• The Marian concrete pitch. Photos by John Lloyd.
Test cricket moves to Queensland this week when Australia takes on Bangladesh in Mackay.
I decided to feature pitches from that state on the abandoned cricket pitch site on Instagram and went to the vaults where I found the pitch at Marian nicely located West of Mackay. The photos came to us via John Lloyd via Spirit of Cricket.
A quick visit to Trove to get some historical information unearthed a gem. A story about the revamped pitch at Marian in which the word concrete is used six times. It’s from the Daily Mercury and was published on 21 April 1922.
Marian cricket pitch
A Marian cricketer writes: Your cricket expert who, in a recent edition of your valuable paper, placed the Mackay players in the same category as the recent team which brought back the ashes to Australia, will shortly have to acknowledge that Mackay is not the the only pebble on the beach.
Marian became tired of playing on a pitch which no insurance company would take a risk on except at very long odds. It decided, in the interest of cricket as a district sport and as an incentive to budding Armstrongs, to lay down a pitch on which it is prepared to try conclusions with all concerned in the district.
To effect this notable object a cricket pitch of concrete ends that had been laid down by the pioneers of the game years ago was rooted out, and a full concrete pitch was laid in its place. It is of reinforced concrete, using steel hooping, laced with a full four inches of concrete on either side the steel.
Experts aver that four inches more than suffice to prevent oxidation of the steel. A further 2 inches of concrete dressing covers the whole, and the completed pitch is equal to any that is known to the Marianites in the district.
The work was effected by Marian turning out as a body during the Easter holiday, notwithstanding their attachment to the piscatorial art. The working bee consisted of 50/50 of members and non-members of the club, and at no time was less than a dozen sturdy members of the Banjo Brigade in evidence. Beautiful accents, education and legal power were at a minimum compared with elbow grease and brawn. Malingerers were absent.
The total expenses were under £16, a remarkably small sum for the work done. The voluntary and ungrudging work of the residents, together with the assistance afforded by the Marian Mill management and Mr. J. Paul, to carts, horses and tools, was very gratifying to the cricket enthusiasts.
The secretary (Mr; F. Parsons) was indefatigable in his honorary duties. Mr. James Walz supplied the expert knowledge in concrete to the satisfaction of all concerned.
australianrules.com.au 