Over 70s National Championships 2024 Dubbo - Games One and Two

Thursday 21 November

Victoria White versus South Australia

Both games one and two were played at Pavans Riverside Oval. There are two grounds divided by building which contains change rooms. We played on the main ground.

We arrived at the Pavans ground to discover that the ground was not set up for playing cricket. There were no stumps and bails. The ground was not marked for over 70s cricket and it was quite some time before we obtained cones and the rope to mark out the distance to place the cones. We had been told that there were no chairs but did not realise that this also meant no chairs for the scorers and no scorers' table. There was no scoreboard. The scorers had to improvise!

The change rooms, though, did have a good overhang providing shade during the match and, once we had located the equipment to hold the game, the ground was a good ground to play on.

Game one was against South Australia who batted first and  made 2 for 150. Robin bowled eight overs, no wickets for 24 though a catch was dropped when he was bowling. Victoria won the game - 7 for 151. Robin and Steve Pasco were batting when the winning runs were scored.

We encountered many ibis (bin chickens) at Pavans Park (Riverside Oval) and in the nearby park.

Players and spectators had faced a number of challenges during the day. We later discovered that this was largely due to individual clubs not being responsible for a specific Council ground.

When we arrived at the ground the rooms had been opened for the players and the ladies' toilet was open but there was limited toilet paper. Fortunately, there was paper in the ambulant toilet. 

Lunch was collected from the main pavilion at Lady Cutler Park. Water was provided for the players but there were no facilities for making tea or coffee.

However there was a light breeze during the day making conditions quite pleasant for those playing and watching the game.

On the first day, three of the four Victorian teams won their matches.

Friday 22 November

Victoria White versus ACT

On a fine sunny day we were back at Pavans for game two. This time the players had kept the stumps, bails and cones from yesterday's game so it was easier to get the field ready for play.

Gary Semple brought a trestle table for the scorers plus chairs that he found in a shed at the airbnb where he and Karen were staying.

Victoria bowled first and ACT made 5 for 162 runs in their 40 overs.  Robin bowled 5 overs - one wicket for 26 runs.  In reply Victoria made 7 for 163. Steve and Robin were ready to bat if required.

David Cordy was playing for ACT so we therefore caught up with Dave and Karen. For the first match a garbage bin was used as a table. For this game, Dave used the bin to air his clothes.

I went for a walk to the Lady Cutler Reserve where there were three more cricket grounds.

Some of the houses overlooking the Pavans ground.

There was only an occasional breeze during the day making it feel hotter than yesterday.

At the team meeting at the motel we learned that all four Victorian teams had won their games.

Parkes

Saturday was a rest day so on sunny day with the temperature once again in the 30s, we drove to Parkes to visit the Parkes Observatory - also known as The Dish. Parkes is 120 kilometres south of Dubbo.

We watched three short 3D films on astronomy and about the work of the observatory.

We also looked at the various exhibitions including equipment used to monitor the first landing of a man on the moon in  1969.

There were also exhibits to view in the grounds including two whispering dishes. This dish was near the museum entrance.

[Last three photos from Parkes Observatory website]

Opposite the observatory hay had been bailed ready for collection.

The next stop was the Henry Parkes Museum which is  next to the information centre in Parkes. At the museum, Rosemary, the attendant on duty, found me a map showing the location of The Troffs - the property once owned by George Hutton.

There are two acres of land with sheds containing a variety of farm machinery and vehicles at the museum.

A display about the blacksmiths in the town was being set up in time for the next Elvis Presley Festival in January. 

Parkes has an Elvis Presley Festival each January.

Information boards publicising the annual festival.

We found another model rhino near the information centre.

Several days later on the return journey to Melbourne we had breakfast at the Parkes Coffee Pot - egg and bacon rolls and hot drinks- before continuing our journey.

