The Aussies celebrate the victory
Apart from the record crowds at the famous venue, millions tuned in across the nation via TV, radio, etc., and an estimated 300 million watched across the globe. Cricket is second in the world behind soccer, for participants and followers. The game has long been in the DNA of huge numbers of Australian fans, and its rich history pays tribute to the tens of thousands of cricketers from the cities, towns, and tiny outposts who paid the supreme sacrifice in the two world wars. The output of cricket literature and poetry exceeds all sports.
***

This picture of a young lad scoring while watching a test at the Sydney Cricket Ground is of Tom Garrett from Wollongong, who, a few summers later, debuted as a teenager in a Melbourne test. Looking down from Valhalla, he would have been thrilled to see Sam Konstas debut, only the fifth teenager to do so in nearly 150 years at the hallowed field.

Pictured is Stan McCabe, the Marist Brothers boy who played three of the greatest innings of all time in the 1930s.

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Cricket is a truly great game. It requires skill, courage, tenacity, and mental
strength to prosper at any level, and it teaches valuable life lessons along the way. A
century today, out first ball tomorrow, or five wickets today and none for plenty next game
illustrate the ups and downs of life.
***
On a nostalgic note, my father and his great mate and boxing legend Jack
Haines were at the MCG all those years ago, watching Don Bradman make a double
century and be part of the record crowd.
***
Vale Tom Hoban
Thomas Peter Hoban, a well known and highly respected Darraweit Guim farmer was
farewelled from this life by a very large congregation of family and friends at St Patrick’s Kilmore just prior to Christmas. In his 82nd year, Tom succumbed to a short
illness. A true man of the land and a product of real Australia. Tom was a devoted husband to Marie who welcomed the crowd at St Patrick’s. Son William delivered a fine eulogy outlining a life well lived of a great family man, husband, father, grandfather, and
a stoic friend to many. The name Hoban has been a highly regarded one in this region
across the generations.

***
A number of Tom and Marie’s 10 children were involved in readings during the
impressive requiem mass.
Romance of the willow
The picture is of spectators at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in 1936. It was way before TV and Don Bradman was in his prime. The total crowd for that far distant game was 351,000—a record that stood for 88 years until it was smashed at the recent Boxing Day test when a massive audience of 374,000 turned out to watch Australia V India. MCG Chief Executive Stuart Fox, who has presided over many AFL grand finals and cricket tests, said it was a joyous occasion. Spectators came from New York, Hong Kong, and London, along with Melbourne’s cricket mad Indian followers who made up around 20 per cent of the total crowd. Aussie fans turned out in huge numbers too, with tens of thousands of youngsters and young males and females. The huge roars from a packed stadium on the opening day when teenager Sam Konstas made his debut with a thrilling 60 were akin to an AFL grand final. Across the five days, the great crowds were in fine humour and well behaved. A fair contingent of fans were from this area, especially Kilmore, Wallan, and Broadford. I met up with many former ACK students and spoke briefly with AFL greats such as Francis Bourke and Lions premiership coach Chris Fagan who admits to being a cricket ‘tragic’

Thank you Ray for your kind tribute to my dad Tom Hoban. He loved reading ‘From the Boundary’ each week and would be so humbled to have been included in your latest edition. Your writing serves a special purpose in keeping locals informed and reflecting on the history of our community. Thank you.