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Ken Jacobs

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Q: In the lead up to the 1992 Benson & Hedges World Cup there were two "warm up " matches played in regional Victoria at Bendigo and Benalla.

The first match at Bendigo was a three-day fixture between Victoria and Pakistan and ended in a draw but there were some fine performances from players of both sides.

One of interest was that of Victorian wicketkeeper Darren Berry who made 49 in Victoria's second innings and snared eight victims behind the stumps including what I imagine to be quite unusual in stumping the great Wasim Akram in both innings off the same bowler left arm spinner Paul Jackson.

The second match at Benalla was a one day match between Victoria and India , won by Victoria by 33 runs.

This match also featured a number of big names in Australian and Indian cricket and two giants of the sport who were still in the relatively early stages of their careers in Shane Warne and Sachin Tendulkar.

Interestingly it was that man again Darren Berry who featured in the dismissal of Tendulkar with another beautiful stumping off his great friend in Warne but not before Tendulkar had top scored for India with 59.
A: Spot on Trevor re the legendary Keith " welcome to the north east" Sherwill,
Unfortunately I don't think we will ever see matches like this again unfortunately in regional areas.
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Q: In the lead up to the 1992 Benson & Hedges World Cup there were two "warm up " matches played in regional Victoria at Bendigo and Benalla.

The first match at Bendigo was a three-day fixture between Victoria and Pakistan and ended in a draw but there were some fine performances from players of both sides.

One of interest was that of Victorian wicketkeeper Darren Berry who made 49 in Victoria's second innings and snared eight victims behind the stumps including what I imagine to be quite unusual in stumping the great Wasim Akram in both innings off the same bowler left arm spinner Paul Jackson.

The second match at Benalla was a one day match between Victoria and India , won by Victoria by 33 runs.

This match also featured a number of big names in Australian and Indian cricket and two giants of the sport who were still in the relatively early stages of their careers in Shane Warne and Sachin Tendulkar.

Interestingly it was that man again Darren Berry who featured in the dismissal of Tendulkar with another beautiful stumping off his great friend in Warne but not before Tendulkar had top scored for India with 59.
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Q: I’m on the committee of our cricket club and we find it difficult to get everyone involved. It always feels as though it’s the same two or three people doing the work to make sure the club functions. We’d like to get some advice or ideas on how other clubs structure their committees and share the workload?
A: Hi Peter

The structure of the club committee/board is the key -getting the structure right is vital and ensuring everyone on the committee/board has a dedicated role and doesn't just sit on the committee/board without a role.
It also helps to have a visual structure of the Club Committee /Board so everyone involved or who may wish to be involved can see what areas need to be filled.
It is also worth noting that there are many clubs now that have people doing roles for them who are not on the committee /board - you don't have to be on the committee to be able to help and some people are more than willing to do this with " jobs " like social media, writing grant applications, maintaining the club's database etc .
Happy to assist withany further information if required.
Cheers
Ken
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Q: With the cricket season now done and dusted it is worth recognising that 50 years ago Victoria won the Sheffield Shield from Queensland by just five points in an era when top of the table at the end of the home and away season won the Shield.

This was undoubtedly a very strong Victorian team with a good blend of youth and experience under skipper Keith Stackpole but it was also a bitter sweet season because it also saw the end of the very talented sporting career of Robert Rose which was abruptly curtailed in February 1974 by a motor vehicle accident that saw him become a quadriplegic.

Robert's last innings for Victoria was against NSW in Sydney in January 1974 when he made 23 not out in Victoria's second innings as they defeated NSW by 7 wickets.

Sadly, along with Robert, three other greats of Victorian cricket in Max "Tangles" Walker , Alan " Froggy " Thompson and John " Barrell " Scholes are no longer with us.
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Q: It is finals time in Premier cricket in most states around the country and over the years there have been some wonderful performances by batsmen and here in Melbourne most notably Bill Lawry's 282 not out for Northcote in the 1965/66 Final against Essendon is one that goes down in folklore with cricket enthusiasts.

