ADF cricket team follows in famous footsteps
Cricket spirit bats on

FACING UP: PO Nick Knight, the ADF cricket team’s vice captain, stands up to the might of the Queensland U-19 team during a match last year. PO Knight will play a big part in the ADF’s team upcoming tour of England.

Photo: ABPH Kade Rogers

ADF touring party

SQNLDR Steven O’Hara (Captain RAAF) PO Nick Knight (Vice Captain RAN) SQNLDR Paul Collins (RAAF) CAPT Craig Clunas (ARMY) CAPT Mark Jackson (ARMY) SBLT Matthew Minehan-Ryan (RAN) WO Gary Fuss (RAN) SGT Geoff Ingram (ARMY) PO Shane White (RAN) CPL Ian Chattin (ARMY) LS Glenn Cleary (RAN) LS Luke Grimmond (RAN) CPL Greg Weller (RAAF) LAC/W Adam Bosworth (RAAF) LAC/W Ricky Mace (RAAF) PTE Matthew Lee (ARMY) PTE Leigh Odermatt (ARMY) Craftsman Ian Roberts (ARMY)

By David Kirkpatrick

A team of ADF cricketers will follow the footsteps of some famous forebears when they undertake a four-week tour of England from July 14.

The 2005 tour of England is especially significant as it coincides with the 60th Anniversary of the 1945 Australian Services side. Under the captaincy of Test player, WO2 Lindsay Hassett, the 1945 side played matches England, India, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and Australia.

The find of this team was undoubtedly due to RAAF SGT Keith Miller, who went on become one of the greatest Test all rounders.

The 1945 side played five “victory” Tests against an England XI, recording 2 wins, 2 losses and a draw The coach of the present day team, WO1 Barry James, said the spirit of the 1945 side would help inspire the 2005 touring party. “Definitely it will be the focus of the tour, we will have the spirit of the 1945 team with us,” WO James said.

“The captain of the 1945 team, Stan Sisme, will be at our farewell function and he is still an ardent follower of services cricket.”

The 2005 tour will involve matches against the various United Kingdom Services’ sides and the Combined Services team.

It will also coincide with the Australian team’s Ashes tour of England. Although the ADF team will be missing some of its best players, due to work commitments, the side is expected to perform well.

“The depth within Defence cricket is quite strong,” WO1 James said.

“We know we will face solid opposition, because a lot of their cricketers play county cricket over there.

“We know that we will be up against it, but we have some really good cricketers who are all proven at grade level and performed well at the national championships.”

Players to watch include:

• CPL Greg Weller (RAAF), a talented all rounder who opens the batting for the ADF side and also bowls leg spin.
• Army Craftsman Ian Roberts, a hard-hitting middle order batsman, who also bowls off breaks and;
• Navy PO Nick Knight, who is the team’s vice captain and a solid batsman near the top of the order. WO1 James said he didn’t expect his players to be disadvantaged by playing England in the Australian “off season” for cricket.
  
  “The advantage of playing our nationals each November is that a lot of our cricketers know each other,” he said. “They go back to their areas and team up together and keep themselves in some sort of condition.
  
  I’ve also given them a physical requirement to reach and a training program.”
  
  The team will assemble in Brisbane on July 9 for some group training and briefings before departing Australia on July 14.

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