Australian
050s first UK tour game vs Gloucestershire at Thornbury
Gloucestershire on Sunday 16 July 2017.
Finally
after many trials and tribulations the inaugural Australian 050s side
played its first ever UK tour game. After the mandatory morning swim
at 8am and a hearty English breakfast to calm first game nerves the
team ventured off in a 5 car convoy on the M5 from Cheltenham to
rural Thornbury.
Upon
arrival we were met by local icon Phil Thorn who promptly beckoned us
to the local Thornbury Castle which is the only Tudor Castle to
presently operate as a Hotel. History has it that in July 1510
exactly 507 years to the day of our arrival this morning, Edward
Stafford the 3rd Duke of Buckingham obtained a royal Licence to work
at his manor on the edge of the Cotswolds. A descendant of the
Plantagenet kings of England he had impeccable bloodline, was well
connected and wealthy just like our Captain Paul Stenhouse. Akin to
Paul his aim was to build the grandest noble home in the kingdom.
Fortunately for Paul the favourable comparison ends there as the
unfortunate Duke was summoned by Henry VIII in April 1521 and was
executed on Tower Hill on 17 May 1510.
Cricket
at Thornbury started well before 1850 and in 1871 the club was formed
by Dr.Edward Mills Grace older brother of the famous W G Grace. All 3
Grace brothers played in the first test vs. Australia in 1880 and
also played for Thornbury CC. In the early years the square was very
small and the outfield manicured by sheep. There was no cricket
played in the First World War as the oval was used making hay for the
troops. In 1963 the sons of Dr EM Grace and the nephews of WG Grace
opened the new wooden pavilion. The club’s most recent famous
cricketer was off spinner David Allen who played for England 39 times
between 1960 and 1966 but was smashed onto the hill several times by
Alan Davidson in the Manchester Test to see Richie Benaud spin the
Aussies to a famous victory.
The
day commenced with the skipper Paul Stenhouse winning the toss and
batting on a green hard wicket. The rules of engagement were 45
overs; bowlers 9 overs; 4 in the circle and the Australians to
recycle at 45 but the Gloucesterians to bat unlimited.
Our
team consisted of Paul Stenhouse (C);Alan Chellew; Noel Raymond;
Warwick Hayes; David Crocker; Mal Coleman; Bob McGee; Rob Lloyd
(Wk);Wayne Miles; Mick Munro and Ross Belstead.
