Gunbower Cricket Club
Actually, Gunbower CC is now called the Leitchville-Gunbower Cricket Club.
As is the case in country sport—and, these days, plenty of metro sport too—mergers are a reluctant way for local clubs to survive and thrive.
The Leitchville and Gunbower cricket clubs merged a few years back to enter a stronger competition, the Goulburn Murray Cricket Association (GMCA). The GMCA includes clubs like Bamawm Lockington United, Echuca Cricket Club, Rochester, Echuca South, Moama, and Nondies. Australian off-spinner Todd Murphy is a celebrated alumnus. Baggy Green #465 will forever belong to him.
I was there this weekend with the Victorian Country U19 squad to watch some trial games against Fitzroy-Doncaster CC. It really is a delightful ground in proximity to the Murray River with a wicket as flat as a "cat's head"—Coach Miller!
Gunbower—a 30-minute drive from our luxurious Echuca accommodation—is itself a blink-and-miss affair. But that's OK; it has a pub (for sale), a racecourse, a primary school, and a pie shop that rivals any. My indulgence was a Saturday sausage roll —it was so good! I didn't get a price on the pub, but you would likely get a decent deal if making money isn't your priority—it's just a little too far from the Elephant & Castle for me!
I'll spare you the history lesson on Gunbower and the like, instead concentrating on the oddities that cricket compels one to undertake.
The clans in the North of England coined a phrase while Lancashire and Yorkshire were still fighting the "War of the Roses." I understand the wars were civil in nature—kinda topical—fought between the rival houses of Lancaster (red rose) and York (white rose). It all ended in 1485 when Henners Tudor defeated Richard III at Bosworth and married Elizabeth of York, uniting the two houses under the Tudor family dynasty. Here's an academic resource if you're inclined to read a more serious account.
On the cricket side, I was fortunate to play in several "Roses Matches" (Lancashire v Yorkshire). We rarely conversed about the shenanigans of the 15th century; it was more about Bryan's fish & chips and a pint of Tetley's at day's end. I asked a friend in the U.K. to describe and join the two events; here's his effort: "Think of the Wars of the Roses as England's longest, bloodiest Test series — red rose versus white — ending in 1485 when Henry Tudor 'took the match' at Bosworth and united the houses under the Tudors." Which is similar to what I said above.
I'm surprised to read that Yorkshire have a clear lead in the head-to-head (first-class matches) - 84 to 56, with 133 draws—what does that say about the weather!
The missing phrase? Sorry.
It goes like this, “There's nowt so queer as folk.” In this old Yorkshire saying, “queer” simply means “odd” or “unusual,” not its modern association with sexuality. In cricket, it highlights the bizarre lengths players will go to for their fix.
Travel in Australia is a given, but generally reserved for adventure and vacations. Not at the whim of a ball that won’t swing or a local umpire that decided that your front pad got in the way. Among other’s, these are the perils travelling cricketers face. Remember, at this level, cricket is largely self-funded; no councillors, therapists, or the like. You’re on your own, pal!
We had players travelling from the South-West of Victoria to Melbourne, and then North to Echuca, covering nearly 800km round trip. We barely had time to unpack before it was time to shut the suitcase again. Breakfasts are a communal event with participants required to bring their own plates and toasters! Dinners are what you want them to be. Late Saturday afternoon, locals filled Gunbower's airspace with the sweet aroma of BBQ'd sausages and steaks. We (the coaches) and they (the Vic players) were hopeful that the catering would extend to us as well. We didn't know that Fitzroy had three other teams in the area that would all be back to indulge at the expense of their opposition—it was nearly as crushing as the game's outcome. Later, we learned that Fitzroy had been travelling to Gunbower for close to a decade. For the record, I started and ended my day with a jam/peanut combination butter on toast—one of many bad habits I picked up in the U.S.—and I highly recommend it.
Then there was Sunday, a shortened game, a similar result, and the debilitating thoughts of return travel in the hired minivans. I was solo, and Coach Miller had half a dozen customers.
Gunbower, to Lockington, then past Diggora, and on to a fuel stop in Elmore. Next stop, Heathcote, and on to Kilmore, finally the Melbourne skyline and the fkn traffic. It takes nearly as long to get to St Kilda. And then, unpack and drive to Geelong. Elmore, similar to Gunbower in its attributes, did have a BP that served as a congregation space for at least three other Victorian Premier clubs. Cordial interaction took place, with some participants being more animated than others. I observed all this in the rear mirror of my solo minivan while hightailing to a Heathcote shiraz!
As someone must have said, "There's nothing so queer as cricket folk!"
Oh, and if you are in the area, Gunbower is well worth a visit. I have it ticked off my list of must-visit destinations.
Best, as always.
