Around the Grounds Summer 2016

RICHIE BENAUD A marvellous innings

SYDNEY SEVENS Comes to Allianz Stadium in 2016

SUMMER OF CRICKET India and the West Indies return

ARTHUR MORRIS A gentleman and an icon

SUMMER 2016 EDITION

AROUND THE GROUNDS / SUMMER 2016

Snapshot of our History Easts 1975 Grand Final The 1975 rugby league grand final was the first to be telecast in colour and thank god it was.

It was all red, white and blue that day as Eastern Suburbs gave St George a hiding in front of 63,047 fans at the Sydney Cricket Ground, scoring 38 unanswered points to send the club into rugby league folklore. Coach Jack Gibson and captain Arthur Beetson valiantly led the team to their second decider in as many years, losing just two matches throughout the 22-game regular season. Easts led the grand final 5-0 at the break until prop Ian McKay crossed the line early in the second half to open the floodgates. Ron Coote, Johnny Mayes and the rest of the team terrorised a hapless St George to secure a second consecutive premiership for their loyal Eastern Suburbs fans. The untouchable team of 1975 returned to Moore Park earlier this year, where they were recognised with a lap of honour during the Roosters annual Heritage Round fixture.

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Contents 4

ROM THE CEO F Putting the world on notice

6 8 12 14

MORE SPORT ON YOUR DOORSTEP

26 50 54

ALL INTERNATIONAL CRICKET RETURNS

COACHES SWAP NOTES Trent Robinson & John Longmire

18 22

RICHIE BENAUD A marvellous innings

EVENS HEAVEN S Allianz Stadium 2016

WARATAHS Changing of the guard

OBBIE SLATER R The day I took on Maradona STADIUM FITNESS CENTRE Get yourself in shape for summer

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ARTHUR MORRIS A tribute to a fine sportsman

26 18 28 32

YDNEY FC S Double Wanderers derby

SYDNEY SIXERS WBBL at the SCG

CG XI AT LORD’S S Inaugural youth tour a success

CALENDAR YOUR SPORTING DIARY

40 46 ATG is available in iPad or Android tablet editions, with additional video and online content and many other useful digital features.

Search for ‘Around the Grounds’ in the Apple Newsstand or Google Play.

EDITOR: Charlie Drayton DESIGN: Tonic Connective Designers: Juliano Guedes, Stephanie Vachon, Tony Howe PHOTOGRAPHY: Hamilton Lund,

EST INDIES RETURN W Expect the unexpected

SCG MUSEUM Celebrating our heritage

Steve Christo, Caron Lefever, NewsPix COVER PHOTO: NewsPix PRINTING: CMMA CONTACT US MEMBERSHIP SERVICES 1800 80 11 55 or membership@scgt.nsw.gov.au

VENUE SERVICES OFFICE 1300 724737 or venueservices@scgt.nsw.gov.au GOLD & PLATINUM MEMBERSHIP SALES 1800 88 55 55 or sales@scgt.nsw.gov.au POSTAL ADDRESS GPO Box 150, Sydney NSW 2001 ONLINE www.sydneycricketground.com.au

46 AllianzStadium.sydney SydneyCricketGround.SCG

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SCGTrustTV Download SCG & Allianz Stadium app

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AROUND THE GROUNDS / SUMMER 2016

PUTTING THE WORLD From the CEO, Jamie Barkley

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EMBLEY, Yankee Stadium and the Sydney Cricket Ground. It was my great pleasure to represent the Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust at the 2015 Stadium Business Awards in Barcelona.

And while we took home two major awards, of all that I learnt at the conference, the one thing that was impressed upon me again and again was that the SCG is recognised around the world.

What started as a cricket ground more than 160 years ago has grown into a sporting venue famous for its history, the passion it excites among fans and for the major events it has hosted.

The SCG won two major awards in Barcelona; event of the year for the 2014 Major League Baseball Opening Series and project of the year for the MA Noble, Don Bradman and Dally Messenger stand.

It’s another reminder that content, as in the sports played at our grounds, and the facilities we present are what set us apart.

On the content front, the summer ahead presents plenty of opportunity to make the most of your membership.

The New Year’s Test match, starting on 3 January, will be the 15th time that the Australians have hosted the West Indies at the SCG. Respected author and historian Geoff Armstrong recalls some of the great clashes in years past, including that unlikely Test in 1989 when then Australian captain Alan Border took 10 wickets on a turning SCG pitch.

Earlier this year, Cricket Australia and the Trust jointly announced that all international matches would be played at the SCG for the next seven years.

India will face the Australians twice at the SCG next year, first in a One-Day International on 23 January and then on 31

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January in a Twenty20 International.

The two sides will continue the rivalry that has captivated both nations, culminating in that remarkable semi-final of the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup. In domestic cricket, the Sydney Sixers will be hoping to again feature deep into the Big Bash League season.

Their matches take place over December and January and the draw has placed each of their regular season matches on either a Saturday or Sunday.

The cricket season will also offer a chance to reflect on the loss of the great Richie Benaud. This edition of Around The Grounds carries an edited extract of Richie’s interview that forms part of the Trust’s oral history project.

Two days before the magazine went to print, we also lost the great Arthur Morris. The opening batsman from Bradman’s 1948 Invincibles was 93.

Arthur made a huge contribution to cricket as a player and sport generally as a Trustee for 22 years, including nine as Deputy Chairman.

On page 31, we cover the opening of the Arthur Morris Gates and on page 56 respected cricket writer Robert Craddock takes a look at Arthur’s career, including his remarkable century at The Oval.

With a huge summer ahead, we take a look at the Sydney Sevens, a fast-paced and exciting rugby tournament that will be played at Allianz Stadium on 6-7 February.

We asked well known rugby pundit Mark Cashman to write the ultimate guide to the Sydney leg of the travelling circus that is the World Sevens.

Sydney FC, under Graham Arnold, kick off their season on 10 October against Melbourne City but will look forward to their two derbies against Western Sydney at Allianz Stadium on 24 October and 20 February.

ON NOTICE Also on football, Socceroos legend and Allianz Stadium ambassador Robbie Slater turns the clock back to November 1993 and the night that Diego Maradona drew a still record crowd of 43,967 to Moore Park.

Looking back at such groundbreaking matches only underlines that Moore Park is indeed the home of sport in NSW. More elite sporting history has been made at Moore Park than, arguably, anywhere else in the world.

That said, the Trust continues to work closely with the NSW Government on the future of sporting infrastructure in our state.

In June, the NSW Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian announced $5.8 million in funding for ongoing planning associated with the future of Allianz Stadium.

It is worth noting, given the widespread media speculation related to the future of sporting venues, that this was the only money dedicated to stadium upgrades.

The work on the future of NSW’s favourite football venue continues.

The goal in essence is simple, it’s to build on the legacy of Allianz Stadium and the Sydney Football Stadium before its predecessor the Sydney Sports Ground.

Between them, and alongside their neighbor the SCG, the two grounds have been the focal point for a remarkably wide range of sports since 1899.

The Sydney Sports Ground was conceived as a venue for sports other than cricket and provided a stage for some of the greatest names in Australian sporting history.

It hosted rugby league grand finals, rugby union, top class boxing, athletics, speedway and motorcycle races.

Sporting legends from Jack Brabham to Betty Cuthbert

to Johnny Warren to Arthur Beetson have trodden the turf.

The Sydney Football Stadium was opened as its replacement in 1988, revolutionising the viewing experience for football, ruby league and rugby union fans.

In effect, it was a gift from the members of the Trust to the sporting public of NSW. In the years that have passed, it has hosted all manner of sport and entertainment events and seen well over 20 million fans pass through the turnstiles.

Its $68 million build cost, roughly $600 million in today’s terms, was funded entirely by the first gold members, as well as Trust borrowings.

The reality is that the expectations for our sports partners, fans and our many thousands of members has changed.

The development of a next generation, purpose-built rectangular venue for Sydney gives us the chance to put the world on notice - just as Allianz Stadium did when it was opened in 1988.

The Trust is working closely with its sports partners – including the NRL, ARU and FFA – and the NSW Government on the future of sporting infrastructure in our state.

I look forward to keeping you updated on what will be the most exciting development for rectangular sports since the opening of Allianz Stadium in 1988.

The Trust continues to make a surplus in a challenging environment, a large part of that is because of the loyalty of you, our members.

The importance of your support and long-term commitment cannot be overstated.

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More sport on your doorstep Record year looms for the SCG and Allianz Stadium

Andrew Ireland, Jamie Barkley, John Longmire, Andrew Pridham, Rod McGeoch

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blockbuster schedule at Allianz Stadium and the Sydney Cricket Ground looms, with the Moore Park precinct reaffirming its status as the home of sport in NSW through a number of key partnerships. Long-term contracts with rugby, football, rugby league, Australian rules and cricket will give Members access to an unprecedented number of live sporting events in 2016 and beyond.

Sydney Swans home for good In a landmark 30-year agreement, the Sydney Swans will play all regular season home games and finals at Moore Park from 2017, cementing the SCG as the club’s home ground. The move comes off the back of overwhelming support from Swans fans who continue to turn out in droves, including a crowd total of 38,408 at the Swans v Collingwood game in August.

Rugby’s fortress Plenty of rugby is on offer, with Allianz Stadium to host all NSW Waratahs fixtures, one Wallabies Test per year and the inaugural Sydney Sevens.