However almost seventy-two years ago, 23-year-old Neil Harvey did something that is also quite remarkable for Fitzroy CC in a semi-final in 1951/52 against St Kilda CC.

He scored 254 in the first innings in just 255 minutes and followed up with 126 in the second innings in 152 minutes as Fitzroy won outright by 436 runs.

In doing so Harvey became the first batsman in the history of District cricket to score a century in each innings of the same match and he did so against a pretty fair St Kilda attack that included John Edwards, Jack Hill, and Norm Lynch all of whom took in excess of 500 plus wickets in their career.
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Q: A special day at the Citi Power Centre today attending the 20-year reunion of Victoria's Pura Cup (Sheffield Shield) winning team of 2003/04. It was unfortunate that some players and assistant coach at the time Greg Shipperd (on coaching duties at present with NSW) couldn't be present but wonderful to see so many of the players again and a special call out to Jonathan Moss who made the trip down from Sydney especially for the occasion .

Also in attendance were two of the selectors ( often the unsung heroes in sport) from that wonderful period in Ray Bright and John MacWhirter along with other key off field personnel in Craig White and of course Elaine Parish and Shaun Graf as well as Greg Harris (Fosters) who was a wonderful sponsor of Victorian cricket through that golden era .

A wonderful bond exists between everyone from that era which of course was tragically impacted by the unnecessary loss of our State Coach in David Hookes and there were some wonderful tributes paid to Hooksey today about his impact on the group and Victorian cricket.

The reunion was held during the first days play of the Victoria v South Australia Sheffield Shield match and at stumps a number of the current player and coaching staff joined the 2003/04 group and again it was terrific to see the interaction between players and staff past and present.

Special thanks to the captain of the 2003/04 team Darren Berry and Bobby Quiney along with Tarryn Griffiths from CV for the organisation of today's function- it was great to be involved and to be able to contribute to the day’s activities.
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Q: Well before T20 Cricket and even 50 over one day matches there was "Double Wicket Cricket" and in 1968 it was played in Australia, largely due to the efforts of former NSW and Australian captain Bob Simpson.

And when you look at the players who were involved in 1968 it makes you wonder about the crowds they would attract today - an absolute array of champions of the game of cricket.

The rules are outlined in this booklet as too the prizemoney on offer -the winning team received $4000 and the team that finished eighth received $1150.

Matches were played in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth and for all matches local players in each State were the fieldsmen for the day - there are many familiar and other well-known players who acted as fieldsmen in each State as you will see.

Unfortunately, the fieldsmen for the Victoria leg of the competition played at the St. Kilda Cricket Ground "Junction Oval" are not listed but I think there were a number of St.Kilda CC players involved.

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Well before T20 Cricket and even 50 over one day matches there was "Double Wicket Cricket" and in 1968 it was played in Australia, largely due to the efforts of former NSW and Australian captain Bo ...
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Q: Cricket Without Borders is planning a tour to Malaysia in July 2024 and while we have already received a number of expressions of interest from players.
However we would welcome a few more female players aged between 15-22 years of age.

Fill free to complete the EOI on the link below and we will be in contact with further details about the tour.

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Q: Victorian Premier Cricket matches - "Ice Block" and "Mud Match"

Since 1906/07 when Cricket Victoria's District Cricket (now Premier Cricket) was first established there have been a host of wonderful matches, close matches and also plenty of controversial matches and two matches in the later category played in 1968/69 and 1981/82 respectively still generate plenty of discussion among seasoned observers of the competition and some of the participants and members of all clubs involved.

The first match in 1968/69 was the semi-final between Carlton and University at Princes Park on the 15th and 16th March in what has long been known as the "Ice Block" match. Having dismissed the strong Carlton line up on day 1 for just 136 University having lost two early wickets late in the day would still rightly go into day 2 as favourites to secure victory.

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Q: Neil Harvey - 254 for Fitzroy v St Kilda

Ashley Mallet’s book, ‘The Last Invincible’, about Neil Harvey provides a pertinent reminder of just how good a player he was at both state and national levels .However he also recorded some wonderful performances at club level and perhaps none better than in 1951/52 as a 23 year old for his first club Fitzroy in a semi- final against a strong St Kilda Cricket Club team.

