognised formally when work is complete, near completion at the end of March 2023. This was a big task, undertaken while the ground too has undergone major development, with the picket fence, the bund on the western side of the ground, tree planting, new sight screens, and areas adjacent to the pavilion formed to host small groups.
The wicket block and outfield were ploughed, levelled and resown. The work involved did not phase Ben Dormer, whose vision, and financial support, along with others has created what is already an outstanding and much enhanced cricket facility. D’Arcy Palmer has quietly contributed many hours to keep the grounds to the highest standard and the contributions of John Gardner, Stu Dickson, Mike Robins, Roger Morgan, Jim Stringleman and Pete Dormer are recognised. Valuable services for the ground development were provided by Dormer Construction, DSI, Bartlett Concrete Placing, Ready Lawn, SOL Quarries, Bin King, Darwin Earthworks, Zealandia, Ben Blair Painting, and McEwans Transport.
The block has had considerable work done on its clay content under the specialist lead of Alan Gilmour, former New Zealand track athlete, and premier turf consultant. The playing area is now well bedded-in, showing consistency in pace and bounce. A further exciting development is a newly formed relationship with the suppliers of the WACA clay in Western Australia which will mean The Willows has one of the quickest pitches in New Zealand. 70 pop-up irrigation sprinklers have been installed with access to a sufficient water resource to ensure the outfield is kept green throughout the season, as MED envisaged. The overall intent is to enhance this beautiful setting for the benefit of all who visit, to play or watch cricket on a wicket and outfield of the highest standard, an experience not to be forgotten.
The cricket
The wicket was overall true, allowing for good scoring and something for the bowlers. The Willows played 21 games, won 14, lost five, with no result in two. Wellington College, Nelson College, Southland Boys’ High, St Kevin’s College and the Peninsula Craz won well. The ’49ers Cup was awarded to Wellington College for their win against a strong Willows XI, and the Shadbolt Cup was awarded to Willower Will Bretherton of Christ’s College who took 6 for 36 against Otago Boys’ High School.
Nature played its part so that while the square developed pace and bounce, the ball dominated the bat, and the bowlers made up five Honours Board entries with five or more wickets. There were three centuries.
Seaver Cowley, from Arundel (twice), Max Johnson (another English born), Will Bretherton, Charlie Hopcroft (Southland Boys’ High School) and Eli Gapes (Waimea College) stood out for their bowling, and centurions were Kelvin Scott, Tyler Bruce and Adam Hastilow. Adam made his first century on Club Day against Waimea College, making up part of his thousand runs at The Willows and his father John met a long-standing pledge when he did so. We congratulate Jeremy Wilson who reached his 50 caps during the season.
Women’s cricket
The focus was on the double header for T21 matches (no T20 cricket played at The Willows in deference to the Founder) rescheduled for 23 March 2023. St Hilda’s defeated Christchurch Girls’ High School to level the series at two-all for the Rosebowl, and two new 1st XIs squared off; St Margaret’s College and Otago Girls’ High School played for the Amy Satterthwaite–Susie Bates Trophy, which Board member Kirsty Bond presented to the winning captain of St Margaret’s College, Trudy Spear. This day was superb, with two wonderful games of cricket, the players lunching together and receiving their “play in the V” badges. These are very successful developments for women’s cricket at The Willows, and we are grateful that Kirsty is able to give her time and experience to this.
The planned inaugural match between a Wellington Wanderers XI and a Willows Schoolgirls XI had to be cancelled but we expect this will become an annual home and away fixture. The Willows XI was selected from schools outside the four mentioned, including those where girls do not have the opportunity to represent their school because of limited numbers, or lack of other opportunity. We hope to see Willows XIs touring within New Zealand, and eventually overseas, to increase the number of women members in the schoolgirl ranks, and after their schooling.
Kindred
Kindred Cricket played by those over 35 years deserves mention. The primary objective of The Willows is to enhance the experience of schoolboy and now schoolgirl cricketers, playing against seasoned and high calibre cricketers in a competitive setting, in the spirit of cricket. This is viable if we introduce school cricketers to The Willows and lay out a pathway for them to then play for the club after leaving school, and as is now well established, to have some play for The Willows while still at school.
Those cricketers who have entered their 30s and beyond have other opportunities, in competitions such as the Kindred and Chatfield Cups, and provincial and international over 50s, 60s, 70s etc. (I have not traced the over 80s yet). Keeping Willowers in the game is important to the Club’s objectives, and the Kindred Cup is a big part of this. The tournament was played in the New Year with The Willows aiming for a fourth successive title. After good wins over the host North Shore and Clifton (Hawkes Bay), we fell in the final to Seddon, who were deserving winners.
At the very end of the season, in a first for the Club, our over 35 team played under lights at Seddon Park. Creditably, The Willows managed to chase down a useful Seddon score with just three balls to spare. Pride was restored and The Chatfield Cup brought back to Loburn.
