News from IFCR Australia
March 21 2010
The Australian International Fellowship of Cricketing Rotarians invites IFCR members and partners to join fellow Cricketing Rotarians as a team or individual at the 2010 IFCR Australian Cricket Festival to be held at Lilac Hill – Swan Valley, Perth, Western Australia from Sunday 24th to Friday 29th October 2010.
Lilac Hill boasts 3 turf and one synthetic wicket and has for the past 20 years been the venue of the 'season opener' for international touring teams visiting Australia.
Fellowship at the last Australian festival.
Lilac Hill is the home of the Midland-Guildford Cricket Club which can boast being the 'Home' club of test cricketers Alec Stewart, Norm O’Neill, Bruce Yardley, Simon Katich, Tom Moody, Brendon Julian, Jo Angel, Tim Zoehrer, Tony Mann and Keith Slater.
Come and be part of the atmosphere of this outstanding cricket venue.
Accommodation for the Festival is available at 'The Vines' Resort and Country Club also located in the Swan Valley.
The Vines offers the choice of more than 100 hotel rooms from resort to deluxe spa suites and executive suites. If you prefer, you can share one of the 50 two or three Bedroom fully self contained apartments with friends or family.
The Festival Opening and Closing functions will be held at The Vines function and banquet rooms.
The Vines Resort features two 18 hole championship golf courses and a golf academy and driving range. A swimming pool and heated outdoor spa is provided along with squash and tennis courts and a fully equipped gymnasium.
If you choose not to self cater in an apartment there are two restaurants, two bars and a cafe available.
Lilac Hill and The Vines are situated in the beautiful Swan Valley wine growing region just 15 - 20 kms from the Perth CBD. If you find yourself with spare time you can check-out some of the numerous wineries, breweries, restaurants and galleries in the valley.
Airport transfers will be available on Sunday 24th October from noon onwards to transport you to The Vines and also for the return to Perth Airport Saturday 30th October.
Buses will ferry participants between The Vines and Lilac Hill on match days and tour buses have been arranged for those wishing to do a tour on the rest day.
Registration forms with full costing will be available on the Rotary Cricket website from early April 2010. www.rotarycricket.org
In the meantime if you wish to make a reservation at The Vines you can phone (61) (0)8 9297 3000 or email bookings@vines.com.au or from April you can go to website. www.vines.com.au and there will be a special on-line booking form for IFCR attendees. When booking accommodation please mention you are attending the Australian Rotary Cricket Festival at Lilac Hill.
If you have any other queries please feel free to contact
David Horsley:
PO Box 1124 Northam
Western Australia 6401
Phone: 61 (0)8 9574 0412 or Mobile 61 (0)408 934 585
Email: horsleys@bigpond.com.au
Come along and enjoy a marvellous Rotary Fellowship experience.
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March 15, 2010
Two teams representing Australian IFCR ventured to Durban in South Africa for the Sixth Rotary Cricket World Festival from Sunday, 7 March, 2010 to Friday, March 13, 2010. Many of those team members had accompanying persons with them.
THe Aussies.
Those participating were: Graeme and Margaret Amoore, Howard Barclay and Helen Myles, David Benn, Robert Brigden, Mike and Julie Brzozowski, Clive Craddon, Lloyd Dungey, Robert Ephraims and Sue Fa'Atau, John and Annette Flynn, John and Norma Gray, Richard Groom, David and Jan Horsley, David and Wanda Johns, Doug and Karen King, Colin and Kay Lawson, Andrew and Monique Maunder, Ian and Kathy McCluskey, Peter and Cherie McRae, Patrick and Elaine O'Shea, Ian Petherick, Robert and Denise Queale, Ian Robertson, Bill and Meg Souter, Peter and Karen Thompson, Bob and Sandra Webster plus Colin and Anna Whiteman.
The Koala Bears and Kangaroos had varying fortunes on the playing field but the outstanding fellowship throughout the whole of the festival made up for any shortcomings elsewhere.
Many of the Aus toourists were enjoying their first experience of South Africa and took the opportunity to take part in organised tours either before, during or after the festival itself.
Check out our full festival report here and our Durban photo gallery here
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November 23, 2009
Heavy rain in the early morning on Sunday, November 22, suggested that there may be no play at all in our annual internal IFCR game at Strath Creek. However members arriving at the ground were pleasantly surprised to find conditions better than had been anticipated.
Just as the game was close to starting, a ferocious storm with strong winds came in. So powerful was the wind that the 15 men who were trying to cover the wicket were blown over, covers and all. Despite these volunteers being wet through, the covers were finally secured so that a game (even with a delayed start) was possible. Had these valiant effiorts not suceeded there would have been no game. Not surprisingly the wicket and surrounds were in a less than ideal state.
The decision to start was a great relief to all those in attendance who had travelled from far and wide. Distant country Victoria was represented by Robert Queale and Dennis Wade from Horsham and Bruce Pooley and Peter Webb from Wodonga, while country New South Wales personnel were John Gray and David Benn (Wagga), Terry New (Maitland) and Bob Webster (Nowra) and Adelaide metropolitan had Bob Brigden.
To add to those we were graced by the presence of John Dean (NZIFCR from Wellington) and Keith Hopkins (GB&I IFCR from Kerriemuir in Scotland).
Two arrivals playing Rotary cricket for the first time were Wayne Phillips from Bright and Neil Roberts from Melbourne.
Patrick O’Shea’s team batted first and managed 4 for 108 (with several retirements) from their 32 overs. Best batting was from Wayne Phillips (23 ret.) and Michael Gavin (20 ret).
