café upgrades member profiles new functions - Melbourne Cricket ...

March 2012 | No. 150 | ISSN 1322-3771
CAFÉ UPGRADES MEMBER PROFILES NEW FUNCTIONS
MCC News

mcc.org.au to check that we have your
co rect contact details.
MCC CONTACTS
Members’ Dining Bookings www.mcc.org.au or (03) 9657 8888
Servicing, standards and regulations 5
Etihad Stadium acce s 5
Dre standards 6
Fixture of MCG matches 8
1
CLUB NEWS
A piece of sporting history:
MCG Trust chairman John Wylie
(left) and MCC president Paul
Sheahan (centre) accept the Tour
de France yellow victory bicycle
from Cadel Evans in the Long
Room in December.
ABOVE: Cadel rides the streets
of Paris celebrating his
momentous win.
MCC Contacts
Mail PO Box 175, East Melbourne, VIC, 8002
T (03) 9657 8888 F (03) 9650 5682
Country and interstate 1300 367 622
Web www.mcc.org.au
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melbournecricketclub
Email membership@mcc.org.au
Editorial contact communications@mcc.org.au
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Our Cover
March 2012 | No. 150 | ISSN 1322-3771
CAFÉ UPGRADES MEMBER PROFILES NEW FUNCTIONS
MCC News
Shane Warne unveiled
his Australia Post Avenue
of Legends statue outside
the MCG on December 22.
See full story on pages
12 and 13.
More reserved seats at footy
More reserved seats have been set aside for
members and their guests at all home and
away matches during the 2012 AFL season.
The club will pre-sell up to 5000 reserved seats
on levels 1 and 4, with the remainder of the
Members Reserve still accessible on a walk-up
basis. Unsold seats in the reserved areas will also
be available to members and guests. Last season,
4000 seats were available for most
games, with two or three matches
warranting additional sales.
Visitor tickets and reserved seats
went on sale on Wednesday February
29. There is a limit of four visitor
tickets per member for all matches
except Anzac Day (two).
Further details are contained in
an eight-page guide on the website.
YOUR GUIDE TO THE 2012 AFL SEASON AT THE MCG
FOOTBALL 2012
STAY INFORMED
Some details in this guide are subject
to change. Members can ge the latest
information via the club’s website, our
Facebook and Twitter pages as well as
regular email updates. Make sure you visit
INDEX
Visitor tickets and reserved seats 2
Members Reserve acce s and seating 3
Catering 4
Office (03) 9657 8888 Country/Interstate 1300 367 622 (local ca l fee) Facsimile (03) 9650 5682 Matchday Inquiries (03) 9657 8888
Website www.mcc.org.au Facebook www.facebook.com/MelbourneCricketClub Twi ter www.twitter.com/MCC_Members
Email membership@mcc.org.au Postal Address PO Box 175, East Melbourne, Victoria 8002
2 MCC NEWS
Visitor Tickets and Reserved Seats – Ticketek 1300 136 961 or www.ticketek.com.au
MCC MEMBERS’ GUIDE

