Cometh the hour
In the long history of cricket in Australia, a real star comes along just about every twenty years. A new prodigy is desperately needed as our ageing test player’s fade. Cricket fans will be hoping young NSW batsman Sam Konstas may be the one.
The nineteen year old highly talented player hit a century in each innings against South Australia a week ago in only his fourth shield appearance. Sam emulates two Aussie champions who hit twin centuries as teenagers. They were Ricky Ponting and Archie Jackson. Ponting achieved this feat in 1993. Archie Jackson did the “double” way back in 1929 against South Australia. He also hit a majestic 154 in his test debut against England. Tragically, he died of tuberculosis in 1933 aged only 24 like the legendary Victor Trumper who died in 1915 and Phillip Hughes, 2015, Jackson remains forever young.
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Meanwhile, the old enemy England has produced its next great batsman. Yorkshires’ Harry Brook, 24, has just hit a majestic 317 against Pakistan in Multan. Brook is rated by United Kingdom veteran cricket writers as the best since Peter May and Ted Dexter. Aussie fans will see Brook in action when the Ashes saga resumes in this country a year from now. I already have written some time ago that I saw a 15 year old Brook score a brilliant century in Yorkshire College cricket in 2015 when I went to the renowned Sedbergh school to meet up with a longtime friend.
VARIA
Levi Casboult has retired after playing 198 games with Carlton and Gold Coast Suns. He kicked 156 goals. He is known as a fine person and family man. Son of Launceston senior police officer, Levi is married to former Assumption College Kilmore (ACK) student Hayley Comerford. The couple have four lovely children. Hayley was a great help with the sports program whilst a boarder at ACK a decade and a half ago.
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Mary DeMelo of Smeaton Place, Kilmore, passed away a week ago after a long and stoically brave health battle. A dignified and kind person, Mary was an avid book reader and tennis fan. She was much loved by her devoted daughters Tanya and Natacha – and grandchildren Seamus, Charlotte, Sienna and Abbey – young Kilmore school children.
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I caught up briefly with Cheryl Stephens’ dad the other day. Cheryl was for some years a highly regarded ACK teacher and for a lengthy period since has done outstanding work in education in East Timor. She was prominent among the massive crowd of close to three quarters of a million at Pope Francis’ recent mass in Dili. In a role, too, at the mass was much loved former ACK principal Brother Paul Gilchrist.
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The last Marist Brother at Kilmore, Brother Xavier Collins, is enjoying retirement at Mercy Bethlehem in Bendigo. A devoted teacher and sports coach, he taught in four states and spent two lengthy stunts at ACK. A talented footballer and cricketer himself, and fine teacher, he gave great service not only at Assumption, but also at New Norca, Western Australia, Sacred Heart College, South Australia, and Forbes and Broken Hill, NSW. An avid swan’s fan he was very disappointed with their grand final effort against Brisbane Lions.
Melbourne guests
United Kingdom actor and model Liz Hurley and son Damien will be guests at the Melbourne Cup Carnival. For some years Liz was fiancee of late cricket legend Shane Warne. Damian is also a model and actor and a committed Christian. Shane Warne and Liz Hurley were friends of Simon and Rebecca O’Donnell and on a visit to the latter’s Willowmavin horse stud, paid a brief visit to a cricket game at ACK.
Summer is coming
The young lady pictured is enjoying the warmer days of spring after the long cold winter and she is happy summer is not far away. There is no doubt the global warming company has not got Kilmore’s address. Meanwhile reports that are not doctored tell us the poles are okay, the seas are not rising, polar bears are thriving, and the worlds crops have never been better. And if we want to know where the most student alarmism comes from – just follow the money trail, apparently many thousands of Europeans, Asians, Americans (and some Australians) have doubled, even trebled their fortunes from the “Industry”.
College cricket
College cricket is underway once again and Assumption College Kilmore (ACK) enters its 67th AGSV season hoping to maintain the strong showings of the past two summers which saw young Romsey bat Lucas Cavigan emerge as a future star. With several centuries for ACK, he joined the dark and light blues list of prolific run scorers. Names like Simon O’Donnell, Peter Ryan, John Bahen, Neale Daniher, Jon Henry, Jason Smith top the list of college centuries. Assumption joined the prestigious grammars competition in 1959. Prior to then it had enjoyed much success over the decade in the local area senior competition