A champion returns
Ray Power came south from Swan Hill last week to catch up and watch some of the Marist cricket carnival at Assumption College Kilmore, ACK.
He was no stranger to the main oval where he dominated in the period 1979-82.
He made both First XVIII and First XI each year and played a key role in two cricket titles and four in football.
A batting all-rounder, he was very handy on the fields of summer but really made his mark in winter time.
For his first couple of seasons in the Associated Grammar Schools Victoria, AGSV, Ray played off half back or midfield but it was in his final season that he really soared.
As captain of the First XVIII, he led ACK to the grammars premiership and also the Herald-Sun Shield title in front of 20,000 people at Waverley.
In a classic final versus St Bede’s, Ray kicked nine goals.
However across the 1982 season, he tallied a massive 210 goals – an all-time Australian record, which I don’t think will ever be beaten.
He was on the radar of a number of league clubs including Geelong but for several reasons deferred to play.
Beyond college days for over 20 years he played in several major leagues – I think he kicked the ‘ton’ in most of those seasons.
Winter Christmas
I spent several periods in the UK, all but one in the northern summer and mostly involving cricket.
But one visit was especially memorable in the 80s when I enjoyed a superb festive Christmas at Lulworth Castle in Dorset.
Wilfred and Sally Weld were the latest castle estate custodians in a long line of the Weld family.
Among Wilfred’s ancestors were a lord mayor of London and a cardinal in the USA.
The castle estate of 13,000 acres took in several villages, the market town of Wool and the coastal resort of East Lulworth.
The Welds were renowned for treating tenant workers and the tenant farmers really well and Christmas was a time when all were involved.
It was cold with light snow on Christmas eve but that didn’t daunt the happy band of carol singers who gathered at the Weld Arms – a thatched-roofed pub just beyond the castle gates.
Plenty of singing and good food, and drink, saw the hours speed by.
At midnight it was time for the Christmas mass in the historic castle church.
It was packed by young and old celebrating the real season for Christmas – the birth of Christ 2000-plus years ago.
Christmas day itself was a special one with gifts distributed from a fire truck to the children of the villages prior to a magnificent feast in the castle hall.
The hospitality extended by the Weld family over several visits spanning four decades was wonderful.
I had first met them through cricket in 1970 when an ACK champion cricketer, Peter Ryan, was playing for Hampshire in England’s County Championship. Wilfred for many years was club president.
Through the association with the Welds a number of local area girls were able to do their gap year working at Lulworth from between 1984 and 200 – they too were royally treated.
Carnival success
The Marist cricket carnival played for over a week at ACK proved very worthwhile.
Luckily fine weather prevailed, and the ovals were in splendid condition.
Teams from Sydney, Canberra, Sale, and Traralgon joined the host XI, Assumption, to provide some excellent cricket.
The title was taken out narrowly by St Josephs, from Hunters Hill, Sydney, defeating Marist College Canberra, with ACK in third place. The visiting army of players and officials were accommodated in Kilmore and area motels.
Happy Christmas
It’s Christmas time again and best wishes to not only the Review’s many thousands of readers but to people everywhere who will be hoping for maybe a better year in 2024 in many ways.
Maybe politicians at all levels will lift their collective game and do what people expect them to do – serve ordinary folk, rather than vested interests and give the kindergarten antics in Parliament – state and federal – a miss.
Maybe peace will come to the people of Ukraine and Israel, also the residents of Palestine.
Also, it would be great if ordinary Aussies could get some cost-of-living relief, which is surely needed.
Finally, cheers to all and best wishes to the two local pastors – St Patrick’s Father Prakash and Christ Church Kilmore’s Vicar David Kerr, who will both deliver great Christmas services to local congregations.
