Life So Full of Promise by Ross McMullin

Author:Ross McMullin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: BIO008000, HIS027000, HIS027090, BIO006000
Publisher: Scribe Publications Pty Ltd
Published: 2023-04-18T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

All-Rounder

Angus had continued his wholehearted involvement at Bendigo United as an office-bearer and a frequent donor of new bats to reward achievement. As well, the Advertiser had its own team, which sometimes included George and both his brothers; on one freakish occasion all three registered a duck, yet the ‘Typos’ still managed to snatch victory by two runs. Angus also encouraged the innovation of women’s cricket in Australia, which was pioneered in April 1874 when a well-attended match at Bendigo raised significant funds for local charities; the players had asked Angus to umpire it, but he had to withdraw as Margaret had died the day before. When the venture’s success prompted a repetition a year later, Angus supported the players’ practice and officiated during the game. He was also influential in Melbourne, where he was not only president of the Civil Servants Cricket Club, but also a vice-president of the Victorian Cricketers’ Association.

George was continuing to develop as a cricketer. Like Norman Callaway, he played with and against adults from an early age. He was only 14 when he opened the batting for a Sandhurst Press XI at the MCG against a team representing The Argus newspaper captained by Tom Kendall, one of the best bowlers in the colony. George advanced stylishly to combat Kendall’s left-arm slows, but was unfortunately run out. He was playing for Scotch’s first XI a year later.

His most memorable school match was against Scotch’s main rival, Melbourne Grammar, on a challenging pitch in December 1876. With Scotch needing 88 in its second innings for victory, its hopes were fading fast when George’s last team-mate came out to join him with more than one-third of the target still needed. But George eked precious runs, his partner survived tenaciously, and Hugh Ross, Melbourne’s lethal spearhead, who had taken all ten wickets in the first innings and seven in the second, was starting to tire after bowling non-stop. Anxiety intensified on and off the field as the last pair gradually approached their goal. Only 14 more were needed at the scheduled time for stumps. George felt relatively settled and wanted to keep batting, but inflexibility prevailed and play ceased.

The match resumed next day at 4.00pm. Tension was palpable. A sizeable crowd had gathered to witness the climax. George had felt nervous all day, and practised assiduously beforehand. It was a ‘severe ordeal’, his ‘most trying experience’ ever as a cricketer. He faced up to Hugh Ross, who was revived and fresh. The third ball was a yorker that he could not keep out. The shattering rattle never felt more devastating.

It meant so much because there were few such games. Dr Morrison, who was not an enthusiast, restricted the time Scotch allocated to sport. The number of teams and matches was limited, and only the most talented players took part. Sport had yet to become institutionalised and a universal school activity. When Brian Pockley began at Shore three decades later, sport was more structured and comprehensive than during George Mackay’s time at Scotch.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.