Barossa Valley - Cricket

Each year in March a veterans cricket carnival is held in the Barossa Valley with eight teams taking part. This year Arthur Pritchard organised a team - the SilverAshes3Nil - to take part in the carnival.

In March 2018 the England over 70s team toured Australia. They played games in a number of states and were also to play five ODIs against the Australian team. Australia won the ODI played in South Australia and in Geelong. The next two ODIs were to be played on the Sunshine Coast but rain intervened. The final ODI played in Brisbane was won by the Australian team. Australia therefore won the Silver Ashes 3 Nil.

Invitations were made to members of that Australian team to play in the Barossa Valley carnival as a seven year reunion. Robin had been a stand-by player for 2018 team so was also invited to play. Later in 2018 Robin was in the Australian team that toured England along with a number of members of the team that played in Australia earlier in the year. As the 2025 carnival approached a number of players had to withdraw due to health issues so the final team included a number of extra players from South Australia who kindly boosted our numbers.

Members of the team playing in the Barossa Valley

Robin at Sandy Creek

Two games were played at Angaston on 17 March and 21 March.

The entrance to the Angaston Recreational Park where the cricket ground is located. One of the pillars is a memorial to soldiers who served during the Second World War.

Outside the entrance to the park were several colourful rose gardens.

It was a an attractive ground for playing cricket.

The Angas Pavilion was constructed with money donated by the Angas family in 1903.

 

Our first game was against the Mayor's Eleven who batted first and made 100 runs. The bowling of our team was excellent with Ron taking three wickets. Robin ended up bowling ten overs during the match - 0 wickets for 28 runs. Unfortunately our team could only make 98 runs in a very close game. Robin and Greg had a good last wicket stand until Robin was caught after scoring 22 runs.

Our fourth game was also at Angaston, this time against the Eastern Reds. Our team batted first, making 102 runs. Robin made six runs. The Eastern Reds won the game in the 34th over - 2 wickets for 103 runs. Robin bowled his six overs, 1 maiden, 0 for 15 runs.

Game two was at Curdatta Park, Sandy Creek, south of Tanunda. The game was against the ACT Galaxies. It was a pleasant sunny day with temperatures in the mid 20s.

The cricketers had an additional audience watching the game.

The cricket ground at Sandy Creek was another pretty ground with lots of ibis plus a heron or two sharing the ground.

Our team batted first and made 84 runs. ACT was 1 for 85 in the twenty-fifth over. Robin bowled 3 overs - 1 wicket for 7 runs.

Game three was to be played at Tanunda against the Australian Cricket Society, however rain during the morning prevented play.

The ground has new function rooms as well as older grandstand and rooms. The carnival dinner was held in the function rooms at Tanunda Cricket Ground.

Barossa Valley - Social events

As well as providing the opportunity to play cricket, the Barossa 25 cricket carnival was also a reunion. There were therefore many opportunities to socialise.

Meet and Greet

The Meet and Greet for the cricket carnival was held at Billy Jacks bar and Courtyard at the back of Vine Inn at Nurioopta.

Vine Inn

Restaurant area at Billy Jacks.

This was a good opportunity to catch up with members of our team as well as players that we knew from other teams. Groups of us then had dinner at the restaurant. Bronwyn, Greg, Margaret and John joined us at our table.

Team barbecue

After the match one on Monday we all got together for a team barbecue at Discovery Parks Caravan and Holiday park at Tanunda where some of the players were staying. There was a large barbecue area with tables and benches. Robin and I took some marinated chicken pieces to cook on the barbecue and there were salads for all to share. It was an enjoyable evening.

Team lunch at Keller Meister

On the rest day after our second cricket match many of the team members met for lunch at a winery - Keller Meister.

We sat at two tables under a pagoda, sampling a variety of food from large platters.

 

Lily and Tim

We enjoyed this get-together in a relaxed setting.

 Barossa 25 celebration dinner

 On the Thursday evening members of all the teams met at the Tanunda Sports Club for dinner.

Robin, Vicki and Margaret

Greg, John, Roger and Ron

Final get-together

Our final get-together was dinner at the Clubhouse in Tanunda.

Most of us met together for dinner after the final game.

It was a good way to end the cricket carnival.

Barossa Valley - Nurioopta

The Meet and Greet for the cricket carnival was held at Billy Jacks at the back of Vine Inn at Nurioopta. Nurioopta is derived from an Aboriginal word meaning meeting place.

We arrived early and went for a short walk through the town. Nurioopta is the major shopping town in the region. The early European settlement consisted of English and German settlers. 

Nurioopta has a variety of churches of different denominations.

 

 

St Petri Lutheran Church

 

 

St Boniface Anglican Church

 

 

Nurioopta Uniting Church

The Uniting Church was originally the Methodist Church built by the Coulthard family. It was known as the Coulthard Memorial Church. A plaque in the church wall states that 'this stone was laid by W. Coulthard Esq. Nuriootpa (Nurioopta) 9th June 1924. The Coulthard family owned land in the area from the mid 1850s.

Soldiers Memorial Hall

View of main street

Coulthard Reserve

Close to Nurioopta is Coulthard Reserve, an area of bush that leads to the Barossa Bushgardens.

Near the entrance is the Barossa Bush Chapel.

There are some magnificent trees in the park.

Barossa Bushgardens

A sign near the entrance advises that this is a shred path with bikes, pedestrians, dogs, wheelchairs and snakes.

 

 

Section of garden near the Labyrinth

Labyrinth

Maggie Beer's Farm Shop

 Also near Nurioopta is Maggie Beer's Farm Shop.

The shop sells lots of produce including sauces but the highlight was sitting by the window watching turtles while we enjoyed hot chocolate and coffee.

This was just one of the many turtles enjoying swimming in the lake.

Later, we each had an ice cream and were entertained by a peacock.

Barossa Valley - Angaston

Another town in the Barossa Valley is Angaston named after the Angas family. George Fife Angas had purchased land in South Australia from 1841 though he did not arrive in the colony until 1851.His son, John Howard Angas, arrived in the colony in 1843 to manage his father's property. Before coming to Australia George Angas had sponsored the travel of a number of Prussians to South Australia.  The area was originally known as German Pass. 

Many of the first settlers in Angaston were miners from Cornwall.

We spent a morning exploring this town.

In the centre of the town is a small park with a statue in honour of the Clydesdale horse which was so important to the early farming of the area.

In the park is a war memorial to honour local soldiers who served during the First World War.

Also in the park is a restored World War II field gun.

The information Centre is part of the Barossa Valley Cheese Centre. Before leaving Angaston we revisited the Cheese Company shop for a cheese tasting and purchased a selection of cheeses. In the shop there are windows allowing visitors to view what is happening in the cheese factory.

There are many interesting older buildings to be seen when walking around Angaston.

Angaston Hotel

Old Blacksmiths and Museum

Town Hall was built in 1911

Rear of the Angaston Hotel - renovations

Memorial commemorating pioneering families

Beds of roses line some of the streets

Angaston is an interesting town to explore.