Wanderers CC Members Newsletter – Autumn 2017

The 2016-17 season is reaching its Everest, matches in full swing, touring sides coming and going and Wanderers heavily involved on and off the park. We started the season in October with a match against Wanganui Collegiate on a beautiful spring day in Whanganui. The setting for cricket at Collegiate is near perfect. The school hosted us in grand style, putting on a beautiful lunch in the dining room, afternoon tea and drinks after the match and to finish we had a screening of the cricket movie “Death of a Gentleman”.

Since then we have had our traditional matches against the St Pats Town, St Pats Silverstream and Wellington College 2nd XI which unfortunately was cancelled on the morning of the match. The first part of our annual Hunt Trophy and Richard Allan Challenge Cup T20 competition was also held. Again unfortunately the weather was again unkind to us and only a couple of matches were able to be held over Labour Weekend. The tournament has had to be rescheduled. We have Thursday 23rd March set aside as finals day on the Basin.

In addition we have matches scheduled against Tawa College, HIBS, HVHS, Onslow College, Paraparaumu College, Clifton CC, Wellington Collegians and the Law Society. We will also host the Primary Schools final on the Basin on Friday 24th of March.

On 9th March we will be taking our Wanderers Schools XI south to play The Willows. This match has become an annual event being played home and away on different years. There is no doubt that those who are selected to travel enjoy this match and the experience that comes with it. The Willows is a very special place and we are delighted to have her as a sister club.

We also have scheduled our Governor General’s Match on the Basin Reserve for March 22nd. We have yet to confirm the makeup of both sides. Certainly the Governor General’s Schools XI will be a side representative of the Wellington Colleges.

Off the field we have been busy. Our Annual Golf Day was held at Manor Park on Friday 30th September 2016. We ended up with 18 teams playing on a stunning Wellington day, a cloudless sky and a gentle breeze. The tournament was won by Tommy’s Collegians side. That was fitting as the side was sponsored by Nicki Cruickshank from Tommy’s. Nicki has been a most generous supporter of Wanderers and Carillon Clubs over many years. Her practical support and encouragement is always much appreciated. In early November Wanderers and Carillon clubs assisted in running an Art Exhibition, the theme of which was Triumph and Disaster. Martinborough based Wellington artist Jane Kellahan and Timaru artist Darren Tautari exhibited a range of their own paintings and also a number on the theme of triumph and disaster in sport. Both Carillon Club and Wanderers Clubs benefitted from a share of proceeds from the evening.
Bangladesh, Pakistan and Australia have visited and the Blackcaps have provided cricket lovers with an exciting brand of cricket as they have toured New Zealand showcasing their wares. We await the arrival of the South African side in a few days. This will be a true test of cricket in every sense of the word.

Wanderers are pleased to announce two functions associated with the Wellington Test. On Tuesday 14th March Wanderers and Carillon Clubs will be hosting a cocktail party with former Australian and South African Dual International Kepler Wessels as our guest of honour. Kepler captained South Africa after playing 24 tests for Australia. His overall record places him in the top echelon of International Cricketers. He played 40 Tests, scoring 2788 runs at an average of 41 with 6 hundreds and 15 fifties. He played 109 ODI’s averaging 34.35, 337 List A matches averaging 41.53 and he finished his first class career scoring 24738 runs with 66 hundreds and 132 fifties and an outstanding average of 50.58. Kepler certainly has a story to tell. We have still to confirm the venue for this function.

The first morning of the Basin Test (Thursday 16th March), we will be holding our traditional test match breakfast. We welcome Neil Manthorpe back to address us. Neil is a long standing friend of Wanderers. He has forthright views on sport in the Republic, especially Cricket and Rugby. In addition to his observations on sport in his homeland he has numerous entertaining stories about life on the road as an International Cricket Commentator and Journalist.

These two events should be an ideal lead in to what is to be hoped an outstanding 5 days of Test Cricket at the Basin.

On a sad note Peter Clinton CEO of Cricket Wellington is moving on to greener pastures. Peter has been a true friend and supporter of Wanderers right through his time in charge of Cricket Wellington. Always easy to approach and supportive in his actions, we wish him and his family all the best wherever the future should take them.

The club could not survive without the generous support of our friends and sponsors. We should thank in particular, Sir Ron Brierley, Nicki Cruickshank from Tommy’s, Norwood Foundation, Wellington Cricket Trust, First Sovereign Trust, Four Winds Foundation, Pelorus Trust, DB Breweries, Mike Egan from Monsoon Poon, Jamie Williams and his team from Black and Gold and Warren Press for use of his facilities for many of our functions.

We look forward to your continued support and attendance at both of these functions.

Yours in cricket.

Evan Gray Wanderers Cricket Club.

Wanderers v Wanganui Collegiate:
Wanderers 108-10, Scott McHardy 26,
Wanganui Collegiate 109-8, Daniel Blair 4-24

Wanderers v St Pats Town.
Wanderers 198-8 in 40 overs, H. Ranawera 34, Myles Price Moore 58, J Mallon 2-16, N.Wiggins 2-28
St Pats Town 201-7 in 39.4 overs S. Donaldson 52, B.Shepherd 44, M. Price Moor 2-36, S.OConnor 2-38

Wanderers v Newlands College:
Wanderers 134-8 in 20 overs Scott Mudgway 25, Rob Sayer 27, Kawinder 2-8
Newlands College 76 -10, S Benjamin 33, Kevin Goldsbury 2-8

Wanderers v Paraparaumu College:
Wanderers 235 8 in 40 overs Scott Mudgway 110,
Newlands College 178-10

Wanderers v St Pats Silverstream:
Wanderers 195-8, James Boyle 55 retired, Brian Steele 35 retired.
St Pats Silverstream 175-10,
Hamish French 1-15, Blair Nicholson 1-35, Kim Price Moor 2-25