Wellington

Next day we drove to Wellington, a town 50 kilometres south east of Dubbo. In 1817 the area was named Wellington Valley after the Duke of Wellington and the victory over the French at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

At the entrance to the visitor area at the Wellington Caves we saw a statue of a diprotodon. We did not visit the actual caves as each cave had too many irregular steps to navigate.

Excavations in the area have discovered remains of megafauna. We spent  time in the exhibition area where there was a model skeleton of a diprotodon. Diprotodon became extinct in Australia more than 25,000 years ago. Visual displays on the walls show some of the animals that used to roam the area or lived in the inland sea.

We then explored the fossil trail - lots of flint and and a variety of fossils in rocks to be seen. 

Near the caves is a series of art-work known as the Wellington Gateway.

Back in Dubbo we had lunch at the Grapevine Café.

Over 70s National Championships - Games three and four

Monday 25 November

Victoria White versus Queensland

Game three was played at Victoria Park oval 2.The game started early as it was to be another hot day with a temperature of 35. Queensland batted first and were all out for 133. Robin bowled 7 overs - 1 wicket for 26 runs. There was also a run out in his last over. Victoria won the match 2 / 134.

There were three ovals at Victoria Park. The change rooms for ovals two and three.

As the game progressed the scorers moved their table to different locations to be in the shade.

Julie, Anne, Marie and I sat under trees to watch the match, moving as the shade moved.

The ground was at the back of the Cultural Centre. Julie trying out one of the art installations near the cricket ground.

Once again, the four Victorian teams won their matches making eleven wins in twelve games.

Tuesday 26 November

Division One final - Victoria Blue versus Victoria White 

In the Second Division Victoria 3 played New South Wales in the final. Victoria 4 played for third or fourth place in Second Division.

This time we played at Victoria Park Oval one. As it was to be another hot day with temperatures around 36 degrees we arrived early. The ground staff were still preparing the ground. Unfortunately the sprinklers had been left on overnight so the pitch and surrounding ground was wet. There would be no early start.

Near the pitch was a large puddle of water that needed to be dried and made safe before the game could begin.

On the plus side we were able to watch the game from an air-conditioned building and the scorers had a table and chairs supplied.

Life was also more comfortable for the spectators.

Victoria Blue batted first and made 4 for 183 runs. In his first five overs only 12 runs had been scored from Robin's bowling. Later in the game he bowled another two overs which were more expensive.
Victoria White was 7 for 160 at the end of their 40 overs.

View of clubrooms and stand at Victoria Park.

View of rugby grandstand on the other side of the oval.

Victoria therefore came first and second in the First Division. In the Second Division Victorian teams came second and third. It had been a very successful tournament for Victorian teams.

After the final match it had originally been planned to hold a barbecue for all the teams at Victoria Park. However the barbecue was cancelled. An end of championship dinner for the Victorian teams was held at the restaurant at The Oxley Motel. 

At very short notice, Megan, manager of The Oxley Restaurant, organised a buffet for the Victorian players and supporters. Veterans Cricket Australia Victoria paid for the food while Exotic Cricket Tours contributed towards the cost of drinks.drinks.

Megan did a great job at short notice and the Victorian teams' buffet dinner at the Oxley Restaurant was a great success.

Next day we started on our journey back to Melbourne. Between Forbes and Temora we encountered rain again. We spent the night at the Seaton Arms Motor Inn returning to Melbourne the following morning. The end of another cricketing adventure.

Airlie Beach

In 2007 we once again decided to leave Melbourne's winter behind to explore Airlie Beach and Dunk Island.

We flew from Melbourne to Proserpine Airport, twenty-six kilometres from Airlie Beach situated on shore of the Coral Sea. At Airlie Beach we stayed at Coral Sea Resort looking on to the beach.

View of the hotel and swimming pool.

View of the beach from the hotel.

View at sunset.

In the nearby park a dugong looks out to sea.

Another view of the dugong.

Nearby there is another statue of a mother dugong and her calf.

The Whitsunday Market is held at Airlie Beach on a Saturday.

This was a pleasant location to have a relaxing holiday.