Neil scored 254 in the first innings and remarkably scored the runs in even time!

He followed this up with another century in the second innings scoring 126 as Fitzroy comfortably defeated the Saints.

This however was not the first time Neil had scored a century in each innings for Fitzroy- ten years earlier as a 13 year old he scored 101 and 141no for the Club’s third eleven.

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Q: I’m on the committee of our cricket club and we find it difficult to get everyone involved. It always feels as though it’s the same two or three people doing the work to make sure the club functions. We’d like to get some advice or ideas on how other clubs structure their committees and share the workload?
A: Peter
Here is an endorsement if you are interested of the work that CLUBMAP does.
Cheers
Ken

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Q: I’m on the committee of our cricket club and we find it difficult to get everyone involved. It always feels as though it’s the same two or three people doing the work to make sure the club functions. We’d like to get some advice or ideas on how other clubs structure their committees and share the workload?
A: Structure is the key, having a volunteer coordinator and sharing the load !

Peter
I have indicated previously that I have a vested interest because I do some part time work for them but there is a free webinar being hosted by CLUBMAP on this exact subject on the 19th June>

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Q: When captaining Frankston Peninsula v St Kilda, I won the toss and mumbled to my good mate, Jason Jacoby the Saints skipper, that “you can have a bat …. after us!” … the umpires heard what I said but Jason didn’t which was exactly what I wanted. It was very funny when there’s 4 openers out in the middle at the start of play. The Saints openers had to run off hurriedly as did the rest of the team who were just starting to put their feet up relaxing in their shorts and trackies … that was a pretty good crank!
A: I can't imagine you doing this Shaun- much (!)
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At the outset I declare that I have a vested interest because I do some part time work for ...
answered
Q: I’m on the committee of our cricket club and we find it difficult to get everyone involved. It always feels as though it’s the same two or three people doing the work to make sure the club functions. We’d like to get some advice or ideas on how other clubs structure their committees and share the workload?
A: You are spot on David .It is not just cricket clubs but community clubs in general that are facing this dilemma.

I have mentioned CLUBMAP previously - we are hosting a free webinar on Monday 15th May , just for cricket clubs and there will certainly be some discussion involved around this very issue.

As I have mentioned previously I declare a vested interest as I do some part time work for CLUBMAP.


blog post
Since 1906/07 when Cricket Victoria's District Cricket (now Premier Cricket) was first established there have been a host of wonderful matches, close matches and also plenty of controversial matche ...
blog post
50 years ago, today the Australian Test Team was not in India but were in the Caribbean to take on the West Indies in a five Test series.Australia went through the tour undefeated and won th ...
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A wonderful night last night at the MCG for the celebration of the Essendon CC's 150th Anniversary and inaugural Hall of Fame Inductees.A club with a very proud history at Windy Hill and it ...
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The recent release of Ashley Mallet’s book, ‘The Last Invincible’, about Neil Harvey provides a pertinent reminder of just how good a player he was at both state and national levels .However ...
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Q: The Essendon CC here in Melbourne is celebrating its 150th Anniversary this season culminating in a very special dinner at the MCG on the 4th February.We are endeavouring to track down any immediate family members of surviving relatives of George Arthur Davies who played 217 matches for the Club between 1917/18 - 1936/37 and also played 5 matches for Victoria . He was later Manager of the Australian Team that toured England in 1953.
If anyone can assist with the above it would be appreciated if you could contact me.
Thank You
answered
Q: I’m on the committee of our cricket club and we find it difficult to get everyone involved. It always feels as though it’s the same two or three people doing the work to make sure the club functions. We’d like to get some advice or ideas on how other clubs structure their committees and share the workload?
A: At the outset I declare that I have a vested interest because I do some part time work for the business but you might like to have a look at having a chat to CLUBMAP ( ) who assist clubs with this problem on a regular basis.