Cricket Society Meeting 18th November

At this third meeting of the year, the LCS were very proud to have along the recipient of the society Tankard for 2010, Mr. Claude Henderson. We were very lucky at the timing of our meeting, as Claude, was only back in England for 4 days. He had just flown back from South Africa and this coming weekend he is off to India to pass on his spin bowling know how.

Our chairman Howard Pollard presenting Claude with the LCS tankard for 2010.

Photos of this presentation were taken for the Mercury and Paul Jones did an interview with Claude for the paper.

Claude gave the members his thanks, for the award, and said a few words about the team. Claude thought the youngsters, would do even better next season, he was very glowing in his comments about the team captain, Matthew Hoggard. Moreover, saying, that the happenings off the field last year, only made the players want to do better on the field.

Howard starting the meeting and introducing Claude to the members (Claude looking very pensive)

Claude came over as a very nice modest gentle man and won many friends on the night. He stayed for the first half of the meeting, and many of our members, spoke with Claude before he had to leave. I just managed to hold him back long enough to pick out the first raffle ticket of the night. I hope that you agree with me in saying, Claude is a very worthy winner, and we wish him all the best for the coming season.

Before starting my brief report, I want on behalf of the committee and members, to extend our thanks to Angie Pollard and Jean Williamson for manning (or should that be womanning) the book stall. The bookstall as now become an integral part of the pre- meeting and interval times, when members get a chance to look at some very good BARGAINS that Howard brings along. The society is very grateful for the support these ladies give us.

The main speaker of the night being, Mark Rowe, a 42-year-old journalist and writer, from Burton-on- Trent. This meeting took a different format from normal, with Roger Stead putting some pre-prepared questions to Mark, who then went on to talk about them.

Before the start of the meeting, Roger Stead is getting his questions in order and Mark is swatting up the answers.

Roger asked Mark about his interest in cricket. Mark said he was a Derbyshire supporter from a boy, and went on to tell a story about, as a 13 year old, getting David Steele to sign a 5 year old copy of Steele’s book, Come in No3, David Steele was not known for signing many autographs. Mark told us that Burton on Trent is the centre of civilisation, because it’s easy to get to Grace Rd, Trent Bridge, Edgbaston, Northampton and Derby. Mark said that on days at the cricket, he took tea bags, milk, sugar; a large thermos of hot water and plenty of sandwiches, then asked how many of us did the same.

Mark had brought copies of his book, The Victory Tests: England v Australia 1945, which was his main topic of the night. John Dewes one of only three men left who played in these games had signed some copies of the book. Roger asked Mark what sparked his interest and made him want to write this book. Mark told us he went to Australia on a one-year working visa, which gave him a love of OZ. Working as a kitchen hand in a Sydney Hospital, he had a day off. Which happened to be ANZAC Day, 1998, this is the equivalent of Remembrance Sunday in England. Mark told us that ANZAC day is a celebration of what Australia stands for, rather than a sad sombre occasion. Mark saw the War veterans marching; saw a RAAF banner that read ODD Bods, these were Australian airmen who trained in OZ or Canada then served in the RAF mainly in Bomber Command. Mark went to interview some of the veterans, the first being Ross Stanford a man from Adelaide. Mark to us a story about Stanford, playing in a Sheffield Shield match, Bradman was at the other end, Stanford overawed by the Don, called for a run that wasn’t there and got run out for nought. These interviews and the men he met, lead to a 12-year period of investigation about the Victory Test matches and the men who played in them.

For the benefit of any LCS members who were not at Thursday’s meeting, the paragraph below is from the internet about these matches.

(The Victory Tests were a series of cricket matches played in England from May 19 to August 22, 1945, between a combined Australian Services XI and an English national side. The first match began less than two weeks after the end of World War II in Europe, and the matches were embraced by the public of England as a way to get back to their way of life from before the war. The matches are known as the "Victory Tests", but they were never given Test match status, by the participating Boards of Control, because the Australian Cricket Board, feared their side was not strong enough to compete with a near Test-strength England. so the games only had first class status. In all, the teams played five three-day matches, two of which were won by each side with one drawn. 367,000 people attended the matches at Lord's (three matches), Old Trafford and Bramall Lane (one each), with the final game at Lord's attracting a then-record 93,000 people for a single three-day match.)

There is a lot more information at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_Tests

Mark Rowe answering questions from Roger

During the midsession break, Ken Schofield and I once again took around one lot of raffle tickets. Whilst Margaret and David took around another lot. I want to thank Ken, David Williamson and Margaret and Michael Richardson (Margaret and Michael always count the very generous amounts that our members donate to the raffle) and anyone else I can press gang, for all the help they give at each meeting. I also want to give a very sincere personal thank you, to all the people who have brought along items for the raffle. I have great fun going around during the break and talking to you all, and it makes it so much easier to take money from people who are smiling. The amount of money given so generously this month by the members was £112, with a running total so far of £327. For newer members who may not be aware of what happens with their money, it is used the sponsor a county player, we give donations to the youth academy and generally try to support the county cricket club.

After the break, Roger gave the meeting over to the floor to ask other questions of Mark. He was asked was it difficult getting information on these matches after such a long time, but he said there had been much more written about sport and particularly cricket at that time in the daily papers. That was how people got the news, there being no TV around at the time.

Mark answering a question about an Australian player, Ross Stanford

Mark being very knowledgeable on his subject, fielded many questions, some about Bradman and Miller and others about the less well know OZ players.

Peter asked for a photo to prove ROGER (the one with the beard) does go to the meetings! I think these must be the four just men?

LCS members getting ready for another speaker

The top table listening very intently. (is Claude thinking, who’s round is it now I have my own mug?)

Robin Whait gave the vote of thanks to Mark on this occasion.

Thanks’ to you all for supporting the society.

Phil Veasey

On behalf of the LCS Committee