UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY

Bob Pritchard played for University of Calgary during late sixties.

Grahame and Bill, with Tris Chivers (centre) - U of C cricket captain.

Wendy, Mike, Marjorrie and Fay check out Sydney town,

Deb, Mike, Grahame and Bill about to head to SCG.

Beautiful Seacliff Bridge south of Sydney. This replaced the previous roadway that was wiped out by a landslide.
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The University of Calgary cricket team was a formidable force back in the late sixties! Chivers, Boorman, Pritchard, Keast etc.

Yes, cricket was alive and well in Canada in places like Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto etc. They even had an event like "Country Week" when cricket teams from California, Hawaii and elsewhere came to do battle. I played for Burrard while in Vancouver (69-70) and the University of Calgary (71-72) while studying at the uni in Alberta. It was the only time in my checkered cricketing career that I actually kept wickets even if our captain thought I'd done that all my life! Somehow I played for California against Hawaii in Vancouver's beautiful Stanley Park! I also played once on Vancouver Island.

There was a mini reunion here in Oz this week as Mike Boorman, his wife Marjorrie (from Calgary), myself and wife Fay and our good friend Wendy Pritchard (from Perth) got together. Wendy's husband Bob who died in 2006 (picture above), was a valuable member of the team, so it was great that she was able to put a brief halt to house building and come and join us for the week. She's not a bad cricketer herself. I have her on film "having a net session" with her 2 sons, Geoff and Jim in Calgary.

We five did the Sydney stuff, crossed the Blue Mountains, visited Wyuna Merino stud west of Gilgandra (thanks Stuart), swam down the south coast, saw heaps of roos there, travelled on the new Seacliff Bridge south of Stanwell Tops, found a couple of emus, enjoyed Sydney Harbour with Matilda Cruises, did the monorail, explored Paddy's Markets, enjoyed the Maritime Museum and the Rocks markets and shops. We were so lucky to be able to see a full game of one day cricket at the SCG when Oz defeated Sri Lanka on Fri 8 Feb. This was capped off with a Keast Chinese feed - held at Deb and Bren's place in Mortdale, Sydney. (Good tucker there from Lin's Garden.) Thanks Marg. All in all a most successful "reunion". Don't you wish you were here?

WORRIED about this BLOKE

I'm worried about Logan Jack McLaughlin! The kid is only 15 months old and already he's saying "Look at me, no hands Mum!" Well, he didn't actually say that, but just look at him! Who are his role models? I'm a fairly laidback, conservative, conventional grandfather (like my father). He can't have got that from me! Maybe his father. Maybe his mother!

Won't be long before Logan Jack is playing cricket for his country. Or will it be golf?

That's Mike Hussey batting against India in the Sydney test earlier this month. (My photo). Last photo is the photographer who captured Logan on the swing and with the cricket bat. Looks like he just captured something else eh? That's brother Bill from Canada. He's also captured my Peugeot 307!

CRICKET and TENNIS PLAYERS ONLY

Well, there's sure been a heap of talk and story and interview etc following the recent 2nd cricket test between India and Australia. Many will remember 6 Jan 2008 as the end to a shocker of a test which contained bad umpiring, possible racist comments and maybe even poor sportsmanship. Yeah, guess there was that. But there was also some other stuff. There was tight bowling and creative field placings to restrict some of the Aussies. There were great digs by Symonds, Hayden, Hussey, Ganguly and of course the little Master himself, Sachin Tendulkar. There was also some tail wagging. And, just to please Peta, some declarations! ("OK fellas, in you come!") The photo above is just one I took of Hayden on his way to 123 in the 2nd dig. Thanks for the ticket SJK.
I'm thankful I was raised by two great parents, Jack and Willie. They taught me to play the game fairly. They taught me to accept the umpire's decisions. They taught me that there is maybe more to the game than the actual winning or losing (Rudyard Kipling thought that too!) They taught me that you can enjoy the battle but respect your opponents. Sure I am somewhat saddened to see players stand their ground when they have blatantly knicked the ball to the keeper or even to the slips. I am disappointed when I see some of the blokes carrying on like a couple of pork chops (that's for Margy). But, I still love cricket! Guess I'm a cricket tragic.
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Currently I'm a volunteer at the NSW Tennis Open - the Medibank International, at Olympic Park. I'll tip Henin to win the ladies and Hewitt to win the men's singles. (I won't put money on it though.) My job is to get the drinks to the players, get the towels to the players and get balls onto the courts. If it rains I have to help dry the court. I also have to hold the brolly over the players during their game breaks to give them some shade. Good fun.

Special thanks to Rob Sheeley for the photo of .... is it Vaidisova from Czech Republic? Great shot. Thanks mate! Taken at the Medibank International a couple of days ago.