The Waratahs led by incoming head coach Daryl Gibson, will play home games and finals at Allianz Stadium until 2031. The inaugural Sydney Sevens will take shape as well, with Australia to face off against the world’s best in an action packed weekend in February next year. And the Wallabies are back at Allianz Stadium in June to play England, marking the first time the two nations have met at the venue since 1997.

Get your football fix Sydney FC will play two epic derbies against big-time rivals the Western Sydney Wanderers in October this year and in February at Allianz Stadium. The two

marquee events will form part of 12 Sky Blues fixtures this season, as the Sydneysiders look to continue their impressive record at the ground. In addition, Allianz Stadium will also play host to Asian Champions League fixtures, which will be confirmed in the coming months.

Love our league The Roosters, Rabbitohs and Dragons will all play home games at Allianz Stadium next year as part of current agreements, along with scheduled NRL finals fixtures. Marquee matchups include the annual Anzac Day clash between the Roosters and Dragons and the traditional Heritage Round at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Cricket bonanza Exciting news for cricket fans, with all international cricket in NSW to be played at the SCG from this summer onwards as a result of a new partnership between Cricket Australia, Cricket New South Wales and the Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust. The agreement includes Twenty20 International cricket, which will add to the New Year’s Test match and One-Day Internationals scheduled for Sydney.

The Sydney Sixers will play four home games at the SCG and in a groundbreaking development for fans, the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) Sixers will play two showpiece fixtures at the ground. To top it all off, three Sheffield Shield games will be held at the SCG to complete your summer of international and domestic cricket.

Head to the fixture spread to see all upcoming events at the SCG and Allianz Stadium.

“Long-term contracts with rugby, football, rugby league, Australian rules and cricket will give Members access to an unprecedented number of live sporting events in 2016.”

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AROUND THE GROUNDS / SUMMER 2016

RICHIE

REMEMBERS 8

For the first time, we bring you the transcripts of Richie Benaud’s memories of the Sydney Cricket Ground.

R

ichie Benaud transcends time. His distinctive voice, knack for storytelling and eternal knowledge of cricket has a special place in Australian culture. The news of his passing in April 2015 sent the nation into standstill, as generations of cricket and sports fans alike took a moment to recognise his contribution to the game as a commentator, athlete and personality.

Benaud played 63 Tests for Australia, was the first player to score 2,000 Test runs and take 200 wickets, and never lost a series as captain. After calling stumps on his career, Benaud became the voice of summer and spent four decades as the king of the commentary box sending familiar soundwaves through thousands of homes across the country.

He had a powerful connection with the Sydney Cricket Ground and as part of the SCG Oral History Project, his memories and experiences of the hallowed turf were captured on an old cassette tape by historian Warwick Franks back in April 2007. In this edition of Around the Grounds we bring you the transcripts for the very first time, where Benaud talks about his maiden visit to the SCG, the influence of his father and his love for cricket.

to come to the ground at which I’m now looking at from the top of one of the grandstands, the Bradman Stand. What we did, was make preparations. My mother made sandwiches, probably enough for four or five people. We got the bus from Sutherland Road to Parramatta Station and then we got a steam train into Central Station, nothing luxurious in those days, but the steam train was very good.

It was way back in wartime...

In the school holidays of the 1939-40 season, he (father Lou) was going to take me out to the Sydney Cricket Ground to see the match between New South Wales and South Australia, because Bradman would be playing. I came up to Sydney and went to Burnside School, at this stage I was in fifth class in primary and playing in the Burnside cricket team.

This was going to be a great thing, that on 13 January 1940, aged nine, I was going

There were 30,400 people at the ground...

We bought some small bottles of Blue Bow Orange Cordial - that was the big thing in those days and very nice they were to. So they went with the corn beef sandwiches and what my mother called mock chicken sandwiches that we had there ... we had a good day.

I didn’t know what was going to happen because all I’d done to this date was follow my father around the central Cumberland and watch what happened in grade matches.

New South Wales went out there and I was

This was a real ADVENTURE for me...

I can’t remember the exact figure but I think my father paid two shillings - no - two and six pence for him and a shilling for me because we were going to a stand, rather than to the outer. We walked along and my father wanted to be behind the bowlers arm so we went down to what was then called the Sheridan Stand and is now the Clive Churchill Stand. We walked up the steps, there were a lot of people but we found two seats, six rows from the back of the Sheridan Stand, two seats on the isle and almost behind the bowlers arm. Sam McCabe and Don Bradman were the two captains. New South Wales easily won the match but I only knew about that by reading the newspapers, because we only went to one day.

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captivated, not by Merv Waite who opened the bowling, but by this little guy who bowled in a cap - that was Clarrie Grimmett. Bradman tested it to see if there was any turn for the ball and Grimmett took six for 118.

It’s the single most thing that wanted me to be a leg spinner. I wanted to be like Grimmett.

On his father, Lou He was a top class bowler, a big spinner of the ball - very accurate and had a good method of imparting knowledge. He wasn’t a coach because he believed that people should develop their natural ability, but he certainly coached John and he coached me, well enough to play for Australia. He had a big influence on the way I played cricket as well because he was an attacking thinker and he wanted his two sons to play in an attacking fashion. But more importantly, he wanted us to play in light of the spirit of cricket.

In 1981 my father wrote the book ‘The Young Cricketer’ and he devoted his introduction to extolling the spirit of cricket as well as the ability to play well. So he might have been a little bit ahead of his time but that was the way he always thought about cricket. It was one of the reasons that in a rather twisted way, I never genuinely became a walker because it was drummed into me by my father that whatever the umpire said, that was exactly what you did.

“Don’t ever let me see you in any way indicate that the umpire might have been incorrect in his decision” - that stayed with me all the time I played.

He was not just a good player but had very good ideas on the game and as a family thing, it’s a great pleasure to be associated with Cricket Australia

because they called the spirit of cricket awards, the Benaud Spirit of Cricket Awards. They mentioned Lou, for the work he did in club cricket and for schoolboys, and then John and myself as well. So that’s one of the nicest things that has happened to the family.

From cricket to commentary I started working with Noel Bailey on police rounds ... it all came from cricket, from the first match I ever saw here and from having played for Australia, toured under Hassett, toured with Ian Johnson, Miller, and had Morris and Lindwall as mentors.

Cricket got me eventually to that point and it was brilliant. The important thing about the press box were the people in it. If you had the most beautiful edifice and a lot of pretty ordinary people in it, that wouldn’t of been worth a stamp.

Here in Sydney, with Tommy Goodman and Bill O’Reilly, Ray Robinson, Bob Gray, myself and photographers wandering in and out ... it was part of the character of the ground and the character of the press box was the same.

You can look for a lot of lucky people around the world, but I’ve always regarded myself as being one of the luckiest to have those things happen.

To be able to have the family, which is a cricket family; and a spirit of cricket family; to have the grounding in cricket; to be able to see the match I did here, which pointed me in one direction; and then to pursue a career and to meet people in the journalism world.

There’s a great deal of good fortune that goes into everyone’s life and I reckon I’ve had my fair share of it.

“No player comes to the SCG and goes away with anything other than being pleased to have been on it and a part of the atmosphere, and that has been happening ever since this ground existed.”

CELEBRATION OF A ‘MARVELLOUS CONTRIBUTION’ Wednesday 11 November Noble Dining Room, SCG Peerless cricketer and commentator Richie Benaud OBE will become the latest Bradman Honouree at the Bradman Gala Dinner.

Book now for this unique celebration and special tribute to Richie from the Bradman Foundation, Channel 9’s Wide World of Sports and the SCG Trust.

Tickets from $390, including voluntary tax deductible donation.

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Secure your seat in the room. call 02 4861 5422 email events@bradman.com.au visit www.bradman.com.au

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THE HOME OF CRICKET IN NEW SOUTH WALES Aussies brace for bumper summer of cricket at the SCG

Plan your ultimate summer Australia v West Indies Test SCG, 3-7 January Australia v India ODI SCG, 23 January Australia v India T20 SCG, 31 January Australia v India WT20 SCG, 31 January

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rom the comfort of the new Noble Bradman Messenger stands or the traditional pavilions, Members can enjoy more cricket than ever before at the Sydney Cricket Ground this summer.

It all begins in December when the Sydney Sixers start their 2015-16 campaign with a twilight doubleheader featuring both their men’s and women’s teams.

From there, the Australian cricket team prepare for the annual New Year’s Test against the West Indies, who return to the SCG in their allwhites for the first time since 2001.

After the Test frenzy, crowd favourites India play the Australian Cricket Team in a One-Day International and will be joined a week later by Australia’s female cricket team, the Southern Stars, to play a T20 International.

It will mark the first time a T20 International has been held at the SCG in nearly six years and the maiden time the two countries have competed in the shortened version of the game at the ground.

The jam-packed summer comes as part of a new cricket partnership, which Trust Chief Executive Jamie Barkley

believes has reaffirmed the SCG as the sport’s home in New South Wales.

“International cricket has been played at the SCG since before the Members Pavilion was built in 1886,” Mr Barkley said.

“Since then we’ve seen 103 Test matches, 151 One-Day Internationals and countless other matches as the SCG has evolved into one of the most iconic cricket grounds of any sport in any city around the world.”

Mr Barkley said the SCG would continue to be the home ground for the Australian Test outfit, One-Day and Twenty20 teams, as well as the Southern Stars, the NSW Blues, NSW Breakers, and men’s and women’s Sydney Sixers sides.

