MEMORABLE YEAR
Hard to believe it’s nearly half a century ago since Neale Daniher led Assumption to the 1978 cricket-football double. Neale’s football prowess has been well documented, but he was a brilliant cricketer who I believe would have achieved Australian honours if he had gone in that direction. He was an astute captain, terrific left-hand bat (like England’s David Gower or Aussie legend Neil Harvey). There are some well-known names pictured with Neale in the First XI photo. Tim Scala went on to lead the ’79 team to the title, while Simon O’Donnell made it a hat-trick of triumphs in 1980. Prominent local area names are Craig Stockdale and Mick O’Sullivan. Four of the group progressed in football, they were:
Neale Daniher (Essendon), Simon O’Donnell (St Kilda), Mick O’Sullivan (Melbourne) and John Tossol (Melbourne).
O’Donnell switched to cricket and captained Victoria and played for Australia in World Cup and Ashes campaigns.
The 1978-80 period also saw the dark and light blues take out successive A.G.S.V. titles and Neale’s performance to lead the side to the 1978 title in front of a 3000-strong Friday crowd is the stuff of legend.
The year 1978 was also notable for girls cricket and as the name shows, many still resonate in this area.
VARIA
My sister Aileen is shown with our youngest relative, Henry, born just before Christmas. His mum and dad are both teachers at Catholic primary schools. The little guy has had eight relatives attend ACK-five as boarders. My sister has a very strong faith. She grew up in Mortlake and worked for one of the town banks and after marriage was a member of the Bizz Buzz Hardware team in Niddrie. An avid Cats follower over the years, she has borne much of the brunt of our parents’ final years, her own husband’s and the sad loss of our brother and sister. Geoff and Joy were both taken by cancer in their early 40s, leaving a total of nine children. She is noted for unfailing help and kindness to many.
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Met up briefly with Kilmore resident Mark Clancy the other day. An ex-collegian and son of wonderful well-loved parents (dec). A keen sportsman and avid football (Carlton) and cricket fan, Mark has already booked in for next March’s MCG Australia vs England special to mark 150 years of the iconic rivalry. Mark follows the three forms of cricket but summed them up well as follows:
Test cricket – a five-star meal at a plush venue;
One Day International – a nice meal at a good pub; and
Twenty20 – a hamburger and fries at Maccas.
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On the topic of Twenty20 cricket the recent final was won by India in front of a massive 132,000 crowd. The New Zealanders fought bravely but it was not to be their day. With a population of barely five million the Kiwis punch way above their weight in rugby, cricket, athletics and sailing. It is a proud nation of great fighters in all their sports. I believe that cricket in NZ survives and often thrives on about ten percent of Australian cricket finances and their players, men and women can only dream about the massive payments Aussie players enjoy.
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One of the world’s finest sports writers is England’s Lawrence Booth. His newspaper articles and books are avidly read. Late last year he walked out of a top-level sports administrator’s conference in Dubai with his parting words quite telling: they were “after sitting through three days of this I’m convinced your people know the price of everything and value of nothing”. His comment could well be directed at football, soccer, cricket and tennis top bosses.
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RELIEF AT LAST
The long hot “dry” has ended bringing relief to farmers who have been doing it really tough. Rural Australia is treated badly by state and federal governments. The picture of tranquil calm masks really difficult, stressful times. A large number of folk on the land have sadly taken their own lives across last year or so. These stark numbers don’t get published – it doesn’t suit the “agenda”.
