Sticky Wicket - November 2016

Sticky Wicket November 2016 Edition Newsletter of the South Australian Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association Established 1911

SA Umpiring takes flight From little things

things grow

SA Great Another South Aussie scorer debuts on the Test stage Sticky Wicket—November 2016 Edition

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Contents November2016

3

From the President

4

Gift of the ‘Gabba

6

Laughs from Mr Green

7

#anotherSAgreatTestScorer

9

A Rodgers Family Affair

11

Events Calendar

facebook.com/sacricketumpiresandscorers

@SACAUmpires

SACA Umpiring & Coaching Manager Neil Poulton 0416 623 518 or 8300 3211 npoulton@saca.com.au Umpiring Coordinator Sarah Fry (appointments, availabilities, reports, votes and match coaches) 8300 3212 sfry@saca.com.au SACA Information Line (including details relating to inclement weather) 1900 950 598

Sticky Wicket Editor Kristen Thomas 0414 326 978 cricketwidow@y7mail.com

SACUSA Committee Main Contacts President Tony Trist 0408 828 129 Vice President Edward Branson 0448 689 976 Secretary: Michial Farrow 0435 872 215 secsacusa@hotmail.com Treasurer: Lynton Donisthorpe 0418 317 856

Patron Neil Dansie OAM

COVER PHOTO: It was only in May this year that SACUSA honoured South East umpiring coordinator, David Rodgers, with the ‘Peter Weeks Community Umpire of the Year’ Award. This season a move to the hills for David & his wife, Ros, has seen Ros take up the umpiring call in the A & EHCA - and she’s joining the trailblazers with more women becoming involved in all roles of cricket Australia-wide.

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From the President This month I would like to personally congratulate all the first year umpires who have umpired their first two games. Well done and I hope you are enjoying the experience.

I have now been in the position of President for two months and already I have come to appreciate what a busy role it is!

I thought I would list a couple of things that the EC are currently working on: Firstly, we are in the process of drafting SACUSA’s “Social Media Policy” guidelines. With the rapid growth and application of social media, associations need to have a policy in place that ensures umpires who use social media (either as part of their job or in a p e r so n al c a p ac i ty ) , hav e guidance as to expectations of their behaviour and communication online.

This is particularly important around social media usage regarding the Association, its people, partners, products or services, competitors or other individuals and organisations related to SACUSA. Secondly, Lynton is busy putting together the Easter schedule of events, including hotel accommodation and dinners. If you have not attended the Crockett Shield Easter weekend before, then it’s a must. It is an enjoyable weekend socialising with our colleagues from Victoria, and next

year will mark the 40th instance in which SACUSA has played in a cricket match against members of the VCAUSA. We’d love to see as many hometown supporters as possible cheering our team on in 2017, so please keep your eye on Sticky Wicket throughout the season for details on upcoming Crockett Shield events that members and their families can get involved with.

We are currently working with a new supplier for our SACUSA merchandise. We have had a slight hiccup with the logo on the polo shirts, but I hope to have this fixed soon.

Ted and myself are currently working on a SACUSA flyer. We intend to use this flyer to carry out “Road Shows” to visit other associations and to promote SACUSA. Also, a big thank you to Terry Murch, for organising a “Night at the Dogs” on October 27th. It was a very enjoyable evening and thank you to all who attended. We hope to have many more social events for us all to gather in a relaxed atmosphere and get to meet new people.

Finally, by the time you read this, the Stanton cup will be well under way. Good luck to both teams.

SACUSA President,

Tony Trist Sticky Wicket—November 2016 Edition

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Gift of the

‘Gabba

We always love to hear about the really special matches and officiating experiences that our members enjoy each season. This month, State Panel member, Craig Thomas, shares his reflections on a quite spontaneous trip to the Sunshine State in October.

A week out from the start of the Women’s National Cricket League in Brisbane, I was working at my day job when I received a call from Sarah at SACA asking if there was a chance I may be able to fly to Queensland to be a part of the on-field team during the first round of the WNCL matches.

Naturally, I was very pleased to gain an opportunity to stand in an interstate match of this level, and I quickly organised with my manager at Solver Paints to take the next Friday off so that I could umpire at the ‘Gabba.

I soon learned that my partner for the day would be David Taylor, a member of the Cricket Australia Development Panel, whom I had stood with previously at Westminster College in a two day game between Tasmania and the ACT during the 2014/15 CA Under 19 Male National Championships. David and I contacted each other a few days before our appointment, just to clarify travel arrangements and discuss the upcoming game.