“This summer is going to be another busy one for cricket and to host the West Indies and India in the space of a month will no doubt excite fans across the state,” Mr Barkley said.

“The opportunity to also host the inaugural WBBL Sydney Sixers and the Southern Stars, brings an entirely new dimension to the upcoming summer.”

Make sure you are part of the action as Australia’s best male and female athletes head out to the middle of the SCG to take on the West Indies and India this summer.

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John Longmire

COACHES IN CONVERSATION Trent Robinson and John Longmire swap notes

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round the Grounds sat down with Roosters coach Trent Robinson and Swans coach John Longmire. The pair regularly swap notes on coaching and both are again preparing for a busy end to the season, with the ultimate goal of another premiership in sight.

If you could pick one Swans player to sign for the Roosters or vice-versa, who would it be?

Trent Robinson (TR): Kieren Jack is the easy answer, given his background in the game. But I also like Josh Kennedy. He’s tall, strong and quick.

I’d see him as a backrower in our game.

He looks like he enjoys the physical contest, which would translate well to rugby league. It would be fascinating to see what sort of an NRL player his size, speed, agility and handling skills would enable him to become.

John Longmire (JL): It would be very interesting to see Mitchell Pearce on an AFL field. We know he has fantastic kicking and handling skills. He’s strong and he certainly has vision.

strength and explosive speed, while John is working on endurance as one of the key goals. But there is a lot of crossover.

We certainly have looked to the AFL, Tadhg Kennelly most recently, to work with us on kicking. But beyond that Tadhg is a very good communicator and has been important in educating our playing group about the mental preparation, not only for big matches but for the entire season.

How important is it that you get to train at your home ground? John, particularly for you, it’s not something that many AFL clubs get the benefit of these days.

JL: Being able to walk from our rooms up on to the SCG is a very special feeling.

Even from our seasoned recruits from other clubs, that is a big part of

why they want to come here.

There is no doubt that the SCG is our home ground, the playing group has a very strong sense of ownership of the field, as do our fans.

TR: I am very conscious that we try to have our hardest or most challenging training sessions on Allianz Stadium.

That’s where the club and the players ask the most of themselves during matches, so it’s important that we go as close as we can to replicating that environment.

And you’ve been making good use of the new superscreens at Allianz Stadium this season?

TR: They’re a fantastic training tool. They operate on a seven-second delay, so we’re able to review our plays almost immediately. I know Des (Hasler) does the same thing at the

Moore Park boasts the densest concentration of professional sporting teams in Australia. What do you learn from your neighbours?

TR: We take a lot from the Swans and their preparation for games. It was something that rugby league probably hadn’t spent as much time on as the AFL. It couldn’t be more important.

The Swans plan their weeks very well - the routine, the training and the build-up, right through to the postmatch recovery.

That’s certainly something that we’ve been able to adapt to rugby league.

JL: One of the key things we take from the NRL, and the Roosters, is how they manage the physical toll on the players’ bodies.

The collisions are more consistent, the physicality is intense. Seeing how the Roosters manage the recovery, the heavy training loads and then having the players ready for another match the next week has certainly taught us a lot.

High performance has become a genuine buzzword in sporting circles.

Are you watching the other sports to see what works for them in the hope it will work for you?

JL: Absolutely we do. The requirements and challenges of our sports remain different, but the there is a lot of crossover in the fundamentals.

TR: In the NRL we’re looking for

Trent Robinson

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Bulldogs, but the screens at Allianz are a little bigger than the ones at Belmore. It’s also an important step for us in replicating the actual game day conditions.

How do you keep your players fresh during such a long season, especially with the finals looming?

TR: It’s a very hard balance to strike.

We gave Mitchell Pearce a week off recently. There were reasons behind that, but none of them physical really.

He is one of the best prepared athletes you’ll ever see, so physical fatigue is never an issue for him. But it can be harder to identify the other factors that might have an effect on performances.

The other balance you’ve got to strike is pushing all the way to the end of the season.

We’ve made a bit of progress in that regard already, but it remains our biggest challenge going into a busy end of season.

JL: Rather than rest our players as a group, we stagger their rest periods

Mitchell Pearce in action

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through the season.

We look at the loads, both physical and mental on some of the players and rotate two or three off every week.

A couple of days off early in the week can make a big difference, so come the end of the year we can still go through with our program, but we’ve been able to freshen players up as individuals.

How important is it to be based in a precinct where you mix with other sports at all levels, from players and training staff to administration?

TR: It’s a good thing for the players to be able to mix with athletes from the other sports. There is a sense of camaraderie here at Moore Park and I’m certain that our players benefit from a glimpse of life outside their own playing group.

JL: There’s a little bit of added pressure to be honest. You don’t want to be the one club at Moore Park that’s not doing well. So if the Roosters, the Waratahs and Sydney FC are

performing strongly, you don’t want to be the one team that is struggling.

Who is your most improved player this season, and who are you looking to to make a difference in the finals?

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has been huge for us, just the way he has gone to fullback and played this year.

He has become a very big threat to oppositions.

His development from wing to fullback has been big.

Also probably our two centres Michael Jennings and Blake Ferguson.

They offer a lot as individuals and together they way they’ve played has opened up our game a little bit more.

JL: Lewis Jetta has had a pretty good year for us and gives us something a little bit different for our footy. We are hoping we get Gary Rohan up and going for the finals. He’s one of the quickest players in the AFL and is hard and talented and we are really looking forward to seeing him excel in the back end of the season.

AROUND THE GROUNDS / SUMMER 2016

Josh Kennedy gets a handball away

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In Sevens Heaven

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Strap in for an action packed weekend of running rugby (6-7) February) Mark Cashman

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he World Sevens Series is heading to Sydney and Allianz Stadium in 2016 and it will be an intriguing dry run for the return of Rugby to the Olympics in Rio later that year.

YOU WON’T SEE their names amongst the starters at the Super Rugby franchises and the dream of representing the Qantas Wallabies is still a little way down the track, but come 2016 they will take centre stage as the greatest show in sport heads to Rio for the games of the XXXI Olympiad.

They travel thousands of kilometres each season to compete in the nine

event World Sevens Series (the women play in six) that spans five continents, train harder and are generally considered to be fitter and more agile than the Israel Folaus, Richie McCaws and Michael Hoopers of this world.

Welcome to the gut wrenching, but rewarding world of the Aussie Sevens stars and they are heading to Sydney and Allianz Stadium in 2016 to strut their stuff as the Rio Games loom.

The names Cameron Clark (the son of Fox Sports Rugby commentator Greg Clark), Shannon Walker, Ed Jenkins and Jesse Parahi have flown pretty much

under the radar for the past couple of years, but that will all change in 2016 with Sydney and Rio on the schedule.

6-7 February 2016 has been earmarked as the time when big time Sevens arrives in Sydney after spending the past four years on the Gold Coast.

On the field it will be a time of tactics and tweaking as the teams that have qualified for Rio go through their paces, working hard to make sure that they come away with some sort of medal.

Off the field it’s very much the

Ed Jenkins and Cameron Clark

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THE GAME IN A NUTSHELL THE GAME SEVENS is an abbreviated version of Rugby, played by teams of seven players over seven-minute halves. A Sevens team includes three forwards, four backs and five replacements.

Given the importance of speed and agility in Sevens, teams usually consist of mobile players, usually backs or loose forwards in the 15-player game.

GETTING READY: PLAYERS typically complete a periodised training program combining Rugby skills with mindblowing Sevens-specific conditioning.

Most days players will complete one to three sessions per day of 45–90 minutes and cover up to 6.5km in each outing.

WHAT THEY PLAY FOR INTERNATIONAL men’s Rugby Sevens has been contested in the annual International Rugby Board (IRB) Sevens World Series since 1999. In 2012, the corresponding IRB Women’s Sevens World Series was introduced.

The Rugby World Cup Sevens tournament has also been challenged every four years since its inception in 1993. The sport has been staged at the Commonwealth Games and will make its return at the Rio Olympics.

party zone – fancy dress, footy food, Mexican waves and all sorts of shenanigans.

The evolution of this form of the game from an end-of-season, no-contact, one-side-of-the-pitchto-the-other frolic into a speed and endurance based series of car crashes has been staggering.

While New Zealand has won 12 of the 15 Sevens World Series contested so far at men’s level, Australia was very much the benchmark for inventive Sevens play when it first hit the big time in Hong Kong in the early 1980s.

Hong Kong was the ultimate and as Wallabies great and one of Rugby’s first Invincibles, Mark Ella explains “the circuit” then was a test of character on and off the field.

“We used to have such a great time in Hong Kong that we didn’t want to

Wallaby Henry Speight signs with Aussie Sevens

NUTS AND BOLTS: EACH tournament is contested by either 12 or 16 teams over a two or three day schedule. Teams play three matches in the pool stage on the first or second day, then, depending on results, up to three matches during the knockout stages on the final day.

THE HARD YARDS: ALTHOUGH the duration of a Sevens match is considerably shorter than the 80 minutes of a regular game, relative to match time, Sevens players cover 20–45% greater distance.

THE RIGS ARE GETTING BIGGER: DESPITE an increase in the stature and mass of Sevens players’ over the past 10 years, on average, male international Sevens backs are 2cm shorter and 6kg lighter than international backs, whereas forwards are 1cm shorter and 13kg lighter than their counterparts.

