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2 years ago

If I look back on my captaincy journey I would say that I am proud of what I achieved but also make some changes with hindsight and experience on my side.
I was made vice-captain of Tasmania in the 92/93 season until 95/96. David Boon was captain and he was away the majority of the time so I was captain for 80-90% of the games. I had Greg Shipperd as coach and a very young team that included Jamie Cox, Dene Hills, Ricky Ponting, Michael Divenuto, Chris Matthews, Danny Buckingham,Mark Atkinson. Over the next few years Colin Miller, Shaun Young and Mark Ridgway became permanent members of the side also. In those days Bellerive was a pretty flat wicket that was hard work for the bowlers. Greg Shipperd and I devised a plan that we would bowl first the majority of times and then try and chase down a total to win the game. This plan got us into the shield final against NSW in 93/94. So I would say my greatest captaincy achievement was to be the first Tasmanian captain in a shield final. Unfortunately, we were beaten soundly.
Looking back I think my captaincy was a little defensive and I let the coach influence my decisions too much at times. Having said that I was inexperienced and learning my trade. At the time we were being more successful than Tasmanian teams of the past so it's hard to argue against our tactics.
I have watched Ben Stokes with interest and at times with admiration. Being his own man and following his instincts. It just shows how much a captain's attitude can influence a team. Would he be the same captain without Brendon McCullum ? Would another coach give him as much freedom. Captains and coaches need to work closely together but it’s the captain that should have the final say.
Captaining a team can be a difficult job but also a rewarding one. I think at times I took myself too seriously and forgot about the fun side of the game. I have seen others do the same thing. The greatest example of this was Ross Taylor from NZ. A great player and a really good bloke. When he took on the captaincy it changed him completely. Luckily I think for him he was not in the job very long and went back to being a very good player for a long time for NZ.
So for me, the most important thing I learned was to be your own man and follow your instincts as much as possible. Remember when making important behaviour and cultural decisions ask yourself “What does the game expect? It helped me a lot when playing and also now when umpiring.
Good Luck to all.

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2 years ago



The Evolution of Branding in Sports Clubs: Adjusting to Today's Demographics

In the world of sports, branding is far more than just a logo or a catchy slogan; it's an intricate tapestry that tells a story about a club, its values, its history, and its vision for the future. When we speak of branding within sports clubs, we refer to the overall image and identity a club projects to its supporters, sponsors, and the wider community. This image is crafted through various elements such as club colours, logos, mascots, and even the style of play. These components collectively form a brand identity that influences how the club is perceived within the community.

Branding in sports clubs is not a static concept; rather, it's dynamic and continuously evolving. It's about creating emotional connections with fans, fostering a sense of belonging, and building loyalty that spans generations. A strong brand identity can turn casual spectators into passionate supporters, creating a vibrant community around the club. The importance of a club's brand identity should never be underestimated. In many ways, it's the heartbeat of the club, influencing almost every aspect of its operations. From public relations and marketing to community engagement, a robust brand identity serves as a potent tool in driving a club's success.

From a public relations perspective, a well-defined brand identity helps shape the narrative around a club. It gives the club a distinct voice, enabling it to communicate effectively with various stakeholders such as fans, media, and sponsors. In essence, it helps set the tone for all the club's interactions and relationships. In terms of marketing, a compelling brand identity can significantly enhance the club's promotional efforts. It provides a clear framework for crafting engaging marketing campaigns that resonate with fans and attract potential sponsors. Furthermore, a strong brand identity can differentiate a club from its competitors, giving it a unique selling proposition.

When it comes to community engagement, a club's brand identity plays a central role in connecting with local communities. A club with a strong brand identity that aligns with community values can foster deep-rooted connections, encouraging community members to support the club in various ways. This in turn, creates a proposition for new players and members to join the club. This is is a small reason PLAI Sport exists. To help grassroots sports.

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2 years ago



RECORD: 310*runs in 1936-37 by Richard Taylor (173*) / Hugh Chilvers (154*) for Northern District 6-402 declared against Marrickville 250 & 3-82 at Waitara Oval (now Mark Taylor Oval) in round 5, 31 Oct.-7 Nov. 1936.

