Cricket
February 18, 2013
By
Vin Maskell
Category: cricket
4
February 12, 2013
By
Vin Maskell
Category: cricket
4
January 29, 2013
By
Clem from Como
Category: cricket
4
Macedon regains Ashes in anniversary thriller
February 18, 2013
By
Vin Maskell
Ash Wednesday remembered...
MACEDON regained the Ashes from Aireys Inlet by just one run in the 30th anniversary game between the two towns that were devastated by the Ash Wednesday bushfires of 16 February 1983. The fires killed 75 people and destroyed 2500 homes in South Australia and Victoria.
Since February 1984 Macedon and Aireys Inlet have competed for an urn that contains ashes from the two towns. Macedon, an hour north of Melbourne, have won many of the games, including the inaugural match, but this year were keen to reclaim the trophy after Aireys Inlet, on the Great Ocean Road between Lorne and Anglesea, won last year’s 30 over a side game.
Before play started Macedon resident Beau Warrener presented each of the players with the equivalent of medallions: burnt and melted coins from the 1983 rubble of his home.
The annual games now include players across two generations and for the 30th anniversary match, played in Anglesea on Sunday 17 February, a handful of players from the inaugural game donned their whites.
Macedon’s Gregg Kennedy evacuated late on Ash Wednesday. “We took a risk. I remember seeing embers flying about as we drove away.” Gregg’s wife was pregnant with their first baby, due on 16 February. “We drove to my wife’s mum’s house and were okay.” Five days later their first child was born. Their house, though, was destroyed.
Gregg is a co-founder of the Ashes games. At a wedding later in 1983 he met Ray Venables of Aireys Inlet, whose father Lloyd had died in the fires. The two thought an annual game would be one way for the towns to commemorate the shared experiences of Ash Wednesday. And a good way to have a beer and a friendly game of cricket.
Gregg made 74 runs in that first game, a 40 over a side match that saw Macedon win with just one wicket to spare.
At this year’s game Gregg didn’t quite make as many runs but there was a quietly poignant moment in the 15th over of the Macedon innings when he faced the spin-bowling of Brett Venables, one of two sons of the late Ray Venables.
Aireys Inlet’s Pat Hutchinson was the town’s publican in 1983. He was in Lorne, blocked by a police roadblock, when the fires reached Aireys Inlet. The next morning he was told by Lorne police that the pub was ‘non-existent’. Within two days, though, he was trading from a tent and by Easter from a tin shed. This year the pub, which Pat no longer runs, was the focal point for 30th anniversary commemorative events.
There was a quiet moment of serendipity when Pat fielded the last ball of Macedon’s innings, struck by another of the game’s original players, Macedon skipper John Ewels.
John’s bowling turned the game Macedon’s way on Sunday. Chasing 123, Aireys Inlet seemed to be cruising after an opening partnership of 39. At one stage the home team was 1/56 but then John’s wily spinners (bowled off the wrong foot) tempted and trapped the middle-order. Before long Aireys was 9/102 and needing 23 off the last four overs.
Brett Venables and Dave Coad were on the brink of victory when they needed seven runs off the last over but tight bowling left the home team one run adrift and Macedon regained the Ash Wednesday Ashes.
In the end, a wide here or a no-ball there might have been the difference between the two teams. Or there might have been a two when the batsmen only ran a single. A boundary might have been a six.
But in the end these cricketers, survivors and the sons and friends of survivors, know that cricket is only a game.
Macedon 9/123 (Trotta 27, Beatson 16, B Venables 2/9, Begbie 3/12); Aireys Inlet 9/122 (B Venables 23 not out, Yorke 25, Ewels 3/12, Graham 2/16.)
Inaugural Ashes game, 1984. (40 overs each) Macedon 9/209 (Kennedy 74, Moore 4/53); Aireys Inlet 7/208 (Holmes 111, Hutchinson 32, Ewels 1/27, Dodkins 3/37.)
Add A Comment
April 13, 2013, 7:27 am
Clem
I must admit I had forgotten that Ken E tweaked 'em, as well, but I think he still makes the grade.
I have been reminded by an astute judge that a keen eye should be kept on John Hastings. A debut of 1/153 is not to be sneezed at. Regrettably I saw most of it, but must have blotted it from short term memory.
Of course the mere mention of Stacky brings back som great memories. None the least of which his double hundred in Brisbane – when a camera shot showed he had been run out, I think in his 30s. Just as well there was no reviews back then. Stacky will also be remembered by me as, together with big Maxie Walker, as being cricket commentators that showed there were worse options than Greig (RIP) and Lawry and maybe even Bruce Walker (RIP).
April 4, 2013, 3:15 am
Arthur Pewty
Mickey Arthur must surely be in the background ensuring your worst 13 rotate adequately to minimize the chance of success. And frankly you should probably have Michael Clarke in as captain so you can have bizarre and ineffective bowling from part timers and a wimpy absence of leadership (he will have to captain as 12th man so he doesn't bat).
April 3, 2013, 12:02 pm
Les
I loved watching Wally Edwards bat. He seemed to have one leg shorter than the other (like Polly Farmer) and I loved it when he rocked back to pull, hook or cut.
I saw him get 30 in a Test against England at the WACA.
And I remember seeing Ken Eastwood get Keith Fletcher out with his left-arm unorthodox spinners (caught by Stacky).