CLUB NEWS
From the President
Since assuming the presidency in
February 2011, I have come to an
even greater realisation of how
wonderful our club is and how many
opportunities present themselves for
enjoyment, challenge and achievement.
Through the Christmas period, the
Boxing Day Test against India and the New
Year, time and again the club excelled itself
in modestly but emphatically displaying its
virtues. Members and guests alike (many
from interstate and overseas) were in awe
of not only what transpired on the field but
also the treasures that MCC has in both its
own museum and the peerless National
Sports Museum.
The fact that it attracted favourable
comment brings credit to many. We are
blessed with a splendid chief executive
officer, Stephen Gough, and highly capable
senior management across the board but,
without in any way diminishing their
brilliance, I want to pay tribute to the ground
staff who prepare the surface in such an
immaculate manner. Gone are the days
when the MCG was attacked by captains
and players for its shortcomings. Now the
surface is rated the best in the country –
a far cry from my days as a player!
The special little touch of mowing
designs into the outfield, especially the
map of Australia (with Tasmania!),
underlines their skill. They are unsung
heroes and they deserve our special thanks
because their work is visible to all and it
takes only one mistake for them to become
the topic of much criticism.
With all of these things in mind, it pains
me to report that there are still members
who declare their love for the club but who
are prepared to run the gauntlet with their
membership as a result of themselves or
their guests indulging in outrageous behavior
in the Members’ Reserve from time to time.
Too many find their way before the
Disciplinary Sub-committee and then are
aghast at the penalties brought down on
them. Most of these incidents are fuelled
by the consumption of alcohol, I hasten
to add.
On a brighter note, we were delighted
with the presentation of the bike that
the marvellous Cadel Evans rode into
Paris as the first Australian winner
of the Tour de France. At a dinner to
celebrate the 150th anniversary of the
MCG Trust, Trust chairman John Wylie made
the presentation to the club and the National
Sports Museum in the presence of the great
man himself – Cadel – and we are extremely
grateful to the Trust for its generosity.
The two new committee members –
Charles Sitch and Mark Smith – have
attended their first meetings and have
acquitted themselves very impressively.
We look forward to utilising to the full the
skills and experience they bring to the table.
Since the New Year and before football
begins again in earnest, limited-overs cricket
has been dominant and we have been
pleased to host the Melbourne Stars in the
national Big Bash League and both T20 and
50-over matches on the international stage.
Whether T20 is here to stay remains to be
seen but there is no doubt there have been
some extraordinary games and some
extraordinary individual performances.
Perhaps the form of the game that is
struggling to find its place in the “mosaic”
is the 50-over model.
We are looking forward to playing our part,
along with other venues in Australia and New
Zealand, in hosting the 50-over ICC World
Cup in 2015. There has been a rather
misguided comment that the final might be
played in Sydney! This is not only a ridiculous
suggestion but it flies in the face of where
most players will want that final to be played.
ABOVE: MCC president Paul Sheahan (right)
and Cricket Australia chairman Wally Edwards
(left) accept some significant cricket artefacts
pertaining to India’s first tour to Australia in
1947/48 from Mr and Mrs Mohinder Amarnath.
See page 10 for details.
Rest assured that we will do all in our
power to ensure that the ’G hosts the final.
Finally, along with general manager
(Heritage and Tourism) Margaret Birtley,
I spent a fascinating week in India in
February as part of a Special Tourism
Mission, an initiative of the Victorian
Government and the importance of which
can be seen from the fact that Premier
Ted Baillieu accompanied the mission.
Our itinerary took us to New Delhi and
Mumbai only. Given our strong links with
India, we will be encouraging cricket-mad
Indian visitors to ensure that the MCG and
the NSM are firmly on their itineraries when
they come to this part of the world. I last
toured India in 1969 as a member of the
Australian team under Bill Lawry’s captaincy
so, apart from official business, it was
interesting to see how the two cities had
developed over the intervening 43 years.
The football season will be upon us in an
instant. Best wishes to your club and enjoy
the season…in a manner that allows
maximum amenity for all spectators!
Charles Sitch
Mark Smith
MCC NEWS
3

CLUB NEWS
LEFT: Paul Sheahan
exchanges gifts
with Cricket Club of
India tour manager
Sundeep Guljrani.
FAR LEFT: The CCI
team pose at the
official pre-game
dinner at the MCG.
MEMBERS ON SAFARI IN SOUTH AFRICA
The sights and sounds of South Africa,
including an eventful Test match in
Cape Town, were just part of the experience
savoured by a group of members who took
part in the Cricket and Adventure Tour
in November.
The party endured a delayed departure
due to the Qantas shutdown before enjoying
10 days of sightseeing, cricket watching and
making new acquaintances.
First up was a six-hour drive to the
Buffalo camp in Kapama, located in Kruger
National Park, where they were greeted
upon arrival by a rhinoceros and her calf,
as well as a zebra and, to everyone’s
excitement, a lioness. A fine way to settle
into life on the Veldt.
Next day saw two safari tours, where our
tourists were lucky to see four of the “Big
Five” – a lion, African elephant, cape buffalo
and a rhinoceros. Only the leopard would
elude on this occasion, although tour
manager and MCC assistant to CEO,
Peter French, reports that enjoying
cocktails at sunset watching a herd of
elephants drink at a natural water hole
was considered adequate compensation!
After some R&R at a golf resort in
Sun City, Johannesburg, including a
trip through Drakensberg Mountains
and the native villages, the group
headed to Soweto and enjoyed a wonderful
tour of the settlement, part of which still
remains as it was when established 40 years
ago. Of particular interest were viewings of
the residences of Archbishop Tutu and
Nelson Mandela.
The cricket beckoned and the game will
long live in the memories of those who
witnessed it. Australian captain Michael
Clarke’s breathtaking 151 would sadly be
overshadowed, as 23 wickets fell on the
second day, the fourth most in Test history.
Unfortunately 14 of those wickets were
Australians, part of a calamitous 47 all
out that would ultimately lead to an
eight-wicket defeat.
An early finish to the Test allowed the group
to visit the wonderful wineries at Stellenbosch
and Franschhoek before returning home
full of wonderful memories and top-notch
hospitality. It is a continent that is sure
to entice the club to return.
MEMBERS’ ASHES
TOUR AWAITS
If previous MCC members’ tours of the
UK are any guide, the club’s next venture
to the Old Dart in the middle of next year
shouldn’t be missed.
We’re now calling for expressions of
interest to join us in support of Michael
Clarke’s team and its bid to atone for
Ashes defeat on the last visit to English
soil in 2009. There’ll be plenty of
sightseeing in between the cricket
action and it’s a great opportunity to
meet fellow members.
Tour details, including an itinerary and
costs, are still to be finalised. However,
we welcome expressions of interest via
email to membership@mcc.org.au or
phone (03) 9657 8888.
4 MCC NEWS

