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(Lesley McGarr, Christine Marsh & Ceri Davies)
 

  Transplant Australia David Hookes Memorial

Apart from the cricket tour most of us were in Australia to compete in the Australian Transplant Games as international guests of Transplant Australia.   We had our fair share of success as you will see from the list below:                                                                               

Also on tour with us were the following - Christine, Ceri, Lesley, Elaine, Roy Stevens and his wife Dianne, Cliff Griffin, Michael Gates and Leon Lynch.   Apologies if I have missed anyone.

I would particularly like to thank Cliff Griffin who via his local hospital, The Bristol Area Kidney Patient Association, secured funding for GBTCC.   

The Cricket Tour

I think everyone involved in the cricket, be they a player, supporter, umpire or official agrees that it was a very successful and enjoyable venture, despite the results on the pitch!  

The prime movers in the Tour from day 1 were Alistair Hedderwick (GB) and Mark Cocks (Aus).   They should both feel very proud of what they accomplished and I am certain that this will be the first of a continuing series between our two transplant cricketing nations every 2 years, alternating between Australia and GB.

I stress the word transplant because it is important that we learn from this inaugural tour.   Only players who meet the criteria to participate in transplant sport should be eligible to take part.   It is patently unfair for a non transplantee to be seconded into a team under any circumstance.   If necessary a player should be provided by the opposition to make the fielding side up to 11 players.

If for example a side can only muster 10 fit players, then the names could be drawn from a hat and a player could come in again at number 11 if necessary.   I can see no justification for a non transplantee to bat, even at number 11.   Bowling is simply out of the question.

If the cricket is to be played at the same time as the host nation's Transplant Games then there will be plenty of eligible 'players' on hand to help out if required.

The reason I mention the above is that GBTCC were 'guilty' of fielding a non transplanted player who was in fact a supporter travelling with us.   Our captain asked the question of Australia that this be allowed and sportingly Australia agreed.   I do not think the question should ever have been put to Australia, it was simply 'not their call'.   The matter should have been dealt with internally by GBTCC and a committee decision taken.   Unfortunately this was not the case.   It will not happen again.

On the cricketing front there were some excellent individual performances which I have highlighted in my match reports.   There were also some matters which could and should have been handled better.   Again we will learn from experience and these issues will be addressed.

It is imperative that the touring team in particular has a chain of command which takes non cricketing issues away from the captain.   In particular, off field behaviour and general observance of cordiality to the hosts at all times.   Therefore a Team Manager must be appointed before the tourists leave home and he will  be ultimately responsible for everything.

A selection committee under the guidance of the Manager would also be a good idea and any tactical nuances which may have been overlooked by the captain could be addressed in an adult matter.  

I would like to single out a couple of young fellas from GBTCC, namely Doug Choat and Nick Pomone.   They made excellent tourists and not bad cricketers either.   It is a shame that they, along with Ian Hillier, were not given an opportunity to bowl at any stage of the proceedings because I am certain that they had wickets up their sleeves.    I never heard one complaint at any time on tour from either of these two.

They both showed their sporting prowess in the athletics stadium on the Saturday of The Games and as they are both young men they will undoubtedly get their chance to shine next time at the cricket.   Well done Nick and Doug, I enjoyed your company, as did everyone.

In conclusion - I maintain that the first ever tour was a success despite the teething problems which were, in fact, inevitable.   Our Australian hosts were kind and generous to a man (and woman) and  the modern lingo has a phrase which sums it up "They were prepared to go the extra mile".   They did!  

On behalf of everyone in the GBTCC touring party I would like to say a big THANK YOU to all concerned in Transplant Australia and their friends and helpers.   You were magnificent!

I was just happy to be there!

If you have any comments to make on my appraisal of the events above, feel free to let the world know what you think by leaving your comments in my 'Guest Book'.

Go to The Tour / Game 2 / Game 3 / Game 4 / Averages

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This site was last updated 07/03/07