The luncheon interval provided an opportunity to reflect on our charity beneficiary, the Moira Kelly Children First Foundation. Noel Baker, the Rotarian who had donated the land on which Moira’s 104 squares facility stands, addressed the gathering.
He told how Moira’s focus was entirely on the children while her support team focused on the finances, property maintenance, vehicle maintenance and obtaining visas and passports for children coming in.
Rotarian Dennis Wade passed over the $650 donation to the Children First Foundation which had been raised by Horsham Rotary.
On resuming the cricket, Bob Brigden’s team struggled to make 10/86 from their allotted 32 overs. Ross Abrahams was the only batsman with a noteworthy score (21) while Peter Webb took the bowling honours with 3/10.
The day's fundraising produced $1250 taking our 8 year total to more than $8000. Thus concluded another great day of Rotary cricket and fellowship.
October 28, 2009
The Scottsdale Boys come to town.
The story of how the farmers of Scottsdale in north east Tasmania had come to the rescue of landholders in the Yea district and Western Gippsland after the February 7, 2009 bushfires with a total of 37 semi-trailer loads of hay to feed starving cattle is becoming well known.
Less well known is the cricket spin-off which has resulted from this connection. The local social cricket group known as the Scottsdale Foresters were coming to Strath Creek for a game against the local IFCR team.
The visitors made it into more than just a one day jaunt playing, and beating, the Yea Rotary golf team before awakening on Saturday, October 24 to a perfect spring day – blue sky. a light breeze and a comfortable temperature.
The cricket was played as a 40 over per side game with a substantial interval for lunch and some other activities,
The local IFCR team batted first and compiled 136 runs for the loss of 14 wickets. Warren Fricke was best with 34 while Adam Hall (a ring-in from Scottsdale) contributed 31. Four run-outs did not help. Greg Walker was the best bowler finishing with 4 wickets for 8 runs.
After a delightful lunch provided by Anne McQueen and her helpers our host, Don McQueen introduced the special guests – RC of Yea president Rodney Ridd, D9790 DGE and RC of Yea member, David Anderson and Peter Partridge, Mayor of the Shire of Dorset in Tasmania (the area which includes Scottsdale).
Peter accepted a badge provided by the Mayor of the Shire of Murrindindi (the area including Yea) as a memento of the co-operation between the two areas following the bushfires.
Don McQueen presented a specially-created trophy to Rtn John Lett from Scottsdale in recognition of the Tasmanians' win in the Friday golf.
After these presentations, Rotarian Murray Orton did a side-splitting short comedy routine and Anne McQueen sang two popular songs.
To top it all off, four members of RC of Yea, Russell Hogg, Charles Rattray, John Handsaker and Terry Hubbard used the the tune ‘Galway Bay’ as the basis of a specially written few verses which explained the Scottsdale/ Yea connection very clearly. It’s set out below for the record.
Ode to Scottsdale
(TUNE: Galway Bay: Key: G Blow: D)
If you ever go across the sea to Tassie
And you are on the lookout for some hay
You could do a whole lot worse than visit Scottsdale
Where sixty farmers gave it all away
They had heard about the bushfires in Victoria
Especially at a little place called Yea
With starving stock and blackened burnt out pastures
Scottsdale farmers came and saved the day
Led by Frosty and his little boy called Jamie
In his brand new truck he’d bought two days before
They had travelled on the Spirit of Tasmania
And dropped the bloody lot at our back door
So we’ve gathered here today and told the story
And shared your love and hospitality
For we’ll ne’er forget you farmers of Taswegia
Your great big hearts and generosity
So to all of you we say a heartfelt thank you
And wonder if you’ll still be full of cheer
When you realize that when we have departed
We’ll have eaten all your food and drunk your beer!
Mayor Peter Partridge responded with three verses of his own on behalf of the Tasmanians.
So we journeyed from our homes to Yea this morning
And it’s neither fame nor fortune that we seek
It’s your company and the chance to share the glory
When Scottsdale wins the cricket at Strath Creek!
To all our new found friends in Murrindindi
We hope you’ll find the time to call again
Our doors are always open down in Tassie
And it’s just two hours by road and one by plane!
May God bless each one of you and all your family
May your hearts be filled with joy and trouble free
If a helping hand is needed in the future
Just remember you’ll find friends in Rotary!
After all that cricket resumed. Scottsdale batted slowly at the start but a gradual build-up of momentum saw their team pass the IFCR team’s score with 9/154 from their 40 overs. Wayne Harper (36*) and Greg Walker (36) were the best performers for the winners.
At the end of the day the newly-minted cricket trophy was handed over to Scottsdale skipper, Peter Fysh.
At the end all agreed that it was a great day. May the return affair next year be as good.
To read the latest Aus Newsletter to members click here.
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New IFCR Website
Welcome to the new IFCR website. Building on the tremendous work by Richard Groom in developing the original site, the new Mk III version is being managed by Robert Lee in New Zealand, with Richard Groom continuing to handle all the Australian section, Euan Stirrat editing for GB&I, Rtn.Sarathy for India and John Dean for New Zealand. Editors for the other countries are yet to be appointed. Richard will also deal with most of the International input.
The new site can handle scores, statistics and databases, which will run on Robert Lee's systems. It is a decision for each member country as to whether or not to publish detailed scores
The new website allows greater flexibility and will be extended to include more information than ever before. However, we gratefully acknowledge the contribution of Rotarian Andrew Donald of www.motile.net in designing, developing and hosting earlier versions of the site, without which the new site might not exist.
It will also tie in with the Yahoo! Group (contact Ravi to join). Members who wish to keep up to date are encouraged to join the group