6 MCC NEWS
CLUB NEWS
MEMBER PROFILE
O
ne key road project on the RACV
radar sure to interes thousands of
motorists and MCG visitors is a major
upgrade of Hoddle Street/Punt Road.
Plans to improve traffic flow on this
major arterial connecting the Eastern
Freeway and Nepean Highway links
alongside the MCG seem to revolve
around either a tunnel from the Eastern
Freeway end to south of Swan Street
or a series of grade separations
(underpasses).
Plan to punt traffic from Hoddle St
While he acknowledges that individual
grade separations would cause “massive
disruption” during construction and a tunnel
would have a large cost, Brian Negus says
that action is we l overdue.
“We’ve got a southern bypass to the city, as
we l as a western bypass,” he says. “There’s
nothing in the north — hence our push for the
tunnel in our transport plan — and in the east
there’s nothing. So Punt Road is the key route.
“We need grade separations a the
Johnston Street, Victoria Street, Bridge Road
Club member Brian Negus says mobility and choice
are key elements of our transport dilemmas.
and arguably Swan Street intersections or a
tunnel under the lot. If you can ge the major
through traffic down by dropping Hoddle St/
Punt Rd, not only does the through traffic
benefit, bu the cross-traffic, including
buses and trams, benefits as we l.
“In the context of the MCG, it would mean
the above-ground route could more readily
cope with access/egress from places like
the ’G and surrounding areas, because the
through traffic is underneath. There also
needs to be pedestrian overpasses on the
south side of the MCG to get people directly
to Richmond station.”
Time wi l te l.
MCC NEWS
5

CLUB NEWS
Stand upgrade hits top pace
The operational impact of the Great Southern
Stand refurbishment on patrons visiting the
MCG will take full effect this football season, as
the major component of the works proceeds.
Building firm Construction Engineering has
been on site since last year’s AFL Grand Final,
with the majority of summer spent demolishing
rooms and building new amenities. Some of
these will be available for use by Round 1.
An AFL dining room is the marquee facility
to come on stream. It replaces corporate suites
and offices on the second level, offering AFL
members a prime viewing function room.
A sports bar and new-look Barassi Café
will be a feature of Level B1, while the Hassett
Room and Ryder Room have been upgraded
LEFT: Work continues on a new AFL dining
room (top) and upgrading the Jack Ryder
Room (bottom) in the Great Southern Stand.
substantially and are back in business. The
most significant change for the majority of
patrons, however, will be revamped gates
5 and 6 as well as upgraded food courts on
levels 1 and B1. The gates will afford a more
inviting entry to the stadium and a smoother
flow of pedestrian traffic.
With the above works completed, attention
now turns to the Wills, Legends and Miller
rooms, which will be unavailable for a large
part of the 2012 AFL season as they undergo
extensive renovations.
In addition to works to other food courts, Gate
4 (a public entrance) and Gate 7 in the AFL
Members Reserve will also be affected by works
during the football season. They will, however,
be in use on major match days and the MCG
website is the best place for patrons to keep
abreast of developments during the season.
6 MCC NEWS

CLUB NEWS
MCC NEWS
7

MEMBER PROFILES
Ray Weinberg (far right)
on the way to victory in
the British Championships
of 1952.
8 MCC NEWS

MEMBER PROFILES
Mike ABOVE: Sheahan, XXXXXX still XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
kicking career
goals XXXXXXXXX after a working lifetime
writing RIGHT: football. XXXXX XXXXX XXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
MCC NEWS
9

SPORTS HERITAGE
10 MCC NEWS

SPORTS HERITAGE
Tennis fashion
on show at NSM
The National Sports Museum was
pleased to receive a collection of
tennis fashion over summer from top
Australian player Judy Dalton.
The collection includes more than 20
unique tennis garments, all created for
Dalton by British designer Ted Tinling in
the 1960s and 70s.
Dalton played on the world circuit from
1957 to 1977 and was a pioneer on the
women’s tour. As one of the original
players on the Virginia Slims Invitational
circuit in 1971, she was among those
who paved the way in equal pay and
opportunities for women in both amateur
and professional ranks.
“It’s wonderful to see these garments
being preserved at the National Sports
Museum for future generations,” Dalton
said at a handover in January. “I have many
happy memories of these dresses and I’m
so proud to share them with the country.”
The donation includes 14 bespoke tennis
dresses with five matching cardigans, a
lace jacket and a pair of lace tennis briefs,
all designed by Tinling. Each garment
features intricate detailing from tennis
racquet motif lace to embroidery inspired
by old eight-hole punch computer tape.
The lace tennis briefs are reminiscent
of the pair Tinling created for Gertrude
“Gussie” Moran in 1947, causing a scandal in
the press at Wimbledon that year. Tinling was
instrumental in bringing colour, style and
femininity to tennis wear in the post-war era.
“This is an internationally significant
collection of tennis fashion, representing
a pioneering time in women’s tennis,” said
museum curator Helen Walpole. “The
dresses are haute couture in their own
right. Each item shows Tinling’s trademark
humour as well as reflecting Dalton’s
bright personality.”
Dalton also donated a Slazenger tennis
racquet that was used for a significant
portion of her early international career.
The racquet is decorated with a gold
monogram of Dalton’s initials before
she was married.
A special selection of the new items
is set for display later this year.
MCC NEWS
11