I flew into Brisbane on the Thursday evening, basically just checking in, having a bite to eat and then getting a good nights sleep. The next morning I had arranged to have breakfast with our match referee (and fellow South Aussie) Steve Davis, who had been supplied with a hire car to transport us both to the ‘Gabba. Having never even been to a game at the home of cricket in Brisbane, I found the venue to be quite an awesome sight. I was glad I was with Steve to help me find my way, as it appeared to my unaccustomed view to be a bit of a concrete maze, with a number of stairs and tunnels needing to be negotiated to arrive at the umpires’ rooms.

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Upon arrival David and I went through the playing conditions together, making sure there would be no surprises. We then proceeded to go out onto the ‘Gabba to acclimatise ourselves to a venue neither of us had umpired at previously. The surface was sensational, as was the deck. We met both captains, Alex Blackwell of New South Wales and Veronica Pyke of Tasmania, for the toss and asked if they needed a clarification of playing conditions as it was the first round of a new season.

The game was a very one-sided affair, with the NSW Breakers outpointing the Tasmanian Roar, with a magnificent century by Alyssa Healey being the highlight.

After the match we had a debrief with Steve Davis, and then I went back to the Mantra to relax in readiness to rise at 4am to catch a 6am flight back to Adelaide. I travelled straight to Kensington, as I was appointed to stand in one of the first One Day matches of the Premier Cricket season.

The busy start to 2016/17 was certainly a challenge AND a great opportunity, and the experience is one which I was extremely happy to embrace.

Photo courtesy of thegabba.com.au

Do you have a significant officiating experience you’d like to share?

Sticky Wicket is always looking for the highlights of your season. Sharing them with our readership may just inspire someone to excel that bit more in the improvement of their career - and that’s great for the game!

Send your stories to Kristen at cricketwidow@y7mail.com at any time during the season (relevant photos welcome) Sticky Wicket—November 2016 Edition

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Laughs from Mr Green A postal worker’s job was to process all the mail that had illegible addresses.

One day a letter came addressed (in shaky writing) simply to GOD. The postal worker thought he should open it to see what it was about.

The letter read; Dear God, I am an 83-year-old widow, living on a very small pension. Yesterday someone stole my purse. It had $100 in it, which was all the money I had until my next pension cheque. Next Sunday is Christmas and I have invited two of my friends over for dinner. Without that money I have nothing to buy food with. I have no family to turn to and you are my only hope.

Can you please help me?

Edna The postal worker was touched. He showed the letter to all the other workers. Each dug into his or her wallet and came up with a few dollars. By the time he made the rounds the postal worker had collected $96 which he put into an envelope and sent to the woman.

The rest of the day all the workers felt a warm glow thinking of Edna and the dinner she would be able to share with her friends.

Christmas came and went.

A few days later another letter came from the same old lady to God. All the workers gathered around while the letter was opened.

It read; Dear God, How can I ever thank you enough for what you did for me?

Because of your gift of love I was able to fix a glorious dinner for my friends. We had a very nice day and I told my friends of your wonderful gift.

By the way, there was $4 missing. I think it must have been those bastards at the Post Office.

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#anotherSAgreatTestScorer We all admire First Class Scorer and current SACUSA committee member, Neil Ricketts, for his dedication to the sport in a variety of roles and for his abilities as an official at the elite level. And now there’s some fantastic news with word that Neil will welcome another South Australian success story when colleague, Mick Harper, from Sturt District Cricket Club, makes his Test debut at Adelaide Oval later this month. We join Neil in congratulating Mick on this momentous occasion. Neil was kind enough recently to share some thoughts on his esteemed fellow scorer on the eve of his well-deserved appointment.

Mick Harper is well respected within SACA Premier Cricket ranks and after ten seasons as Sturt District Cricket Club's 1st Grade Scorer made his first class scoring debut last summer scoring in five Sheffield Shield games. Mick has recently stepped down as Sturt District Cricket Club's Secretary, a position he held for over ten years, however continuing on the Sturt committee and as assistant groundsman. Mick has been a dedicated volunteer for many years, including a term as the SACUSA Umpires Appointment Chairperson. Mick was the recipient of SACA's Premier Cricket Volunteer of the Year in 2013/14. A recently retired high ranking police officer, Mick continues to be busy with his involvement as an administrator in high level sport where he is a current member of the SACUSA Scorers Working Committee and the Adelaide based AFL recruitment officer for the North Melbourne Football Club.

