Gloucester High School's 1985 Under 14's Cricket Regional Champions.
Mid North Coast Veterans Cricket | October 05, 2023
There are 7 members of this team who are either currently playing MNC Vets Cricket (Rob Relf, Scott Allardice, and Tim Fraser) or will play MNC Vets Cricket in the near future (Anthony Relf, Matthew Bowden, Stacey Groves and Matthew Cranfield).
The Coach, Noel "Log" Monro is a Gloucester local, and he watches the MNC Vets Cricket tournaments through the Gloucester Bowling Club window.
Below is a recent facebook post by Noel "Log" Monro regarding our Gloucester curator Ken "Swampy" Garland:
"The recent award of well-deserved life membership of Gloucester Magpies football team to two of the town’s tireless stalwarts was, finally, a rich reward for their devotion and commitment to their community. Whether the Club thought DC might move to Winton if they didn’t give him a life sentence is neither here nor there, and Merch would have gone on giving his all whatever, but it did make me think ( I know, it’s a rare happening these days) of another committed stalwart and supporter of sport in this town, who has devoted his time and sweat to Gloucester sport and the community in general decade after decade. I happened to be looking out the window of a building adjacent to No.1 sports ground (which I rarely frequent these days) at the tireless figure tending the needs of the cricket pitch out in the middle, from steering the roller up and down, to pushing the mower back and forth, to spraying the thirsty grass, to shovelling soil; and thinking, what would happen if Swampy dried up, a distinct possibility in this continuing drought, and wasn’t around to complete his labour of love anymore! I mean, he’s getting skinnier than me, and, because he never could spell very well, he’s taken on tending the croquet grounds as well, what would the cricket association, which has an increasing number of popular tournaments regularly taking up weeks at a time, what would they do? How would the town suffer. If he was looking after the Lords Cricket Ground in London, he would have been knighted decades ago; and I don’t reckon he needs a knighthood (although Sir Swampy does have a nice ring to it), I really think it’s about time the community, or one of its organisations, gave him the recognition he has long been owed. What do you think?"
Nikki Ellis (Gloucester local) replied to Log Monro's post:
"Junior cricket did recognise Swampy when I was on the committee Dad, and we gave him a life membership. I did also nominate him this year for Australia Day citizenship award, but I think there are bigger things in store. Maybe NSW and interstate cricket will recognise this amazing man and his tireless work for next to nothing but the love of it. I’m sure Peter Relf is onto this. In years to come all our towns legends will sure be missed. Irreplaceable"