SPORTS HERITAGE
CRICKET ICON IS NUMBER O
“This was his theatre and
he seemed to know to
reserve his best for it.”
With those words Gerard Whateley
introduced formalities at the
unveiling of Shane Warne’s
statue on December 22, aptly describing
the relationship between one of Australia’s
greatest cricketers and his home ground,
the MCG.
Warne joins an illustrious group of
sportsmen and women in permanent
residence outside the spiritual home of
Australian sport. The 2.5-metre bronzed
sculpture capturing him in classic leg-spin
pose is the first statue commissioned
by the MCC in the Australia Post Avenue
of Legends program.
The joint initiative will see a minimum of
five statues placed in Yarra Park, extending
from the MCC members’ entrance along an
avenue towards Wellington Parade. The next
statue will depict Australian football legend
Norm Smith and is due to be unveiled in
late-September.
Warne was surrounded by former
teammates, his family (including parents Keith
and Brigitte, brother Jason, fiancé Elizabeth
and children Brooke, Damien, Summer and
Jackson) and hundreds of adoring fans as he
unveiled the impressive Louis Laumen work.
He later spoke of his pride at having a
permanent home at the MCG.
“It’s a great sculpture and I think Louis
Laumen has done a wonderful job,” Warne
said. “It’s a pretty amazing walk down to the
MCG for whatever it is you’re doing there,
so to have a place where people can say
‘I’ll meet you at the Shane Warne statue’
will be nice.”
Warne’s captain for much of his Test
journey, Mark Taylor, paid tribute to the
leg-spinner’s stellar career, recalling how
Warne brought a sense of fun and flair to
the Australian team.
“When Warnie came into the side in the
early 1990s the game was dominated by fast
bowlers,” Taylor said at the ceremony. “We
had a guy who could, at the end of the game,
make as big an impact as the West Indies fast
bowlers could at the start. No matter how
many runs we had on the board, with Shane
Warne in the side we could still make (that
score) enough to win the game.”
Sculptor Laumen spent hours studying
images of Warne in his classic bowling pose
before casting the cricket legend in bronze.
It took six months to complete his creation,
moulded carefully in Laumen’s backyard
studio after quite literally sizing up Warne
at the MCG earlier in the year.
“It was a challenge for me because
Warnie is so fresh in everybody’s memory
and I guess everybody has their opinion
of what it should look like,” Laumen said
prior to the unveiling. “You couldn’t do
it the way he is now. He is a different
figure and has done a lot of work to get
as trim as possible. But I have tried to
be as respectful as possible. It is a very
striking pose.”
MCC president Paul Sheahan said that
Warne deserved his place among the
pantheon of greats who have a permanent
place at the MCG.
“Shane Warne is undoubtedly the best
spin bowler in Australian cricket history,”
said Sheahan, who played 31 Tests for
Australia. “His record itself is phenomenal,
but he also revived the art of leg-spin and
inspired a generation. We are most grateful
12 MCC NEWS

SPORTS HERITAGE
NE IN AVENUE OF LEGENDS
to Australia Post for supporting the sporting
and cultural heritage of the MCG and
surrounding precinct.”
Selection criteria for the Australia Post
Avenue of Legends series are that candidates
must be Australian, renowned for their
sportsmanship and that they or their sport
played is connected with the MCG.
Warne joins 10 sporting greats with statues
outside the MCG. Cricketers Sir Donald
Bradman, Keith Miller, Bill Ponsford and
Dennis Lillee, Australian Rules footballers
Ron Barassi, Leigh Matthews, Dick Reynolds
and Haydn Bunton and athletes Shirley
Strickland and Betty Cuthbert were honoured
as part of the Tattersall’s Parade of the
Champions program.
The new statue is appropriate recognition
at Australia’s home of cricket for one of the
greatest players in the history of the game.
WARNE INDUCTED
INTO HALL OF FAME
The accolades for Warne’s career
continued to roll on as we went to print
with his induction into the Australian
Cricket Hall of Fame (ACHOF) at the Allan
Border Medal dinner on February 27.
Warne’s inclusion brings to 35 the
number of players to be honoured since the
MCC established the hall of fame in 1996.
Selection philosophy focuses on a
player’s status as well as their outstanding
statistical records. Potential inductees
must have been retired from international
cricket for a minimum of five years to be
eligible for selection.
“Warne’s contribution to cricket has been
enormous,” said ACHOF selection chairman
David Crow. “He combined accuracy with
variety and enormous turn, even on
unhelpful pitches. It was the timing of his
performances – in addition to his sheer
weight of wickets – that further underlined
his legendary status.”
This shrine to Australia’s cricketing
greats is on permanent display in the
National Sports Museum. It is well worth
a visit.
MCC NEWS
13