Coaching
Coaching is a key pillar of The Willows. This season we embarked on a community coaching programme which reaches into schools offering coaching and other support for those which do not have the resources to provide cricket. We have also partnered with Tamai Sports in delivering a cricket programme to girls and boys who otherwise would not play the game. From this small beginning we hope that a “Willows” tree will grow, and help meet our objective, and charitable purposes. Our association with the Queen Street Cricket Club we hope will add much to this intent.
Finance
For the one-off capital expenditure on the scale required for the pavilion and ground, The Willows has had the immense contribution of Ben Dormer. This expenditure is “ring-fenced” and not part of the operational budget. The aim of the Board is to silo expenditure which is broadly “operational”, for cricket at The Willows, otherwise set aside under “The Willows Academy” (for convenient reference), a separate fund for coaching, touring, and to assist those disadvantaged economically or otherwise.
I want to ask all Willowers to consider the following realities. With charitable status now held by The Willows, there are those who wish to donate to The Willows for allocation between these silos as the Board determines, or to specify eg part for The Willows “Operations” and part for the “Academy”.
With so many charities feeling financial constraint the freeboard of funds for charitable purposes is keenly contested, and right now the space is much harder than in earlier years. We are very fortunate to have donations from those with goodwill to the Club, or sponsorship which helps promote their business. During the season we either lost or became aware we would lose, important sponsors. One single loss of revenue comes from the fact we have no ground sponsorship, and the “Jaguar Oval” is no more, but we have lost other longstanding sponsors as priorities shift.
The facts are that The Willows obtains only a small proportion of its operational income from subscriptions. It is concerning that we have a large number of unpaid subscriptions for the 2022/23 season which by the time of publication may have improved. I ask members to consider their annual subscription as a contribution to the ongoing development of youth cricket.
Most operational expenditure comes from traditional sponsorship, and Match Day sponsorship. All sponsors and their guests are warmly welcomed at The Willows to lunch under the trees, watch the cricket and meet those present. We must broadcast this opportunity, as my observations are that this is a very special day for our guests. Sponsorship aside, there are those who otherwise give generously, and some regularly, which has helped keep The Willows in clear financial air.
We are very fortunate to have the support of long-standing major sponsors Independent Fisheries, ASB, Mobil and Runacres Insurance. Brent Fleming has given again, very generously, as have Moa and Southern Alps Brewing, The Butcher’s Mistress (Rangiora) and Max Bremner (golf). But there is far more to be done to secure on a sustainable basis all the annual funding required. The Match Day sponsors at the heart of our operational costs include Amicus, KB Contracting & Quarries, Saunders & Co, Mr Boats, Talleys, Ray White, Rangiora, Tavendale & Partners, Allott Reeves & Co, Modus Group, Murphy Farms, North Otago Pastoral, and the Nuttall family. We hope to engage a Match Day sponsor for most matches.
As a charity we apply for funding from trusts and have been successful in a meaningful way with Rata Foundation, Pub Charity and Southern Trust, and we are very grateful for these grants.
A revival, and new initiatives
To our great delight the Matfen scholarship has resumed, and Archie Ovens (Burnside High School) and Angus Dempster (St Thomas of Canterbury College) are now at Matfen with Sir Hugh and Lady Anna Blackett, living on their Estate and playing in the Northumberland league. Sir Hugh and Lady Anna came to The Willows this season, and it was a pleasure to have them there, and to reflect on Sir Hugh having worked at Tipapa near Greta Valley with the Robertson family, as a young man. He knows North Canterbury extremely well. The Matfen scholarship is part of our DNA.
Mike Peacock, Callum Curnow and James O’Gorman kindly took over the selection process for the scholars and the calibre of applicants was exceptionally high. We initiated the Dormer Melluish Aldridge Scholarship which is a link between the Arundel Castle Cricket Club and their Foundation, the Aldridge Academies in Brighton (UK) and The Willows. The scholarship is not entirely symmetrical, involving in the past season two Aldridge scholars from Brighton, Seaver Cowley and Connor Bettsworth, who came to Christchurch and played regularly for The Willows and the Riccarton Cricket Club.
They are cricketers of consequence, reaching premier grade, and the work put into their care and support over six months deserves special mention. Winsome Dormer took on their pastoral care, Paul Rutledge their cricket and off-field activity, and they had generous support from Dave and Rebecca Kelly in the provision of a car and hosting on their farm. Mention must be made of Jo Morrow, the outstanding principal of Rochester & Rutherford Hall at the University of Canterbury, where they stayed for some four months before moving to private accommodation, only possible through Winsome’s generosity. This University accommodation was a very important aspect of the scholarship, arranged through Keith Yardley, a Governor at the Hall. The Willows does not have the setup of the Arundel Castle Cricket Club nor the Arundel Castle Cricket Club Foundation, with a Secretariat, and significant funding behind it. As such it was testing for us to host two young men on their first foray outside their English homes, and we are reviewing the programme and our capacity to next host such scholars. We were very grateful that the 180 Degrees Trust and Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust worked with us to provide a distinctive experience.