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Gold and Platinum members will have access to this event

tell too many people how good it was once we got back,” Ella said.

“We won there pretty consistently and tried a lot of stuff that was ground breaking – but the emphasis was always on the first, second and third half.”

Geraint John took over as head coach of the Aussie Sevens team a little over 12 months ago and in that time has focused the squad’s attention on Rio. John pretty much sums up the international flavour of the world Sevens scene – a Welshman who had great success building Canada’s program now in charge of putting some starch into our national program.

That is happening and at the time of writing the Aussies were sitting in fourth spot in the Sevens Series table behind South Africa,

Fiji and New Zealand.

The top-four ranked countries will each book their places in Rio alongside the hosts, Brazil (who count amongst their ranks Dave Harvey, the Australian-born grandson of cricketing great Neil Harvey), guaranteeing their places in history.

For those who miss out on top-four status, the second half of 2015 will bring regional events from which six more qualifiers in both men’s and women’s will book their tickets to Rio. The Olympic stage is driving a global boom in Rugby right now.

A total of 25 nations have bid to host a Sevens World Series event in 2016 (including non-traditional Rugby nations like Germany, Spain, and China), and 14 have bid to host the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens, showing the globalisation of the game that Sevens is producing.

Global rugby participation has exploded by 120% (3.0 million to 6.6 million) since 2009 when the International Olympic Committee announced Rugby’s re-admittance into the Olympic program.

Not long ago, the traditional Rugby nations regularly beat up on the minnows in Sevens by margins of 50+ points.

However, the average points difference on the IRB World Sevens Series has gone from 27 in the first season to 11 last season.

Canada, the USA, Kenya, and even Portugal are now claiming victories over New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, and the UK home nations and on top of all that there’s a try scored every 70 seconds.

The Olympic carrot is attracting better athletes to Sevens, like Wallabies and Brumbies flyer Henry Speight,

and the level of skill and competition has skyrocketed over the last couple seasons.

Commentator Greg Clark agrees.

“I’ve seen this series grow since it was first staged in 1999 and the level of skill and athleticism that we see today is phenomenal,” Clark says.

“In Australia we used to use this series as a development tool to expose young players to a higher level of Rugby and get them ready for Super Rugby, but now with things like the Olympics and Commonwealth Games there’s a definite career path.

“After four years on the Gold Coast it was time for a move and Sydney will love the Sevens experience both on and off the field.

“High level competition on the field and party 24-7 off it.”

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AROUND THE GROUNDS / SUMMER 2016

GEN BLUE A new coach, some fresh faces and a whole lot of potential

David Horwitz, Andrew Kellaway, Daryl Gibson, Jack Dempsey, Jim Stewart

22

N

ew Waratahs head coach Daryl Gibson is no stranger to the rigours of professional rugby, having played 19 Tests for the All Blacks and 77 games for the Crusaders the most successful team in Super Rugby history.

He has been assistant coach to Michael Cheika since 2013 and has played his hand in the Waratahs transformation from seasonal underachievers to premiership heavyweights, culminating in the club’s maiden title last year.

But this season presents a unique challenge.

With close to 15 players from the squad parting ways, including the likes of Adam AshleyCooper, Sekope Kepu and Wycliff Palu, Gibson is well aware that this is the dawn of a new era for the Waratahs.

“We’re obviously disappointed to farewell a number of established senior players, their contribution to the club has been outstanding,” Gibson said. “But they’re going to leave a fantastic legacy for a lot of those young boys to follow.”

The Waratahs are keen to maintain their status as the gatekeeper of Australia’s Super Rugby stocks and have been busy at work developing the next generation of Sky Blue enforcers.

“Even though we’ve lost 13 to 14 players, a lot of that internal turnover has been covered by internal promotion, which is the way a good club builds itself and remains strong,” Gibson said.

“A number of young players have had the opportunity over the last two or three years to really model themselves on those senior pros and now they get the

opportunity to put themselves forward for those starting positions.”

A new-look squad for the impending season is full of bolters, with a number of exciting home grown players looking to stamp their mark, including the likes of Andrew Kellaway, Jim Stewart, Jack Dempsey and David Horwitz.

With all Waratahs games, finals and grand finals set to be played at Allianz Stadium in 2016, young gun Andrew Kellaway is keen to make the home ground his own.

“It’s pretty hard to look past the likes of Adam Ashley-Cooper, Sekope Kepu and some others leaving, but it’s exciting for us as young players coming through and hopefully for the Waratahs fans who get to see that as well,” Kellaway said.

“I think that winning at Allianz Stadium is something that we place a huge importance on, so it’s great to have every game here next year.”

Despite back-to-back semi final appearances and a Super Rugby title, coach Daryl Gibson believes players of Andrew Kellaway’s calibre are poised to continue the legacy as the Waratahs look to build for future success.

“That legacy particular players like Adam Ashley-Cooper have left and the imprint that he’s made on some of those young players like Andrew Kellaway is invaluable,” Daryl said.

The Waratahs begin their 2016-17 Super Rugby campaign in February and will play in an expanded 18-team format for the first time, with sides from Argentina and Japan joining the competition.

23

AROUND THE GROUNDS / SUMMER 2016

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AROUND THE GROUNDS / SUMMER 2016

Ed Sheeran’s right-hand man Ed Sheeran Allianz Stadium 9 December

I

n this edition of Around the Grounds, we bring you a Q&A with Ed Sheeran’s promoter and the owner of Frontier Touring Company, Michael Gudinski. He’s considered the godfather of Australian rock and is the man responsible for bringing some of the world’s most powerful stars Down Under, including Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones and now, Ed Sheeran.

What is it about his solo performances that sell out venues all over the world?

Ed Sheeran is a completely unique artist and one of the most prolific song writers to appear on the scene.

When he came out with such a big first album it was very refreshing that he didn’t come off a TV show - he was a natural artist and he worked hard to get to that point. He’s also captured something unique in the sense

that he mixes many styles of music together, it’s more than one man with a guitar. He uses a number of pedals and effects but there has never been an artist I can recall that’s played stadiums like Ed. How did you come to the decision to host Ed Sheeran at Allianz Stadium?

Playing at stadiums has enabled him to get to a lot of fans in a shorter period of time. It’s a big world out there and everybody expects you at the one time.

Half of the artists in the top ten charts couldn’t sell 500 tickets - they just have one-hit songs, but artists like Ed Sheeran can. It’s one thing going to arenas but to go to stadiums, he needs a massive video production; we’ve kept it very price friendly and it’s going to be a sell-out. It’s about getting an artist who is willing to put the time in to get the sound right - the show will be outstanding.

How important are Australian fans to him?

Australia is the second market that Ed really broke into on a big scale. He loves Australia. I think people that have never seen him are going to get a real surprise. There is a fresh attitude to this new range of young artists.

They realise that it’s big business, it’s competitive and just how hard they have to work - Ed has a genuine passion for his fans. Australia is one of the great touring markets. It will slow down a bit with the dollar dropping, which is mostly a good thing because some nights there is as much going on in Sydney and Melbourne as there is in LA, New York and London.

Ed Sheeran will play at Allianz Stadium on 9 December. Limited tickets available at http://premier.ticketek.com.au

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AROUND THE GROUNDS / SUMMER 2016

TWO OF THE BEST

Sydney FC and the Western Sydney Wanderers go head-to-head in two epic derbies!

Tony Popovic and Graham Arnold

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Sydney FC fans give it their all

I

t’s the best atmosphere football has to offer in Australia. Sydney FC versus the Western Sydney Wanderers at Allianz Stadium not once - but TWICE during the 2015-16 A-League season.

Sydney FC is not the sort of team to shy away from a grudge match, with the Sky Blues taking home the spoils in their last two meetings at the venue.

Coach Graham Arnold is adamant that big wins against their cross town rivals will help set the tone for the rest of the season, and to do it in front of a buzzing home crowd is the goal.

“The Sydney Derby is one of those special occasions each A-League season,” Arnold said. “I’ve always said that Allianz Stadium is the best stadium in the competition and there is no better sight than seeing it bursting at the seams with a sea of Sky Blue from 40 thousand plus fans.

“Obviously being cross town rivals the game is always hotly contested, there are always talking points and there is nothing better than getting one over the Wanderers. They didn’t beat us once last season, we took seven points from a possible nine off them and with two home Sydney derbies

at Allianz Stadium, I am hopeful of achieving that again this season.”

Arnold was also quick to point out the vital role Members play in marquee games and believes the Sydney FC v Wanderers derby at Allianz Stadium should be at the top of every football fan’s bucket list.

“The Sydney Derby is one experience that all Allianz Stadium members shouldn’t miss and we are hopeful they will back us throughout the rest of the season as well. We need every member on board supporting us.”

The past four games played at Allianz Stadium between the two sides have attracted crowds of over 40,000 - creating an electric atmosphere for fans from both sides to sink their teeth into.

Expect to see ‘The Cove’ at their loudest as the wonderful tradition of the Sydney Derby continues at Allianz Stadium. Long may they sing “We are Sydney”.

The double-header forms part of 12 fixtures scheduled at the venue, with Sydney FC also set for a grand final rematch against old foes, Melbourne Victory.