CLUB SPORT
Above, president Paul Sheahan and his plate
with Alan Lee at Royal Melbourne in November.
Kensington CC
tradition resumes
The annual match between MCC and
Kensington Cricket Club was played at
the Albert Cricket Ground on December 27,
with the hosts regaining the sought-after
Bob Lloyd Shield after a thrilling encounter.
The club has been alternating hosting
duties with its South Australian counterpart
for more than 40 years. Anticipation was
high after the disappointment of 2010, when
the fixture was abandoned because MCC
couldn’t muster a side to cross the border.
As is tradition, the host side batted first
and it took an outstanding innings from
one of the club’s regular tourists, Justin
Graham, for the MCC to post a healthy 251
from 40 overs. Graham scored 122 off 105
balls and flayed the Kensington bowlers
to all corners of the Albert Ground.
In reply, the visitors got off to an
unbelievable start and at one stage were
on track to reach the MCC’s target in just
25 overs. Jake Brown, captain of “The
Browns”, smashed a rapid-fire 83 (63 balls)
and took the score to 1/118 before being
caught in the deep.
However, from that point on the Demons
regained control of the innings through
some quality spin bowling from Sam Brewin
and Will Ryan. MCC held on to record a
26-run victory in the 38th over.
As always, the post-match festivities
were characterised by the harmony and
respect shared between the two clubs.
The young MCC side is looking forward to
travelling to South Australia at the end of
this year to defend the shield named after
a man who made a significant contribution
to both clubs.
14 MCC NEWS

CLUB SPORT
Finals beckon
for Demons
Top coaching duo netted for tennis
The MCC Tennis Section has appointed
two of its pennant players as joint
coaches of the section and what a top-line
double they’ve landed.
Michael Logarzo and Tass Vasiliadis both
boast outstanding playing and coaching
credentials. Michael was the top ranked
Australian junior in under 16 and under 18
competition and represented his country in
the World Youth Cup. He later was ATP
ranked and served as a hitting partner with
Steffi Graf, Monica Seles and John McEnroe.
His coaching career includes a stint as
head coach at New York’s Chris Lewit Tennis
Academy and his accreditations in his field
are many and varied.
Tass was also an elite junior and as a
professional earned an ATP career-high
ranking of 360. He represented Greece in
Davis Cup competition for nine years and
has coached extensively in Australia and
Europe, so his rounded experience brings
much to the section.
Section chairman Peter Richardson said
he was delighted that Michael and Tass
had taken on the senior coaching jobs
“particularly because they’re terrific with
our younger players.”
In other tennis news, MCC and Kooyong
have established an annual competition in
memory of a popular and much-respected
member of both clubs. The inaugural Tony
Ryan Cup was conducted at our Junction Oval
courts in November and MCC hopes to do
better this year!
Those wishing to know more about MCC
Tennis Section coaching are welcome to
call Tass Vasiliadis on 0414 094 738.
March brings us to the pointy end of
many sporting seasons, most notably
for our cricketers and the baseball and
bowls sections, and as we went to press
many of our teams were preparing for
finals action.
With two rounds to play, our topsyturvy
First XI was still inside the final
eight, despite an outright loss to fellow
finals aspirant Camberwell Magpies. The
Second XI was holding on to a top four
spot while our lower grades were both
in sixth position and with their season’s
destiny in their own hands.
Following Alex Keath’s call up to the
Victorian Bushrangers one-day team in
February, Jack Paynter was elevated for his
First XI debut. A recent initiative is to have a
former player present the debutant with his
MCC cap and on this occasion it was former
premiership player, club captain and coach
Peter King who handed over the “hoops”.
Finals also beckoned for our bowlers, with
four of their eight pennant teams qualifying
for the finals in late-February. It is also
pleasing to report that none of the remaining
four teams is faced with relegation.
The section’s annual members’ day will
be held on March 18 at Swinburne Avenue.
This is an excellent opportunity to learn
more about the game of lawn bowls and
meet your fellow members. For more
details, please visit www.mccbowls.org.
Meantime, our baseballers were well
placed for a tilt at the premiership in the
2011-12 VBA Men’s Summer League.
Their impressive 20 wins and six losses
had them third on the ladder with three
matches remaining.
BELOW: Former MCC captain and coach Peter
King presents First XI debutant Jack Paynter
with his club cap in February.
A top tennis family at the Tony Ryan Cup: Neale
Fraser, Allan Stone, Cedric Mason, Judy Ryan,
Barbara Richardson and husband Peter.
MCC NEWS
15