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Off to Sussex Inlet on Saturday to get a couple more swims in. Fay is down there enjoying herself.... swimming, cycling, beach walking, watching late night TV etc. Can't wait to get down there

WHAT A CLEVER LADY!

It's approaching summer.... damn, it's 32 degrees today! That IS summer in Australia!

Cricket comes on the TV. Fay loves the cricket season. The 2nd test begins tomorrow in Hobart, Tasmania. Aust v Sri Lanka.

Fay has a heap of jobs that have to be done... always just before a cricket test is gonna be on TV. So, if I get the chores done I'll be able to sit and watch cricket uninterrupted! So, Fay gets the jobs done! Clever bugger isn't she? Yeah, she loves it when the cricket test is gonna be on TV.... so today I've been on the whipper snipper, doing the round-up, putting washing on the line and taking it in, postage jobs, office cleaning/tidying, bike maintenance, a bit of housework, a bit of gardening, cars washed, some correspondence cleared away and garage tidied a tad.

Yeah, she is quite a gal. We notch up 40 years of marriage on 30 Dec. Got any ideas of how I might celebrate such an occasion? I have one trick up my sleeve but I'm keeping that VERY QUIET at the moment.

Don't worry, she doesn't read the GRANOMAD!!!

I CAN'T READ

Every night Fay goes to bed she has to read. Otherwise she doesn't sleep. Sometimes she doesn't sleep regardless. But she must have a read.
I enjoy reading but there are other things I enjoy doing in bed, such as sleeping. So, it's pretty hard for me to read when I could be doing something else, such as sleeping.
However, I have finished Neil Hawke's book and I'm ... getting through (and enjoying) John Anderson's story. Thanks Deb.
I've read all Grisham's books but haven't finished Innocent Man. Then of course there are cycling and cricket mags to read too. They tend to have more photos and less text.
Read any good books that you'd recommend? Click on comments below and let me know. Ta.

Yes, I know, I promised info on Brad the battler.... well... next post, OK? [Sorry about that.]

THE RIVERINA

So much to tell you about since I last wrote.

Stayed at Berri (SA) before heading off to Wentworth, then Swan Hill gathering (233 Avans), then Wagga, Junee and Temora. Home Saturday arvo to Dubbo.

We called at Murray Bridge to top up the oil in the Pajero and found Murray Bridge Mitsubishi. Asked a guy named Rocco if he might be able to check out our Pajero. Well, let me tell you, Rocco checked out our oil, topped it up and when I went to pay him, he said, don't worry about it. Hey, how's that for service? Thanks Rocco. Hope that doesn't get him into trouble, but that's what used to happen in the good old days. I'll go to Mitsubishi in Murray Bridge any day.

It was just great staying with Dave and Irene in Wentworth. They belong to Servas, went to WWTC (Dave), play golf and are very keen cricket followers. They used to be good card players but their form has dropped a bit as we found out when we played crib and euchre with them. (Sorry mate!)

When we left Wentworth we bought vanilla slices at the Jackpot Bakery. Scrumptious! If you're there, go and check out the vanilla slices! Fay is the ultimate vanilla slice judge I can tell you!

Caught up with friends and relatives in Wagga, Junee and Temora - Gra/Julia/Phil/Leanne, Anita/Bob, Dazza/Anne & family, Ida, Patrick/Bev and John. We love the Riverina and have great memories of our college days in Wagga. The Keast family came from Junee.

Thanks Gra for fixing up computer concerns, thanks Anita for the great prices at Harvey Norman, thanks Annie and Ida for arvo teas, and thanks Pat/Bev for a great stay at Eurolie. Thanks John for including me in the minor chores for the day. Thanks Patrick for the great weather site. Check it out! Have you got a good one?

Arrived home in Dubbo in time to unload the gear and then watch the final of the Cricket World Cup played in the West Indies. Thanks Gilly for entertaining us. Congrats Pigeon for a great career.

Next post I'll tell you about apricot kernels and a magic product. And I'll share news of Brad from Crystal Brook in Sth Australia. It's a good story. Gee, I'd better tell you a bit about the Avan get together too.

SYDNEY VISIT

Had a beaut time in Sydney. Took Adrian and Janie (from Calgary) round the Big Smoke and showed them Bondi Beach (above), Simbio Animal Park (see animal photos), Maroubra (for fish and chips and white wine), Hairy Canary (a restaurant in Gymea) for lovely soup and damper and white wine.... (thanks Marg), Stanwell Park, Kings Cross, the Rocks area, the Arthouse Hotel - great food and excellent service thanks JHK, the underground, Ken Duncan gallery and maybe some more. They were easy to please.

Logan Jack (grandson) was trying to crawl... with limited success. Every now and then he does a Jeremy and raises his arms (see photo 3) to claim either (a) he is unable to do any more pushups, (b) it's just another exercise he tries or (c) he's claiming he didn't hit anyone when he pulls his arms back like that. I didn't foul anyone ref! We haven't decided.