Don’t miss v Allianz Stadium Saturday 24 October, 2015

v Allianz Stadium Saturday 14 November, 2015

v Allianz Stadium Saturday 20 February, 2016

27

AROUND THE GROUNDS / SUMMER 2016

MAGENTA MILESTONE WBBL Sydney Sixers to light up the SCG

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he Sydney Sixers will begin their 2015-16 Big Bash League Season at the SCG like never before, with the Sixers women’s side to partner with the men for a twilight doubleheader in their first home game of the season.

Spearheaded by Ellyse Perry, the formation of the WBBL Sixers team comes off the back of the official launch of the sister competition earlier this year. The inaugural team will play two games alongside the men at the SCG, including fixtures against the Hobart Hurricanes and the Melbourne Stars.

“The WWBL is such an exciting prospect for us and it will certainly be one of the highlights of the summer,” Perry said. “The Sydney Cricket Ground is my favourite place in the world to play cricket, so any opportunity to play there, is always very special.”

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“I’m incredibly proud to be a Sixer. I think it’s a really exciting and special time to be involved in cricket at the moment, so to be a part of one of the leading cricket teams in the country is a huge honour.”

Perry is looking forward to building a new chapter in Sixers history and believes the addition of a WBBL team presents a huge draw card for young female players and fans.

“The WWBL is a really exciting and an important step forward in the development of women’s cricket and cricket as a whole in Australia.

It would be absolutely fantastic if the tournament is able to attract new people to the game, especially young girls who might not have considered playing cricket otherwise.”

The Sixers have been handed a cracking draw with all home games to be played on weekends, including three Sunday fixtures and a Saturday

blockbuster against cross-town rivals the Sydney Thunder. Members will also have free access to five NSW Matador Cup games at Drummoyne oval as part of a new agreement with Cricket Australia.

Meanwhile the men’s Sixers team will look to go one better in the upcoming season, after falling short against the Perth Scorchers in dramatic fashion, with Brett Lee denied a fairytale finish to his career on the last ball.

The side will be led by incoming head coach Greg Shipperd, a former first class batsman and Tasmanian, Victorian and Melbourne Stars coach who has four State titles under his belt.

Action begins at the SCG on Sunday 20 December when the Sydney Sixers take on the Hobart Hurricanes.

Membership Offer: Coming to the games but want the behind the scenes access granted to Sixers Members only? The SCGT Membership is made for you!

For just $30 get all your Sixers news first including player announcements and team lists, as well as exclusive content not to be found anywhere else.

Members also receive invites to additional events and opportunities to meet the players, as well as a Membership pack including a lanyard, Membership card and a fixtures magnet.

A great option for all ages.

Visit sydneysixers.com.au/ membership for more information.

Marquee signing: Ellyse Perry

29

AROUND THE GROUNDS / SUMMER 2016

CHEERS TO 50 YEARS

F

ormer Members Pavilion barman and avid Souths supporter John Jeffries has seen more rugby league at the Sydney Cricket Ground than just about anyone. He has been to over 50 grand finals, including every one from 1949 to 1987 at the ground.

In 1965, he was working behind the Members Bar, when 78,056 rugby league fans crammed, climbed and squeezed into every possible vantage point to catch a glimpse of the grand final between St George and South Sydney - a crowd record which will never be broken.

“It was first in best dressed, there were no seat numbers in those days,” John said. “It was like a tidal wave coming through the turnstiles.”

32 30

“On the day of the ‘65 Grand Final I got up at 8.30 in the morning and didn’t finish till 9.00 in the evening.

It was a mad rush.

“The SCG is fantastic. Even though it’s a cricket ground, it is brilliant for watching rugby league and the atmosphere is something else.”

John returned to the ground in July for the first time in nearly 30 years when South Sydney and St George celebrated the 50th anniversary of the grandest day the SCG has ever seen.

However this time, he watched his beloved Rabbitohs beat the Saints 24-8 from the comfort of the Members Pavilion - beer in hand.

“It was first in best dressed, there were no seat numbers in those days. It was like a tidal wave coming through the turnstiles.”

AROUND THE GROUNDS / SUMMER 2016

VALE ARTHUR MORRIS The Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust joined the cricket world in mourning the loss of Arthur Morris MBE.

Hon. David Hurley, Judith Morris and Tony Shepherd unveil the Arthur Morris gates

A

rthur, a member of Don Bradman’s 1948 Invincibles and Australia’s 24th Test captain, died on Saturday 22 August 2015.

At 93, he was Australia’s oldest living cricketer.

On 19 August, NSW Governor David Hurley, Arthur’s wife Judith and SCG Trust chairman Tony Shepherd were on hand to officially open the Arthur Morris Gates for the first time.

“Arthur made an immeasurable contribution to cricket as a player and then as an administrator during more than 20 years as a Trustee of the Sydney Cricket Ground,” Mr Shepherd said.

“His 196 at The Oval remains the most forgotten century in the history of Test cricket, being at the nonstriker’s end when Donald Bradman made a duck in his final innings. Our sympathies are with Judith and the rest of the Morris family. We have lost a true gentleman and a great Australian.”

Arthur made his first-class debut at the SCG in 1940, immediately putting the cricket world on notice by becoming the first player to score centuries in both innings. He went on to play a total of 46 Tests at a batting average of 46.48 and 162 first-class matches at an average of 53.67.

Morris is regarded as one the

finest left-hand bats to play the game and one of the great characters of cricket, on and off the field. Historian Gideon Haigh described him as “the acme of elegance and the epitome of sportsmanship”.

His legacy will be permanently recognised by the Arthur Morris Gates, which provide entry to the SCG training field via Driver Ave. The Trust would like to thank Arthur Morris on a remarkable contribution to Australian cricket and the SCG as a former Trustee.

A memorial will be held at the ground on 8 September.

Head to page 56 for more on Arthur Morris.

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AROUND AROUND THETHE GROUNDS / SUMMER GROUNDS / SUMMER 2016 2016

THE DAY WE PLAYED AT LORD’S The SCG XI relished the golden opportunity to play at Lord’s, while the SCG XI Youth squad enjoyed their maiden tour.

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XI

LIVE YOUR CRICKET DREAMS

The SCG XI will be touring India for 12 days in April 2016. Any Members interested in joining this amazing journey can register their interest by ticking the box on their annual subscription form or by contacting pbooth@scgt.nsw.gov.au

Howzat! Stuart MacGill snares a wicket

F

or the first time in the history of the SCG XI tour, the team played their old rivals Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) on the hallowed turf of Lord’s - a place where so many Australian cricketers have laid their legacy in the past.

Former Australian greats Stuart MacGill and Stuart Clark donned the whites and relit their competitive fire to join the SCG XI out in the middle.

The duo took three wickets between them, with Clark turning back the clock to score a half-century. MacGill was looking set to star with the bat after an inspiring display of strokemaking. The current Trustee finished not out on 2 after running out of partners and finished the day with his leg in an esky, icing an injured calf muscle.

The MCC went on to win by 40 runs to retain bragging rights and earn first round drinks after the game.

Nonetheless, the experience to play at Lord’s, followed by dinner in the Long Room proved the pinnacle of their teammates’ cricketing dreams.

During the tour the SCG XI played a series of games across the country including, a match against the Royal Household of Windsor Castle and a visit to the cradle of cricket at Hambledon with a game on the historic Broadhalfpenny Down.

Senior tourers were also on hand for the first two days of the second Ashes Test between England and Australia at Lord’s, representing the SCG in their black and gold blazers.

SCG XI Youth enjoy maiden tour The tradition continues to evolve but for the first time the mantle was passed down to the next generation of tourers, with the SCG XI Youth squad embarking on their own trip to England.

The curtain raiser to the seniors tour was an overwhelming success, with 14 young SCG Members aged 14 to 16 given the opportunity to train like professional cricketers at Sussex Academy and at Lord’s at the MCC Academy.

Coached by former Australian cricketer, Beau Casson, the juniors played a total of six games, with fixtures against Singapore Invitational Schools XI and Buckinghamshire Cricket Board XI. They also visited Twickenham Stadium, Lord’s and a number of London’s key tourist attractions.

Australian cricketer Simon Katich presented the squad with their baggy caps ahead of the trip and summed up what representing the SCG XI is all about.

“Touring internationally as part of a sporting group provides you with a fantastic opportunity to not only play the sport you love, but also to learn about different cultures, working as a team, and social interaction.”

“You have been given a fantastic opportunity. Many of you will leave this tour having formed great friendships which will continue through your life.”

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AROUND THE GROUNDS / SUMMER 2016

SIGN UP FOR A SUPER SUMMER M

embers are in for a huge summer of international cricket, starting with the West Indies Test in January.

Later in the month, Australia take on India in a One-Day International and a Twenty20 International double-header featuring both the men’s and women’s sides.

On top of that is a busy schedule of domestic cricket with four Sydney Sixers home games, two WBBL Sydney Sixers fixtures and three Sheffield Shield matches all on the agenda.

You can choose to enjoy the action from the atmosphere of the traditional Members or Ladies Pavilions, or from the Noble Bradman Messenger stands.

Outlined below are all the practical card usage and seating arrangements you need to know to make the most of your time at the SCG. All Members who pay by 16 October

34

will be sent a complimentary copy of our 2016 Sports Diary. If payment has not been received by 16 October, your membership cards will be deactivated and you will incur a $60 late fee on top of your subscription to reactivate them.

Club Cards Club cards can be used for days four and five of the January Test, and all ODIs, Sydney Sixers Big Bash matches and other domestic fixtures this summer.