INTEREST GROUPS
FROM TOP: Old Bottle Day
winner Gordon Spence with
the perpetual trophy, Brian
Humphris (left) with wine and
food master Paul Kinross,
and the star of the show,
Jeremy Oliver, on his rounds
of the table.
Changes at the helm
The club’s sporting sections and
special interest groups are capably
administered by a band of hard-working
committees and volunteers. They’re often
the unsung heroes in MCC ranks and we
record below some leadership changes
that have come about recently.
Barry Minster has stepped down
as chairman of the MCC War Veterans
group and has been replaced by Frank
Webb. Our Young Members Club has also
undergone change with Alexandra King
replacing Caroline Coggins as chairperson.
Kerri Spillane stepped into the
chair during a busy period for the Women
of the MCC group, presiding over the
Women in Cricket Test Breakfast followed
by a highly successful Women in Wine
function on February 22 in the Long
Room. She replaces inaugural
chairperson Clare Cannon.
The Long Room Wine and Food Society
also has changed presidents with Alex
Gillon replacing Stuart Stockdale
following a ballot announced at the
AGM in November.
On the sporting front, as reported in our
last edition Barry Nugent has stepped
down as chairman of the Lacrosse Section
after a lengthy stint. His shoes have been
filled by Peter Allen. The club thanks these
outgoing chairpeople for their contribution
and wishes each successor well.
We encourage members to become
involved in any of our sports and special
interest groups. With a wide array of
activities on offer, there is bound to be
something appealing. For further details,
please visit mcc.org.au or contact the club
during business hours.
BELOW: New Women of the MCC chairperson
Kerri Spillane addresses the Women in
Cricket Test Breakfast on December 27.
16 MCC NEWS

INTEREST GROUPS
Great camaraderie and good cricket have been
a winning combination for XXIX Club members
for more than half a century.
Old pals meet as new 50-year members
W
It was a proud day for many loyal MCC
members at the New 50-Year Members’
Luncheon in December.
MCC NEWS
17

FUNCTION NEWS
18 MCC NEWS

FUNCTION NEWS
Dinner gong
deserves a medal
The annual Members’ Dinner on
December 9 was a stand-out event
among myriad luncheons and dinners
on offer to members over summer. This
black-tie, members-only affair has featured
an impressive roll call of speakers since
inception in 1994 and the 2011 edition
maintained the high standard.
Former Marylebone secretary and current
SACA CEO Keith Bradshaw proposed the toast
to cricket and few could be better qualified
to respond than Greg Chappell, Australian
captain, champion batsman, international
coach and now charged with talent
identification for Cricket Australia.
Bradshaw, a Tasmanian who became the
fourteenth secretary in Marylebone’s 224-year
history, was welcomed to the job by The Times
with the headline “The Enemy Within”. Things
got better, however, and he thoroughly
enjoyed his five years at Lord’s.
A favourite story was the day world
champion miler – and the man in charge of
London’s Olympic Games this year – (Lord)
Sebastian Coe was invited as special guest
of the Marylebone president at a Test match.
Alas, Coe turned up at the W.G. Grace Gate
without his passes.
He tried explaining the situation to the
attendant but his pleas fell on deaf ears. No
ticket, no entry was the stoic gateman’s firm
position despite Coe’s many attempts to
identify himself. Time was running out when
finally came: “Well, if you are who you say you
are, it won’t take you long to nick around to
the North Gate and buy a ticket to get in.”
Greg Chappell roamed far and wide in
recounting many fascinating tales of his
career which included his first Test, at the
WACA. Ian Redpath was in full flight (171 in
484 minutes) despite John Snow bowling at
his furious best.
A.P. Sheahan, batting at six, had been run
out for two, so there was no nervous wait for
Chappell, who followed. But it took him 48
minutes to record his first run, courtesy of
a courageous shielding job by the intrepid
“Redders”, who took the brunt of Snow’s
onslaught. Greg proceeded to make 108
on debut.
Touching on the dearth of post-Warne
spinners, Chappell noted that since World
War II only three spinners have taken 200 Test
wickets. “They’re hard to find.” On the game
generally, he said cricket’s great challenge
was to get the three formats in balance. “I
can’t think of any other sport that manages
three formats at the highest level.”
The Members’ Dinner was surrounded by a
luncheon for new 50-year members (see page
17) and two functions to accommodate our
growing band of 50-year members and their
guests. The combined attendance was 600
and we now have nearly 2800 on the 50-year
list, which has doubled since 2005.
Sports of all sorts were well represented.
Former The Age chief football writer Ron
Carter was there, as was Bill Woodfull’s
biographer Alan Gregory. Also saddling up
were racing’s John Dillon and Rod Johnson.
But perhaps the star of the functions was
lawn bowler Roy Komode, who had turned 95
a week earlier and had clocked up 501 games
for MCC to that point! For many years Roy
organised the Wednesday social bowls
competition for the club.
The Boxing Day Breakfast in the Members
Dining Room ushered in the start of the Test
for around 450 members and guests. Former
Indian all-rounder and ESPN TV commentator
Ravi Shastri gave us an entertaining insight
into Indian cricket, while arenas manager
Cameron Hodgkins took a short break
from drying out the outfield to explain the
intricacies of pitch preparation. MC Damien
Fleming and impersonator Andrew Startin
added plenty of humour to the occasion.
On day two of the Test, the Women in
Cricket Breakfast was again ably hosted by
Angela Pippos. Former Pakistan great Wasim
Akram put on quite a show for the audience,
including signing a cricket bat which was
auctioned for charity. Vic Spirit captain Emma
Inglis and young superstar Meg Lanning also
took part in proceedings.
The Australia Day Luncheon this year
featured one of the country’s most feted
sportsmen, Australia II skipper John
Bertrand, who wrested the America’s Cup
from the Yanks in 1983.
Currently chairman of the Sport Australia
Hall of Fame (which is housed at the National
Sports Museum), Bertrand spoke of the
critical role mateship and vision had played in
his crew’s success. He traced the thinking that
led to this most unlikely of victories.
The skipper had already competed at two
Olympics and noted how virtually every sport
improved over the four-year span. “So we
decided to try to do what we thought might be
possible in 20 years’ time,” he told us. Hence
the famous winged keel designed by the
brilliant Ben Lexcen.
In a thoughtful delivery, mateship was an
overriding theme, referencing our resilience
from fires, floods and so on. “People from
elsewhere can’t believe how tough we are,”
he said, recalling that his Australia II crew
members were heroes during a period of
drought and recession.
The Australia Day Luncheon in the Long
Room at the MCG is a fine initiative by our
volunteers who agree with Bertrand that sport
is such a unifying aspect of everyday life. The
link between our national day and the
cathedral of sport is a given.
MCC NEWS
19