In the meantime, Maggie Martin from Christchurch Girls’ High School and Nick Gibb from Christ’s College are at Arundel, playing club cricket, working with the Arundel Castle Cricket Club Foundation, and while early days we have very good reports of and from them. There are social media posts which show them at work, which you will see has immense beneficial impact on young lives.
Golf
Golf Day was reborn in April 2022, and played again in April 2023. Organising an event of this scale takes a huge, combined effort and Paul Rutledge achieved this with a very able team around him. We were honoured to host Sir Bob Charles at his home course, with a full field, and this excellent day, in fine weather on the beautiful Christchurch Golf Club course raised overall in excess of $25,000 for coaching. This is a bedrock of the Club’s fund earmarked for coaching, and is not to be missed. David Kidd of Arundel with wife Sarah provided a fine auction prize of a stay at their home in Arrowtown and he played in Sir Bob’s four. First preference in a full field goes to those who played the previous year, and it is scheduled again for 19th April 2024. The Club gratefully acknowledges those sponsors who willingly assisted with auction, raffle and match day prizes, Bryan Andrews for his expert auctioneering and Joe Pope for his fine bagpiping.
We were also very fortunate to have the support of Geoff Saunders, who has written the definitive biography of Sir Bob, and the winners received fine copies of Geoff’s work, presented by Sir Bob who was a delight to have play and join us. Geoff is a first-class writer whose next work is keenly awaited, and I predict it will attract a great deal of interest, having read some early proofs.
The workers
Everyone is a volunteer at The Willows, and at its heart our Chair, Paul Rutledge, and Ben Dormer in particular, have almost everyday involvement, 12 months of the year. I have been party to many of these interactions, and as Chair Paul has an immense task, rewarded only by the success of The Willows as a Club on and off the field of play. We have an able and enthusiastic Secretary in Jeremy Benton, new Board member James Richards, together with longer standing members Phil Harris (Fixtures), Richard McGuire (Scholarships), Di Woodward (Pavilion), Jim Stringleman (Pavilion) and Winsome Dormer who has devoted much of her time and resource in so many ways. Without her the Arundel Scholarship would not have worked. Alistair Sheard, our Treasurer, has heavy responsibility especially with the scale of development at The Willows, and the immediacy of his response when asked for information is remarkable.
Others who deserve special mention include our Match Day Managers and Hosts who provide a vital link in preparing and running each match day, and our photographer Rex Hayward, who ensures we have excellent photographic records.
I want to acknowledge the wisdom and unfailing support of John Mitchell, the first President, and Life Member, John McRae who help guide The Willows along the way. They have helped me greatly. Richard Cowles is the creative inspiration behind this Annual Report; a role he has performed for many years. These contributions epitomise what it means to be a Willower.
Christmas Party
We were delighted to hold this for the Champion Centre, Down Syndrome, Tamai Sports, Riding for The Disabled and CCS. Chris and Leonie Morkane and my family support this day, and the joy on the faces of the children and their whānau makes this a day not to be missed. The Club values the contributions made by all the volunteers on the day, particularly Santa’s helpers Abby and Megan Rutledge who spent many hours leading up to and on the day assisting, and Julie McEwan who once again travelled from Wanaka to help out. Our thanks go also to Malcolm Ellis, and his ever-reliable group of volunteers who assisted on the day.
In conclusion
We enter a new era with the loss of Father Brian, but he would be delighted that the Rev Mike Hawke has become our Chaplain. Mike is a Willower, a former Hawke Cup player, and a man of immense spiritual influence.
You will see from this report there are initiatives and revivals being cemented into The Willows’ calendar, with more contemplated. I hope those who read this report, including the excellent article by my old friend Steve Hinds in Commentary Corner, will see where The Willows sits in cricket and societal influence, in maintaining a high level of competition for school teams, allowing former pupils to hold reunions over the weekend associated with their annual fixtures, and offering a pathway for coaching and touring. As Steve writes from long experience in The New Zealand Police Force, sport has an immense role in providing an outlet and personal growth opportunity for young people. Many rangatahi are enlivened and encouraged by their participation and sport becomes an essential pillar in their young lives.
The Willows can do with all the help it can get from those who volunteer time and resource in any way. I hope more of you will put your hands up for roles, by contacting any of the Board, particularly Paul (Ruts) Rutledge, our Chair. We live in uncertain times and competitive cricket at the beautiful and peaceful Willows ground, in such excellent company, is an antidote to such uncertainty.
Mā te wā.