Please note that Club cards will not admit on Days 1-3 of the Test match due to the expected high Member attendance on these days.

Cricket Seating Arrangements Non-reserved seats can be claimed on arrival using the usual first-in, firstserved basis. Claim your seat by

attaching the sticker you receive from Customer Service staff at the turnstile.

Only one sticker is issued to each Member and seats cannot be saved for others not at the ground.

Personal items cannot be used to reserve seats and can be removed by Customer Service staff helping Members find seats.

Some seating on the lower deck of the Members Pavilion is allocated specifically for our 50 plus year Members.

A limited number of seats and wheelchair spaces are reserved for Members with disabilities. To request this area, please phone Membership Services on 1800 801155 during the reserved seating registration period mentioned below.

Members will have the opportunity to register to purchase reserved seats for

the first four days of the Test and all ODIs. You are not able to choose specific seat locations, but a map showing the reserved bays will be available on the Trust website when applications open.

To efficiently manage the number of inquiries relating to reserved seating, there will be an extended registration period open for two weeks.

Members will be advised of the registration period via email once the date is confirmed.

If demand exceeds availability, a ballot will be conducted at the conclusion of the registration period.

Seats will be allocated to successful applicants by a random computer draw.

All applications received during the two week registration period will have the same opportunity in the ballot. There is no preference to applications received on the first day of the registration

period. Successful applicants will receive their reserved seats as ezytickets to print at home by the end of November.

Registrations will be accepted using our online system Memberlink or by phoning Membership Services on 1800 801155 between 10am and 4pm during the registration period. Full details will be sent via email closer to the time and your membership subscription must be paid before you can apply.

The cost for a reserved seat is $25 per seat each day. Payment is by credit card only. Please do not apply for reserved seats unless you wish to be allocated, as there are no refunds.

Members also have reciprocal ticket rights to many other major cricket grounds this summer. Check the membership section of the Trust website for details.

Pass Outs If you need to leave the SCG temporarily during the day, please take your membership card with you. Show it to one of the Customer Service staff at gates A or J and they will give you a Pass Out ticket. To come back in, you must return the Pass Out ticket and show your membership card again. Gold and SCG Member photo identification cards are not transferable.

The SCG Match Day Office, next to Gate A on Driver Av, operates from Member gate opening times to assist you. For earlier assistance, please visit the Venue Services Office in the Allianz Stadium forecourt, which will operate from 6am on the first three days of the Test, and from 7am on days four and five.

35

AROUND THE GROUNDS / SUMMER 2016

36

FROM BRADMAN TO BIG SCREENS AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN L

ong-time Member John Hennessy has been coming to the Sydney Cricket Ground since 1946 and has witnessed the transformation of the SCG firsthand. In this edition of Around the Grounds, John provides an insight into how the sporting experience has changed at the SCG and just how privileged he feels to be a Member all these years on.

I was eight years old when I first came to the SCG. My next door neighbour in Strathfield took me to watch the second Test between MCC and Australia when they played as part of the 1946-47 series. In those days, Test matches lasted six days and overs were eight balls instead of six, and there was no play on Sundays.

The outstanding memory I have of that game, was seeing Don Bradman and Sid Barnes each score 234 runs to set a world record fifth wicket partnership of 405. Barnes opened the batting with Arthur Morris, while Bradman came in a couple wickets down instead of the usual one wicket down because of a thigh strain he was carrying. It was a remarkable effort.

I was also at the SCG in 1947 when Bradman scored the 100th run of his 100th century in first class cricket. As

a matter of fact, in my study, I have a Wesley Walters print of that moment the original painting is in Bradman’s home. Only 1,250 prints were made and I have print number 172, which funnily enough, is how many runs he scored that day.

So you could say, I’ve seen my fair share of history at the SCG. Times were different back then. I used to wear my school uniform and a cap - jeans weren’t around until the ‘60s. I’d catch the train to Central Station and then I’d either walk to the ground or catch a bus with a packed lunch and a single shilling for the day, if I was lucky.

I would always take my autograph book and hunt around for signatures throughout the day. Food was simple - a choice of a meat pie or a sausage roll. Soft drink - a ‘Juiso’ or ‘Lemona’, which were sold in the passageway below the Members Pavilion.

Nowadays, going to the cricket is a whole new experience. I usually pick up a couple of grandsons on my way in from Avalon and have one of their parents come along to help me keep the boys in line. I’ve got ten of them!

They make up the fourth generation

of Hennessy Members.

I’m absolutely delighted that I’ve been able to pass this traditional interest down to them and they certainly realise how lucky they are to have been on the list since the day they were born - that is something that hasn’t changed.

There are some wonderful off-field events today, plenty more choice than in 1946, but the spirit of the ground is the same. I love the environment.

Everything from catching up with old friends and meeting new people, to sharing stories of the bronze statues on SCG Walk of Honour with my grandsons.

The Members Breakfast is one of my favourite parts of the New Year’s Test. The boys really enjoy linking the past and the present by hearing players from different cricketing eras share their tales.

You can also watch the players practice in the nets, enjoy the history of the SCG Museum and then of course, there’s Jane McGrath Day. I like to sit in the MA Noble Stand with my grandsons these days - you’re behind the bowler’s arm and in the new facilities, which is a bonus.

You don’t have to worry about bringing food either, it’s easy pickings. You also don’t need to stress about missing a bowl, because you can always catch a wicket later on the big screens.

Cricket has been a great interest in my life and at the age of 77, I find that fostering that interest in my grandsons gives me a great deal of joy. Hopefully I’ll be back at the SCG in 2016 and for many more years after that.

2016 Off-Field Test Activities Members Breakfast (January 3) Curators Breakfast (January 4) Jane McGrath Day (January 5) John Hennessy, Glenn McGrath and seven of his grandsons at the 2014 SCG Test.

SCG Museum (open every day)

37

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TOA STING THE START OF THE

INTERNATIONAL CRICKET SEA SON AT AN ANNUAL LUNCHEON

You are invited to

The SCG Cricket and Royal Far West Children’s Charity luncheon to celebrate the start of the international cricket season. Guest speakers will offer an insight into their careers and success.

Event details Thursday 5 November, 12.30pm SCG MA Noble Dining Room

$175 per person or $1,650 for a table of 10 Includes two-course menu served with beer, wine and soft drink

Master of Ceremonies: Matt de Groot All proceeds are directed to grassroots cricket and to bring country families to the Sydney Test match.

Royal Far West is a non-government organisation that has been providing health services to children living in rural and remote New South Wales since 1924. Our vision is healthy country children. To achieve this, we work in partnership with families and their local health and education providers to complement existing services within the community. Every year, thousands of country children who have non-acute developmental, behavioural, learning, emotional and mental health disorders, and limited access to local services, benefit from our integrated clinical and educational model of care. We believe kids are our future.

Every one of them deserves access to specialist healthcare regardless of where they live.

For bookings and further details please contact dkelly@scgt.nsw.gov.au

AROUND THE GROUNDS / SUMMER 2016

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED

40

FIVE FAMOUS AUSTRALIA-WEST INDIES TESTS AT THE SCG The Windies return to the Sydney Cricket Ground in their all-whites for the first time since 2001 this summer and to celebrate the occasion, we take a look back at some of the finest moments between the two countries.

GEOFF ARMSTRONG

T

The New Year’s Test match, starting on 3 January, will be the 15th time that the Australians have hosted the West Indies at the SCG.

he history of Australia-West Indies Test matches at the Sydney Cricket Ground goes back to the first tour here by a West Indian team, in 1930–31. The famous turf has been trodden on by the greatest of Caribbean cricketers — Headley and Constantine; Weekes, Worrell and Walcott; Sobers and Hall; Kanhai and Gibbs; Lloyd and Richards; Roberts, Garner and Holding; Greenidge and Haynes; Richardson and Lara; Ambrose and Walsh — as well as the many Australian champions of the past 85 years.

Prior to 2015–16, there have been 14 Australia-West Indies Test matches in Sydney. In the first, which began on New Year’s Day 1931, Bill Ponsford made a big hundred as the home team won by an innings and 172 runs.

In the most recent, Steve Waugh’s Australians wore special caps to mark the Centenary of Federation, and completed a 5–0 clean sweep, the third time Australia had dominated a series in such a fashion.

In between, there have been many wonderful achievements and some pulsating contests. In the best of them, described briefly here, there has been a common theme: Expect the unexpected…

Fifth Test, 1930–31 Australia won the first four games of this series by hefty margins, before the West Indies achieved a famous victory built on two declarations by the visitors’ captain, ‘Jack’ Grant.

Both closures were superbly timed to allow the Windies’ attack, led by the flamboyant Learie Constantine, to take full advantage of a wet wicket. It was a game of firsts: the first time a skipper had closed both innings in a Test; the

West Indies’s first Test victory away from home; Don Bradman’s duck on the final day was the first of his Test career.

A highlight was George Headley’s century on the first day. He scored 105 runs out of 152 while he was at the wicket, prompting the Sydney Mail’s correspondent to write, ‘Seldom has a visiting batsman created such a favourable impression or gained such a big reputation as young Headley.’ Clarrie Grimmett, Australia’s best bowler, described him as ‘a magnificent player, the best onside batsman against whom I ever bowled.’

No wonder Constantine disagreed with those who call his friend the ‘Black Bradman’. Constantine was sure Bradman was the ‘White Headley’!

