From the Boundary – September 21, 2026

WAS TRUMPER THE FIRST?

“Golden age” batsman Victor Trumper may have been this nation’s finest ever willow-wielder. Cricket historians who saw him play and then years later saw Don Bradman are almost united in declaring for Victor. He was an idol to Australian crowds but was also loved by the English. His century before lunch on day one of the 1902 Ashes Test at Old Trafford on a rain damaged pitch is still ranked as one of the classic Ashes innings of all time. The NSW champion died in 1915 tragically young. His funeral cortege through the streets of Sydney was watched by half of Sydney’s population.

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Victor was a great player on all kinds of pitches – many of the Test strips of those times were not covered. Noted for his kindness he was the most loved cricketer of his generation. Typical of the man was one night in London the Australian team were at a West End show when they came out it was pouring rain. Trumper noticed an urchin boy on the corner, his pile of newspaper soaked as he was. Victor hailed a horse drawn cab to take the lad home and as well paid him for the pile of unsold newspapers.

Australian cricket could sure do with a player like Trumper today.

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ICONIC MCG

The packed house for the NFL extravaganza recently just highlighted the fact that the Melbourne Cricket Ground is the cathedral of sport in Australia. It draws huge crowds to Australian Rules, packs it out for Ashes Tests, the occasional Rugby State of Origin, and of course for concerts. As far as cricket goes it holds the single day Test record of 95,000 (which is the capacity for cricket) plus the 5-day Test assembly of 373,000 set at the Test versus India in 2024. The venue is steeped in history and has been adorned by the greatest players cricket and football has known down the ages. Another significant milestone in its history will occur next March when Australia plays England in the 150 years celebration clash – marking a rivalry that has first began in 1877.

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TIMES TO REMEMBER

THE year 1978 is a long time past, and yet events of that far off Assumption football season remain etched in the memory. College teams had created a legacy, almost a myth across the preceding decades since 1893.

Even before ACK was admitted to the prestigious Associated Grammar Schools of Victoria in 1959 teams of the Dark and Light Blues had won much media acclaim for the way its football and cricket teams played – and for the steady stream of students who progressed to elite levels.

Writers such as W.S. Sharland (Herald), Percy Taylor (The Age), Ewen Davidson (Sporting Globe) and Jim Blake (The Sun) had regularly detailed the Kilmore College’s exploits on the playing fields.

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Entry to the ranks of the AGSV saw remarkable success of the First XVIII’s and First Xi’s over the course of the next five decades. Assumption was acknowledged for much of the time as “Numero Uno” in both football and cricket. The success story brought much recurring favourable publicity to the school and provided considerable pleasure to legions of ex-students.

In mostly latter years there was ever present a small band of critics of the flagship team games ongoing success story, but in the end such “knockers” are irrelevant.

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An illustrious principal 81 Romulad O’Brien (1965-70) constantly preached the value of sport.

He also presided over a rich period of academic success and was adamant the two areas greatly complemented each other.

One of Assumptions illustrious XVIII’s was the team of 1989. It contained local “boys” David King and Jason Johnson who progressed to AFL fame. Led by Whittlesea lad Mark O’Sullivan the team won the AGSV title, the Herald Sun Shield at the MCG and the Phoenix Cup at Melbourne University. It enjoyed also a universal highlight when it defeated the prison team Pentridge Panthers at the renowned Pentridge Prison. This fixture followed a similar one in 1982-both visits were organised by legendary prison Chaplin Father John Brosnan, a former ACK student and avid Geelong FC supporter.

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Soon the fields of winter will give way to cricket and hundred of thousands, young and old, male and ever increasing females will tread the summer turf. Australian cricket chiefs will be desperately hoping that sooner rather than later from the playing hordes will come another Ponting, Chappell or Border – for it is now an almost desperate need.