FUNCTION NEWS
Young Members’ Anzac Eve Ball returns
The club’s most popular event for young members, the annual Anzac
Eve Ball, will be held on April 24 in the Members Dining Room.
The evening includes pre-dinner drinks and a three-course dinner with
beverages, followed by a night of reflection, entertainment and dancing.
Members and guests aged 18-40 are eligible to attend and there is
a limit of four guests per member.
Bookings open on March 5, so we suggest you move quickly to
secure a table.
MCG FOOTY SEASON
LAUNCH LUNCHEON
WHEN: Wednesday March 28
TIME:
12.00pm for 12.30pm
WHERE:
Members Dining Room
COST:
$90 (members) and
$100 (guests)
YOUNG MEMBERS’
ANZAC EVE BALL
WHEN: Tuesday April 24
TIME:
7.00pm for 7.45pm
WHERE:
Members Dining Room
COST:
$100 (members)
$115 (guests)
FUNCTIONS CALENDAR
DAY DATE FUNCTION VENUE
Wednesday March 28 MCG Footy Season Launch Luncheon Members Dining Room
Saturday April 14 MFC/MCC Game Day Function (Rich v Melb) Jim Stynes Room
Thursday April 19 Long Room Dinner with Shannon Bennett Long Room
Friday April 20 Comedy Blockbuster at the ’G Members Dining Room
Tuesday April 24 Young Members’ Anzac Eve Ball Members Dining Room
Saturday May 19 Young Members’ Footy Function (Ess v Rich) Hans Ebeling Room
Sunday May 27 MFC/MCC Game Day Function (Carl v Melb) Jim Stynes Room
Tuesday June 5 Norm Smith Oration Members Dining Room
Saturday June 23 Young Members’ Footy Function (Coll v WCE) Hans Ebeling Room
Friday July 6 Comedy @ the ’G (Carl v Coll) Hans Ebeling Room
Saturday July 7 MFC/MCC Game Day Function (Melb v Rich) Jim Stynes Room
Saturday July 14 Women in Football Luncheon Committee Room
Saturday July 21 Young Members’ Footy Function (Coll v Haw) Hans Ebeling Room
Saturday August 11 MFC/MCC Game Day Function (St Kil v Melb) Jim Stynes Room
Wednesday August 15 Annual General Meeting Members Dining Room
Friday August 24 Comedy @ the ’G (Rich v Ess) Hans Ebeling Room
Monday August 27 The Bradman Luncheon Members Dining Room
Monday September 24 Sporting Sections Grand Final Week Luncheon Members Dining Room
Monday September 24 Brownlow Dinner with the Coodabeens Members Dining Room
Friday September 28 Members’ Dining – Grand Final Eve Members Dining Room
For bookings and the latest information on club functions, please visit mcc.org.au or contact the club on (03) 9657 8888.
20 MCC NEWS