On a sunny October afternoon at Waitara in 1936, Marrickville’s fast bowlers, NSW Sheffield Shield player Les O’Brien and Goulburn representative Harold McQuirk, made early inroads into the Northern District batting line-up to have them struggling at 6-92. That brought NSW leg-spinner Hughie Chilvers to the crease to join no 4 bat, Richard “Dick” Taylor. Over the following 140 minutes, the pair flayed the powerful attack to all parts of the oval as they rattled up an unconquered 310. The innings was declared at the stumps score of 6-402 with Taylor 173* and Chilvers 154*. They hit 45 fours between them–Taylor 23 and Chilvers 22. It was by far the highest 7th wicket partnership in Sydney 1st Grade, smashing the previous mark of 218* established 16 years earlier. On the second day’s play, Marrickville could only manage 250 and 3-82 with Chilvers taking 4-101 and NSW off-spinner Tim Caldwell, who later became Chairman of the Australian Cricket Board, finishing with 5-80.

The Taylor-Chilvers record has stood the test of time and has never been bettered. In the 89 years to 2023 since it was created, it is the only 7th wicket partnership to have passed the 300 runs milestone. It is also the highest partnership by a Northern District team in any grade.

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2 years ago



On the 21st August 1986 Sir Ian Botham became the highest wicket taker in test history when he trapped New Zealand batter Jeff Crowe LBW for 8 on the first day of the 3rd test between England and New Zealand at the Oval.
The record was held by Australian Dennis Lillee who took 355 test wickets.
Botham went on to take 383 test wickets in 102 test matches and held the record until passed by New Zealand paceman Sir Richard Hadlee.
In the first innings of the third test Botham took the wicket of Bruce Edgar to equal Lillee’s record of 355, Jeff Crowe to pass the record and then dismissed Jeremy Coney to finish the innings with 3 wickets. It was Botham first test back after being suspended by the England test and County Cricket Board.

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2 years ago



Cricket can be the loneliest of all team sports. Yes, you’re part of a team but when you break it down it’s simply one bowler against one batter surrounded by 10 others whose sole objective is to remove the batter from his cherished position.

The batter job is to blunt the bowler, preserve their wicket and score runs on behalf of their batting partner at the other end and 9 team mates watching from the sidelines.

For cricket fans, it’s theatre and can be a show you don’t dare miss.

I asked a cricket fan to choose the one bowler from any era they’d like to see take on one batter from any era.

Their answer was – Allan Donald v Steve Smith.

What a match up that would be, and there’s been so many memorable match ups throughout the years

In asking others the same question, there are some fascinating responses. Let’s take a look.

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2 years ago



Bathiya Perera arrived onto the Sri Lankan first class scene as a young 19 year old leg spinning all rounder. As his career progressed he would mature into a dominant top order batsman scoring 8254 first class runs with a high score of 220 not out. Bathiya put in many dominant performances for Sri Lanka A against world class lineups but could never break into the test side.

Bathiya has since moved to Australia where he had a short stint playing at Berwick, before he spent time as the coach of Upper Beaconsfield and Frankston Peninsula and skills development coach of various junior clubs.

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2 years ago



David Thompson made his first grade debut for Bankstown during the 1981/82 and is first grade cap number 144.

In 1985/86 David became the inaugural first grade captain of Fairfield Cricket Club where he spent one year and has the honour of Fairfield Liverpool Cricket Club Player of the Year Award named after him.

In first grade David scored 3,336 runs at 24.35 including one century and 21 half centuries. He took 58 wickets with his best figures 5 for 53.

In all grades David scored over 7,000 and continued to play into his 40s and became a tremendous influence and mentor to many younger players.

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2 years ago



On the 20th August 1931 Australian test cricketer number 1 Charles Bannerman passed way at the age of 80.
Bannerman faced the first ball bowled in test cricket on 15 March 1877 at the MCG and went on to score 165 before retiring hurt with a broken finger in Australia’s first inning of 245.
Australia had won the toss and elected to bat and after being bowled out in their first innings they dismissed England for 196. Australia was bowled out for 104 in their 2nd innings with Bannerman scoring only 4 and England needed 153 runs to win. Australia bowled England out for 108 and Australia was the test match by 45 runs.
Bannerman played 3 test matches for Australia scoring 239 runs at an average of 59.75.
He played first class cricket for NSW and in 44 first class matches he scored 1,687 runs at an average of 21.62 including one century and nine half centuries.
Bannerman retired from first class cricket in 1888 and went on to become an umpire and umpired in 12 tests matches.