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The beginning of the cricket season also signals the time when SACUSA membership fees are due - and we’d appreciate payment by December 31 if possible. If not possible, no worries - we’re happy to work with you to create a payment plan. Just contact our Treasurer, Lynton Donisthorpe, on 0418 317 856 or at lyncar@primus.com.au to make payment arrangements.

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A Rodgers Family Affair sees our ‘Peter Weeks Umpire of the Year’ handing the spotlight to wife, Ros, as more women take on more roles in cricket.

The 2015/16 award to David Rodgers of the ‘Peter Weeks Community Umpire of the Year’ was yet another example of an individual from grass roots cricket being genuinely thrilled to be recognised in an official capacity by peers from the cricket officiating world. At the time David conveyed his sincere gratitude at being honoured by SACUSA and SACA, and he seemed thoroughly humbled to receive his well -deserved trip to Adelaide, accommodation in town and tickets for both himself and his wife to enjoy our Presentation Night at the Adelaide Pavilion. And now it appears that his stellar performance within the cricketing industry and the award which David received from SACUSA just may have inspired Mrs Rodgers to take up the occupation too.

Ros and David have moved house since earlier in the year when David won the award.

Formerly residing at Millicent, a move to the hills provided Ros with the opportunity to attend the SACA Umpiring Seminar in Adelaide after having completed the Level 1 officiating course. She is quoted in The Courier (in which she appeared on the front page of the sports section in early November) as being “the only woman among 120 attendees [at the seminar] but you have to start somewhere.”

from Canberra during this year’s National Country Cricket Championships that caused Ros to consider the role for herself.

“Women’s cricket was included in the championships, so I went along to watch a few matches [which were hosted this year in the South East]. At one match I watched there was a woman officiating and it had me fascinated.

Watching her in action, I seriously thought to myself that I could do this, and I was lucky enough to catch up with her for a chat after one game. I’m always up for a challenge and decided to give it a crack,” Ros is quoted as saying in The Courier article (many thanks to Jeff Pistola for the quote).

Cricket officiating continues to evolve with the game, and it always needs new recruits to support the competition. SACUSA initiatives, such as the ‘Peter Weeks Community Umpire of the Year’ are important, and just may inspire more cricket fans to take up the call. You just never know where the seeds of recognition we sow will grow.

No stranger to supporting her husband in his various roles within cricket umpiring over the years, it was a witnessing of a female umpire Sticky Wicket—November 2016 Edition

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November 7th

5pm

STANTON CUP MATCH against ATCUSA - PLUS SACUSA General Member Meeting (immediately following match) @ Woodville Cricket Club (free BBQ tea included)

17th

6pm onwards

24th to 28th

SACA Panel Training @ Adelaide Oval Day/Night Test Match @ Adelaide Oval

December 14th

6pm onwards

SACUSA Christmas General Meeting @ Woodville Cricket Club Partners & family invited (Bring a plate to share)

18th

12pm

Cricket match against Blind Cricket SA @ TBC (doubles as a tryout for Crockett Shield team)

21st

8.30am to 4.30pm

Big Bash League Adelaide Strikers v Brisbane Heat @ Adelaide Oval

31st

Big Bash League Adelaide Strikers v Sydney Sixers @ Adelaide Oval

January 6th

Big Bash League Adelaide Strikers v Hobart Hurricanes @ Adelaide Oval

11th

6pm onwards

SACUSA General Member Meeting @ Woodville Cricket Club (free BBQ tea included)

16th

Big Bash League Adelaide Strikers v Melbourne Renegades @ Adelaide Oval Sticky Wicket—November 2016 Edition

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24th

Big Bash League Semi Final

25th

Big Bash League Semi Final

28th

Big Bash League FINAL

February 8th

6pm onwards

SACUSA General Member Meeting @ Woodville Cricket Club (free BBQ tea included)

16th

Finals Preparation Evening B1 Media Room @ Adelaide Oval

TBC

Family Fun Day

March 8th

6pm onwards

SACUSA General Meeting @ Woodville Cricket Club (free BBQ tea included)

22nd

Evening

Bradman Medal Presentation @ Adelaide Oval

25th &

SACA Premier Cricket Grand Finals

26th

April 14th to 17th

Easter Crockett Shield SACUSA v VCAUSA in Adelaide

May TBC

6-45pm

15th Annual SACUSA Presentation Dinner

August TBC

SACUSA AGM

*Please note that the SACUSA Golf Day hasn’t yet been scheduled.

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