Third Test, 1960–61 After the Tied Test in Brisbane, Australia won the second Test at the MCG comfortably, reviving concerns that the series might be one-sided.

However, in the next Test in Sydney, Garry Sobers scored a magnificent century and then the slow bowlers, Lance Gibbs and Alf Valentine, spun the visitors to a stunning 222-run triumph.

Two strokes from the West Indies’s first innings were spoken of in awelike fashion for years. One was a cover drive from Frank Worrell, hit off Alan Davidson in full cry, which the respected commentator AG Moyes described as being ‘full of majesty’.

The second, almost unique, came after Sobers was fooled by a slower ball from the Victorian left-arm quick Ian Meckiff. At first, he was going forward to drive, but when he realised he’d been ‘done’, he stopped, rocked back,

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AROUND THE GROUNDS / SUMMER 2016 2015

1989: Allan Border cuts a ball past the Windies

and hit a six over long-on.

All the bowler could do was stand in mid-pitch, and stare at the batsman, mouth open, shocked. This was decades before the modern era of big bats and shorter boundaries. ‘I have never seen the like of this stroke before,’ wrote Jack Fingleton.

‘Sobers went on to his back foot and then, purely by wrist-work, made his stroke, one that could have been conceived and executed only by a genius.’

Fifth Test, 1968–69 Few Test batsmen have experienced a ‘West Indian summer’ like the one Doug Walters enjoyed on the Windies first visit to Australia since the Tied Test series. Walters missed the opening Test through injury, but came back to score 76 at the MCG, and then

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centuries in Sydney and Adelaide.

One surprising aspect of this was that just a few months earlier, Walters had gone through an entire tour of England without scoring a first-class century. Then, after a fall at home, he was in doubt for the final Windies Test as doctors feared he had a hairline fracture in his back.

Instead of missing the game, Walters became the first batsman to score a double century and a century in the same Test — 242 and 103 — as Bill Lawry’s team won at the SCG by 382 runs, to regain The Frank Worrell Trophy.

Fifth Test, 1984–85 The West Indies had not lost a Test anywhere in more than three years when they arrived in Sydney for the New Year’s

AROUND THE GROUNDS / SUMMER 2016

Test of 1984–85. A run of six straight wins to Clive Lloyd’s men over Australia — three in the Caribbean in 1984 then the opening three matches of the 1984–85 series in Australia — had been broken when the home team managed to hang on for a draw in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.

Then, on a turning SCG pitch, an unlikely hero, a 38-year-old leg-spinner named Bob ‘Dutchy’ Holland, took command. Ably supported by his NSW teammate Murray Bennett, Holland snared 10 wickets as the Windies crashed to a heavy defeat, the first time they had lost by an innings in 16 years.

This was Allan Border’s first Test victory as Australian captain.

Fourth Test, 1988–89 The tourists, now led by Viv Richards, again dominated the first three Tests of a series in Australia, but as had occurred four years earlier a spinner-friendly SCG pitch changed the mood. Crazily, though, the game was won not by either or both of Australia’s frontline slow bowlers, Peter Taylor and Trevor Hohns, but by a ‘part-timer’ who had once described himself flatly as ‘the sort of bowler I’d like to bat against’.

This was Allan Border’s 101st Test. In his previous 100, he had taken 16 wickets at 47.19. Now, bowling third change — and despite the gallant rearguard effort of Desmond Haynes, who scored 75 and 143 — Border took 7–46 and 4–50 as he led his team to an emphatic seven-wicket triumph.

Afterwards, he laughed about ‘the illusion of me turning the ball’ causing problems.

Border remains the only Australian captain to take 10 wickets in a Test in which he was in charge.

As if to emphasis the bizarre nature of his bowling feat, he would continue on as captain for another five years and 55 Tests … and take 12 more Test wickets.

There have been few less likely performances in the history of international cricket. ‘It was one of those freakish days that amazed me and will amaze a lot of people who have faced me over the years,’ Border said after taking his seven firstinnings wickets.

But if it was ever going to happen, it’s not surprising it occurred in an Australia-West Indies Test match at the SCG.

1985: Aussies watch as Courtney Walsh skies one

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AROUND THE GROUNDS / SUMMER 2015

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AROUND THE GROUNDS / SUMMER 2016

A NIGHT WITH THE STARS 2015 SCGT Ambassadors Dinner

Allianz Stadium hosted the annual Ambassadors Dinner in May this year, with 130 people enjoying an evening at the Eastside Dining Room.

Hosted by Tim Gilbert and Alana Smith, a number of special sporting guests were in attendance including the likes of Lance Franklin, Ellyse Perry and Adam Goodes.

Stuart Clark, Brad Haddin, Tim Gilbert

Adam Goodes, Alana Smith

Ellyse Perry, Tim Gilbert

Terry Woodward, Brad Haddin, Bruce Worboys

Robbie Slater, Phillip Heads, Lance Franklin

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AROUND THE GROUNDS / SUMMER 2016

HISTORY AND HEROES Celebrating the 100 year anniversary of Victor Trumper’s death

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A

s part of an event run by the Australian Cricket Society, the Victor Trumper Society and the Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust, 129 lucky ticket-holders enjoyed a weekend to celebrate the life and times of the immortal Victor Trumper, one of Australia’s most prominent cricketers.

Attendees were treated to a dinner at the North Sydney Harbourview Hotel, a seminar in the Members pavilion and a self-guided tour of significant places in Sydney associated with his life.

A host of former Australian Test cricketers and guest speakers were on hand to recap Trumper’s remarkable tale, including Rodney Cavalier, Bernard Whimpress and Ashley Mallett.

In the days preceding the event the SCG Museum received, on loan, a cricket bat from Victor Trumper’s great-nephew Tim Trumper, which was used by the Australian batsman during the fifth Test of the 1908 Ashes series at the SCG. The Victor Trumper exhibition will be open until November and visits are accessible through the SCG Tour experience.

Sport will deliver the 2016 Jack Marsh History Lecture.

Stay tuned for ticket and event details.

Preserve SCG History for the future Members can make a tax-deductible donation to support the work of the SCG Museum. In particular, the museum is looking to raise $15,000 to restore and preserve the 1892 panorama photo of the ground.

Located in the Members Pavilion Long Bar, the photo depicts the second Test between Australia and Lord Sheffield’s English XI. During the series Lord Sheffield donated money to establish a first-class domestic competition in Australia, known today of course as the Sheffield Shield.

Head to the website for more details: www.sydneycricketground.com.au/ history/scg-museum/support-us

Badges of honour: the missing years Association Cricket Ground: 1892/93, 1893/94, 1894/95 SCG: 1894/95, 1897/98, 1900/01, 1907/08, 1908/09, 1910/11, 1915/16 to 1922/23, 1941/42 to 1946/47 Sydney Sports Ground: 1940 to 1946, 1950, 1952/53, 1953, 1959/60, 1960/61, 1979/80 to 1987/88

Badges of Honour The SCG Museum is continuing a 10-year search for old Members badges, which used to grant access to the Association Cricket Ground and the Sydney Sports Ground up until the 1980s.

By the early 1900s, the badges became metal medallions with detailed craftsmanship and elaborate designs that changed annually. Gentlemen would tie these to their lapels, while their wives received a love-heart shaped leather version to gain entry to the Ladies Pavilion.

If you have a badge from any year and would be willing to donate it, please contact Anthony O’Carroll at aocarroll@scgt.nsw.gov.au.

Jack Marsh History Lecture The Jack Marsh History Lecture returns in 2016 as the SCG Museum encourages curiosity and research into the history of our grounds.

The lecture series is named in honour of indigenous NSW fast bowler Jack Marsh, whose promising first-class career was cut short by accusations of ‘throwing’ that many believe were inspired by racism.

The annual one-hour talk is a must for cricket lovers, sport fans and history buffs, with the event to be held in January next year. Dr Greg de Moore, author of the 2011 biography Tom Wills: First Wild Man of Australian

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AROUND THE GROUNDS / SUMMER 2016

THE DAY AUSTRALIA MATCHED MARADONA Socceroos legend and Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust ambassador Robbie Slater looks back on one of Australian football’s greatest days.

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The Socceroos-Argentina World Cup qualifier in 1993 remains the biggest match ever to have been played at Allianz Stadium, attracting a record crowd of 43,967 that stands as a venue record for any sport today.

E

VEN 22 years on, I can transport myself back to night of October 31, 1993 as if it was yesterday.

The goosebumps still arrive, whether I am thinking about the noise of the crowd, Arnie’s mullet or the pure speed of the game.

The focus of the football world was squarely on Sydney in late 1993 for one reason and his name was Diego Maradona.

I can picture the opening goal when Maradona crossed to Balbo.

The two Vidmars – Tony and Aurelio – combining for our equaliser.

Maybe it’s because it was the most special of nights, but it will be imprinted on me forever.

It was the biggest thing I’ve ever been involved in as a player or commentator.

It was truly unchartered territory for football in Australia.

It remains bigger than anything we’ve seen on these shores. Bigger than the visits of any of the European giants; bigger than the 2014 Asian Cup final and arguably bigger than the qualifier against Uruguay. Bigger than State of Origins and grand finals.

We were minnows, genuine minnows.

Argentina, even though they’d had a horrible qualifying campaign, were the absolute superstars of the day.