It was beaut staying with Deb and Bren for the time and helping with their little man. He is just about 5 months old now.

Beaut catching up with Uncle Dick, Pete/Urs, and also Donna-Lee who used to babysit our kids about 27 years ago.

Meanwhile, we are now back in Dubbo once again. Back into local routines... for a few weeks.

I won't mention the Pura Cup match between NSW and Tassie (hope not too many people caught it! Ugly!)

RED NOSE DAY?

Ever seen a cricket umpire wear a red nose before? It was a first for me at the SCG on Sunday. Good photo I reckon.

Qld were given the chance to win the 4 day Pura Cup match if they scored at 90 runs an hour for 4 hours! Yes, they needed 365 to win. It was an exciting innings with Broad (pictured here hitting a six) and Maher putting on 178 in the first two hours and therefore only needing another 187 to win the game in the next two hours. It nearly came off. Fortunately for NSW Thornely took a great caught and bowled to dismiss Maher before he could reach his 100. Broad scored 111 which gave him man of the match (deservedly so.) It was his first ton at that level. They finished up 8/355, ten runs short. So it was a draw.

Other photos which take us back to Moula days/daze in 1966-67 inlude Army & Rob, Shirl and her daughter Flitty and Fred and Jann. It's been great to catch up with those folk over the last week or so. Fancy it's 40 years at the end of this year since we left Moula (a small town down near the Victorian border.) And I want to tell you something.... that Flitty is one hellova cook! She's cooked a few meals for us and we just keep going back there. Notice we never tell others where they live! Why would you?

Friends from Calgary are due out here in Sydney on Wednesday. It'll be great to see Janie and Ade once again. We did uni together, Ade and I. What a crack up he is!

Then Friday we have to leave Sydney and head back to Dubbo for a few weeks. Gotta get ready for Adelaide, Perth etc. Been great staying with Deb, Bren and Logan Jack.

Oh, sorry about all that cricket stuff, but I am addicted.

BUSHFIRES, ORDINATION and PLATES

Wow... can I fit all this in?

Photo of burnt out area north of Dubbo this summer... near Mendooran. Not easy to photograph - results of fires.

Of course the photo of Deb and Brendan was taken at his ordination at St Andrews Church in Sydney on Saturday 3 Feb. We head to Logan Jack's baptism this Sunday, 18 Feb at Mortdale Anglican Church (oops, sorry, it's got another name, but I've forgotten.) That's in Sydney of course.

And then there's a shot of the number plates given to me recently by Doug from Washington. They are off his 1949 Cadillac! Wow! I met him last year on Vancouver Island at Comox (a neat town on Van Island)! Bro Bill plays quite a bit of golf with Doug's brother Dave. There's a whole tribe of them! Not a bad place that Vancouver Island - good cycling, golf even cricket!

Which reminds me.... how's your ODI team going?

ONE DAY CRICKET TEAM

[Photos above of Sir Don, "Church" and "Punter".]

It's all the fault of the Austn Cricket Association (or is it the Aust Broadcasting Commission?)
They are going to announce Aust's best One Day cricket team on 28 Feb. So I have issued a challenge to a bunch of cricket rels and buddies and asked them to come up with THEIR best team.
Well, it has certainly caused some problems. I don't expect Di in Adelaide, Jen or Julie in Ohio or Fabio in Brazil to join in, but maybe there are a few others who will have a go.
First Marg struck problems when she wanted to choose Bradman (I can hardly blame her.) I told her she couldn't have him or Nugget Miller or Norm O'Neill either. Those blokes never played ODIs for Aust (One Day International) because they hadn't been invented.
Then Irene from Wentworth abuses me! Reason: Dave couldn't sleep at night so he's up trying to work out his team. Irene finds him up in the middle of the night and wants to know why. When Dave tells her he's struggling trying to find an extra bowler for his team, Irene damn near flips her lid! So I get abused! Little old me, 6 hours drive away! She says, "Stop sending emails with cricket quizes and attachments Keasty!" in her Scottish brogue.
So, I apologise to any folk if I have caused problems with this project; that was not my intention. Sorry Reidy.

Meanwhile, the batsmen that will be in the running probably include: Bevo, AB, ChappellG, Clarke, Gilly, Haydos, Hussey, Jones, Lehmann, Punter, Reid, Symonds, MWaugh and SWaugh.
Bowlers will come from:
Bracken, Fleming, Kasper, Keast, Lee, Lillee, McDermott, the Pigeon, Rackeman and Warne.
Have I missed anyone?
I do have all the stats courtesy of www.cricinfo.com. Do you have a team you want to submit? (If you want me to, I can send you stats which will help and save you wandering round the house at night! Email me at keasty446@gmail.com)

PS Congratulation England, you were too good for us. All the best for the World Cup in WI.