FUNCTION NEWS
Anthony “Lehmo” Lehmann, Denise Scott,
Trevor Marmalade, Brian Nankervis and
Greg Champion will perform at the Comedy
Blockbuster at the ’G on April 20.
COMEDY BLOCKBUSTER
AT THE ’G
WHEN: Friday April 20
TIME:
8.00pm
WHERE:
Members Dining Room
COST:
$40 (members)
$45 (guests)
Vue de Monde comes to the Long Room
Be spoilt by acclaimed Australian chef
Shannon Bennett’s culinary delights
as he and his team at Vue de Monde
design and prepare a magnificent
three-course meal for members and
guests in the Long Room on April 19.
Members may bring one guest and they’ll
enjoy a three-course dinner and canapés,
with matching wines for each course.
A booking period will be open from
Monday March 5 at 9.00am until Thursday
March 8 at 5.00pm. Should bookings
exceed capacity, a ballot will be conducted.
There is an MCG link with this worldclass
restaurant which began in 2005 when
Shannon and his team moved to their Little
Collins Street premises. Keen on cricket,
the culinary maestro used old seating
timber from the Ponsford Stand for flooring
and two central tables were a feature of the
restaurant, replete with seat numbers
from the old pews.
And as a youngster he tried out for the
MCC Dowling Shield team, being driven
to and from practice regularly by the
unforgettable Clive Fairbairn.
Now quartered with spectacular views
in the Rialto building, the restaurateur
promises a fine dining experience not
to be missed!
LONG ROOM DINNER
WITH SHANNON BENNETT
WHEN: Thursday April 19
TIME:
6.45pm
WHERE:
Long Room
COST:
$160 (members)
$170 (guests)
STOP PRESS – NORM SMITH ORATION
After the success of the inaugural Norm Smith Oration last year,
this major football function will return on Tuesday June 5 in the
Members Dining Room.
Essendon champion and current coach James Hird has agreed
to propose the toast to football. AFL commissioner and former
trade union chief Bill Kelty will respond.
Further details about the function will be published on the
club’s website as soon as they become available.
MCC NEWS
21

MEMBERS’ NEWS
Are you MCC’s
best footy tipster?
The MCC website’s AFL tipping
competition gives members a chance
to pit their tipping skills against fellow
members and win some great prizes.
Last year’s winner Mark McCluskey will
no doubt be keen to return to the winner’s
podium, but there is bound to be plenty of
opposition. While the final prize list was
still being confirmed as our deadline
approached, you can be assured the list
of goodies on offer will be enticing.
Entry is free and registrations is open
to all MCC members from March 1.
Remember, you’ll need a valid email
address in order to register. Simply visit
www.mcc.org.au and log in with your user
name and password to be taken to the
tipping registration page. (If you have yet to
create your login details, you’ll need to do
this on the website first.)
Almost 3000 members took part in last
year’s competition and we hope to exceed
that number in 2012. Good luck to all those
who enter.
22 MCC NEWS

MEMBERS’ NEWS
Many members
honoured on
Australia Day
The Governor of Victoria, Mr Alex
Chernov, led a strong contingent of
MCC members honoured on Australia Day.
Awarded the AC for services to education
and the judiciary, Mr Chernov has been
a member for more than 25 years.
Appointed to the Supreme Court in 1997
after a distinguished career as a barrister,
he was elevated to the Court of Appeal
in the following year. His considerable
contribution to education included terms
as deputy chancellor and chancellor of the
University of Melbourne from 2004-10.
Rex Harcourt, whose work as honorary
research librarian of the club for 20 years
from the late 1970s was invaluable, joined
his son and fellow member Peter, a sports
medicine innovator, as an OAM.
Rex was honoured for his services
as an author, researcher and historian,
particularly of the founding and early days
of Melbourne and Victoria.
Notably a co-author of Cricket Walkabout,
a significant work that traces Aboriginal
cricketers of the 1860s and their pioneering
touring team to England in 1868, Rex very
generously donated his personal collection
of 550 books and reference papers to the
MCC Library in 2006.
Also among the OAM recipients were
prominent XXIX Club member Jack
Huxtable (for services to Australian Rules
football and the community of Morwell)
and Malcolm Daubney, whose contribution
over 40 years to Vision Australia and its
work for the blind and vision impaired has
been outstanding. Malcolm is a Long Room
Wine and Food Society member.
MCC members honour roll
AC (General Division)
CHERNOV, Hon Justice Alex
AO (General Division)
MACINTYRE, Professor Stuart Forbes
NEWTON, Stephen Hibbert
UREN, William James
AM (General Division)
CAPP, William Barrett
HUGHES, James Forrest
MEREDITH, Ian Thomas
RENARD, Ian Andrew
STEWART, Robert James
STREET, Edward Richard
WITTNER, David
OAM (General Division)
ARTHUR, John Bernard
BARROW, Brian Stirtevant
CLINCH, Norma Veronica
COLEMAN, Murray Leslie
DAUBNEY, Malcolm Carey
HANSEN, Peter
HARCOURT, Arnold Rex
HUXTABLE, Jack
KOSTOS, Loula
PAYNE, Thomas
POLLOCK, Robert James
RANDALL, Brian Charles
VESM (Victoria Emergency Services Medal)
LOVELL, Gary John
MCC NEWS
23

MEMBERS’ NEWS
Vale, Peter Wallis
It is with much sadness that
the club advises that events
staff member Peter Wallis
passed away in late-February
after a lengthy battle with cancer.
Many of our 50-year members knew
Peter well. He was a regular host in the
John Landy Room, for many years looking
after the needs of our 50-year members and
guests on match days. He was extremely
well liked and respected for the wonderful,
caring and efficient service he provided.
He will be sadly missed by his colleagues
at the MCC and all 50-year members who
attend matches at the ground.
24 MCC NEWS