They had won the World Cup in 1986 and were runners-up in 1990.

They were ranked No.2 in the world with names like Redondo, Batistuta, Balbo and of course Maradona as the king.

And they arrived in Australia in a storm of controversy, the kind of controversy you can only get when you cross South American passion with their one true love, football.

I remember watching the source of that controversy, an ArgentinaColombia qualifying match, more out of personal interest than anything else.

I never thought we’d have to face the Argentinians as the fifth-placed South American side.

Colombia had to draw at home to qualify; Argentina had to win to move ahead of them in the standings and avoid a playoff.

Maradona had retired and was watching from the stands, having told the world’s football media that he would only play again if Argentina didn’t qualify automatically.

Colombia, in what remains one of the most stunning results in football history, won 5-0.

I was watching it on TV in France, where I was playing for Lens.

I rang fellow Socceroo and now Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold, who was playing in Holland and broke the news that we’d be playing Maradona.

We’d had our own troubles in qualifying, but most of it could be put down to one of the greatest fashion crimes in football history.

We’d worn the worst kit you’d see in any sport, described by wordsmiths more talented than me as the pizza vomit strip, during the qualifiers leading that earned us a shot against first Canada and then Argentina.

The Fox Sports boys roll out the photo of me in it once a season. I still wince whenever I see the shirt - It looks as bad now as it did then, but at least we can all laugh about it these days.

Back in 1993, we threatened to go on strike if Soccer Australia forced us to wear it again.

It would have been an unnecessary distraction in the biggest week of our lives, but thankfully the pizza vomit strip was canned well before we took on Maradona’s men.

The media interest was vast. I did interviews with L’Equipe, Le Monde and all the major French newspapers before I flew home.

We had just a week to prepare, but there was plenty in our favour.

Eddie Thomson was our coach and I still regard him as the best coach I ever played under. Mark Bosnich was at the peak of his powers in goals,

we had Ned Zelic, the Vidmar brothers and a strong squad of seasoned professionals.

With the travel and the pressure, I hadn’t slept much going in to the match. In fact, I hadn’t slept much at all since watching the Colombian win.

Game day came. The media scrutiny was intense.

History records it as a 1-1 draw.

Aurelio Vidmar scored our equaliser and we were headed to the return leg in Buenos Aires with a chance.

For me, it was the most special night of my career.

Arnie takes all the credit for my performance that night. Before kick off, he slipped me these special ‘oxygen tablets’ that he’d brought back with him from Holland.

Being the dumb footballer, I took them and raved about how much of a difference they made.

It wasn’t until after our qualifying campaign was over that Arnie broke the news that they were simple vitamin tablets.

Regardless, they worked. I had the game of my life. Maradona heaped praise on me, pinching me on the cheek and hugging me after fulltime.

We’d all joked about swapping shirts with the great man, but he knocked back anyone who asked on the field.

I didn’t bother and headed for the sheds. As I was leaving the field, a man in an Argentina team suit approached and said: “Por favour’ and pointed at my shirt and then at a woman in the crowd.

That woman happened to be

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AROUND AROUND THE THE GROUNDS / SUMMER GROUNDS / SUMMER 20152016

It was the day the world watched the Socceroos match it with Argentina.

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Claudia Maradona and she wanted my shirt.

In the back of my mind, I was thinking this wasn’t real but also, who am I to refuse Maradona’s wife.

I handed it over, thinking that she’d probably wash the car with it when she got home.

Shirtless, I arrived in the dressing room. We’re talking about what a massive result it is, 1-all when we expected to be beaten by three or four goals.

A few moments pass before Arnie pipes up and asks where my shirt is and who I swapped with. I explain what happened and my teammates burst into laughter.

Then, a knock at the door and it’s the man in the Argentina suit. He says: “Diego wants to see you”.

I head next door and immediately, Maradona grabs me and pulls me towards his locker. He hands over his shirt, his training top and tracksuit top.

He then gives me the thumbs up and says: “See you in Buenos Aires”.

I still have them all to this day. They’ll never leave me. Just like my memories of that packed house at the footy stadium the day the world watched the Socceroos match it with Argentina.

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AROUND THE GROUNDS / SUMMER 2016

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AROUND THE GROUNDS / SUMMER 2016

FINAL INNINGS FOR A TRUE GENTLEMAN Robert Craddock

The timing of the sad news felt eerie in some ways but also touching and poignant.

C

ricket legend Arthur Morris had passed away during The Oval Test.

It was the ground which was the centre of his favourite cricket story and one of his greatest Test innings.

When asked where he was when Don Bradman played his last Test innings — a duck — Morris used to wait several seconds for a theatrical pause, curl the side of his mouth in the way dry-witted quipsters do, and say “I remember it quite well … I was at the other end scoring 196.’’

Former Australian captain Morris, who died on Saturday aged 93, was one of Australia’s best opening batsmen and most endearing and unassuming characters who had a deep-seated respect for opponents and the game.

When asked at guest speaking functions what cricket gave him, his whimsical wit would spark again with a simple one-word answer — “poverty.’’

Though Morris would join the laughter it was true that he played in an era when the game was much more a joyful hobby than a profession.

He was a genuine left-hander in that everything he did — from batting to cleaning his teeth — was done with the left hand in control.

The son of a schoolteacher, Bondiborn Morris could not even afford to buy a bat when he first started playing the game but was still playing first grade by 14, the first step towards a Test career which saw him average 46 from 46 matches.

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Australia would have loved to have had Morris in his prime this tour because his ability to adapt to all sorts of volatile conditions was his strength. His skilful back foot play — sweeps, pulls and hooks were his favourite shots — contrasts to the front foot bullies of today.

His hero was Bradman — who rated Morris the best left-hander he had seen — but not even Bradman could match Morris’ 696 runs at 87 on the famous Invincibles tour of 1948.

Morris was an unusual study as a batsman, for while he looked a model of serenity at the crease he took up smoking for the first time after he became a Test match opener and his final ritual before walking onto the field was to sit by himself and have a cigarette.

Like Mark Waugh many decades later, his nerves would occasionally manifest themselves in a yawn.

When dismissed he would sometimes unwind by listening to phonograph records such as Annie Get Your Gun at the back of the dressing room.

Morris will forever be remembered for his epic rivalry with crafty English seamer Alec Bedser who dismissed him 18 times in the 36 innings they confronted each other.

Bedser once playfully gave Morris a copy of Better Cricket, by Lindsay Hassett, for his 29th birthday with a highlighted passage on batting technique.

After a marathon innings in the next Test against England, Morris gave the book back with the chapter on bowling tips highlighted.

Morris used to carry a newspaper story in his wallet which revealed that even though he was often dismissed by Bedser, he also did well in those matches, challenging the suggestion reported by iconic cricket writer Ray Robinson that Morris did not know whether he was Arthur or Martha when facing Bedser.

It said a lot about both men that years after their Test careers ended Bedser and his twin Eric stayed at Morris’ house in Sydney when the city was booked out during a Test.

Morris’ greatest rival had become a great friend with immense mutual respect lingering long after their playing days were done.

“Arthur Morris was a great man and one of the true greats of Australian cricket, who until now had been a treasured connection to an extraordinary era of the game.”

– Wally Edwards, Cricket Australia chairman “Arthur made an immeasurable contribution to cricket as a player and then as an administrator during more than 20 years as a Trustee of the Sydney Cricket Ground.”

– Tony Shepherd, SCG Trust “RIP Arthur Morris ... dinkum ... dignified ... decent ... dry ... left-arm chinaman bowler ... played off the backfoot ... anti-coach... fan of O’Reilly.”

– Kerry O’Keeffe “He was one of the best batsmen this country has ever produced. He and Sid Barnes, I think, will still go down in my mind as the two best opening batsmen as a pair that’s ever been.”

Was a key member of the “Invicibles” tour of England in 1948. Scored 1922 runs and seven hundreds at an average of 71.18, and was our leading scorer for the five Tests.

Batted alongside Don Bradman in the fourth Test at Leeds in 1948, in a triple-century partnership and a world record run chase of 3-404.

Arthur scored 182, Bradman 173.

Was at the non-strikers end when The Don was famously bowled for a duck in his final Test innings at The Oval in 1948. Morris went on to score 196.

Named in the Australian Cricket Board’s Team of the Century in 2000 and was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 2001.

– Neil Harvey

CAREER Tests.................................1946-1955 Matches............................46 Innings.............................79 Runs..................................3533 High Score.......................206 Average............................46.48 Hundreds.........................12

HIGHLIGHTS

This story originally appeared in The Sunday Telegraph on 23 August.

Scored three centuries on the trot in his debut series, including 155 at the MCG then 122 and 124 not out in Adelaide.

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THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES A tremendous knock Michael Clarke’s 329 not out against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 2012, provided the SCG with one of its finest moments.

Off 468 deliveries, Clarke terrorised the Indian bowlers to claim his 10th Century in Australia and his fourth as captain, joining an elite list of Australian cricketers who have notched up a triple ton.

It formed the most complete innings of his decorated career and

remains the highest individual total at the SCG to this day.

The 100th Test at the ground will always be remembered as the day Clarke wrote himself into the history books, maintaining a strike rate of 70.29 to hit 39 fours and a six in front of his home fans.

The Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust would like to congratulate Michael Clarke on a remarkable career as Australian Test captain and cricketer.

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THE COLOURS OF OUR GROUNDS

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