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2 years ago



During my Education studies, I was introduced to the seminal theory of learning and development of Belarussian Psychologist, Lev Vygotsky. Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development is typically defined as the space between what a learner can do without assistance and what a learner can do with expert guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers.

As Aussie Cricket Season 2023/24 approaches, I thought Vygotsky’s ideas might be helpful to players, parents, and coaches as they grapple with a common, perennial cricket development issue: which age group should a youngster play in?

Before jumping into our issue, for our purposes we can interpret Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development as having two main recognisable elements: masterful coaching and stretching players by training at the edge of their capabilities.

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2 years ago



Matt Chasemore joined St Kilda for the 2013/14 season and made a tremendous contribution in his 2 seasons with the Saints.

He scored 1,207 first grade runs for the club at an average of 44.70 including 5 centuries and 5 fifties. With the ball he took 43 wickets at an incredible 14.18.

Matt made his first grade debut in Victoria Premier Cricket in 2001/02 when playing for Dandenong.

In 15 seasons of first grade cricket with Dandenong, Frankston Peninsula and St Kilda, Matt scored 7,377 first grade runs at 32.93 including 12 centuries and 37 fifties. He took 219 wickets at 19.77 and took 5 wickets or more in an innings on 7 occasions. He also took 107 catches.

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2 years ago



On the 19 August 1992 Sri Lanka wicket keeper batter Romesh Kaluwitharana scored 132 not out on day 3 of his test debut in the first test between Sri Lanka and Australia in Colombo.
In the test match Sri Lanka won the toss and sent Australia into bat and Australia were bowled out for 256.
Sri Lanak declared their first innings 8 for 547 and along with Kaluwitharana, Asanka Gurisinha and Arjuna Ranatunga also made centuries.
Australia scored 471 in their 2nd innings setting Sri Lanka 180 to win.
Kaluwitharana test debut century was in the same test match Australian spin legend Shane Warne bowled Australia to victory with 5.1 overs and took 3 wickets for 11 runs as Australia bowled sri Lanka out for 164 to win by 16 runs.
Kaluwitharana played 49 tests for Sri Lanka taking 119 dismissals, 93 catches and 26 stumpings and scored 1,933 runs at an average of 26.12. He ht 2 centuries and 9 half centuries and his highest score was 132 not out.
In 189 one day internationals Kaluwitharana took 207 dismissals, 132 catches and 75 stumpings and scored 3,711 runs at an average of 22.22. He scored 3 centuries and 23 half centuries in ODI and his highest score was 102.

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2 years ago



Andrew Grant made his first grade debut for Prahran Cricket Club during the 1981/82 season and played 209 first grade games for the club scoring 6,959 runs at an average of 36.43 including 11 centuries and 38 half centuries.

Andrew remains the third highest all-time first grade run scorer for Prahran.

In 1996/97 Andrew played for St Kilda Cricket Club for two seasons scoring 1,006 at an average of 40.24 and hit 8 half centuries.

All up in Premier Cricket in Victoria Andrew Grant played 238 games and scored 7,965 runs at 36.87 with 11 centuries and 46 half centuries.

He’s a member of the Cricket Victoria 200 Club and a very proud Life Member and Hall of Fame Member of Prahran Cricket Club.

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2 years ago



My Best Grade team - Peter Clifford 1979 to 1992

I played Grade Cricket for Randwick Cricket Club in Sydney from 1979 to 1985 before moving to Brisbane and playing for Toombul Cricket Club from 1986 to 1992.

Here is my Best Grade team from players I played with. In batting order

1. Alan Turner (Captain)- Randwick, NSW and Australia
Tough man, led by example and a wonderful mentor and leader. Even at the end of his career played some amazing innings. Aggressive captain and was always 2 hours ahead of play.

2. John Dyson – Randwick, NSW and Australia...

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