Dear Players, Sponsors and Supporters, If the current situation was a game of cricket then we have lost some early wickets quickly, with six, seven and eight padded up and decidedly nervous. The middle-order though is consolidating and soaking up all that is being thrown at it. Their left-arm quick Covid is 19 and doing the damage but will run out of steam soon and we can come back after tea and capitalise on the selfless work four and five have done by going into their shells and not coming out until it is the right time. Gee I miss cricket and I am sure you do too. The Port Adelaide Cricket Club appreciates how vulnerable we are all feeling right now. The uncertainty, the massive disruption to our everyday lives and the isolation is testing us all. Through the depression, two World Wars, “the recession we had to have”, floods, bushfires and now a pandemic it is the Port Adelaide Cricket Club that have always been there. We are still here. Off-the-field the committee is working very hard to position the club to not only survive but in fact thrive. Since 1897 we have produced first-class male and female cricketers including 67 State Representatives, 19 Test Representatives, 18 ODI players and 9 T20 internationals representing Australia, England, Ireland, Netherlands, Scotland and Zimbabwe. We are extremely proud of our Australian Test cricketers, Annette Fellows, Eric Freeman, Lyn Fullston, Algy Gehrs, Neil Hawke, Ernest Jones, Brendan Julian, Justin Langer, Andrew McDonald, Jack O’Connor, Karen Rolton, Emma Sampson, Isabelle Tsakiris, Tim Wall and Amanda-Jade Wellington. We have Medallists in One-Day player and 1998 Commonwealth Games silver gong winner Brad Young, Nick Benton has claimed both the DW Hookes and the RJ Zadow awards, in 2008/09 Matt Weeks bagged the Bradman Medal, walking away with the 2018/19 CW Walker Trophy was Damon Kerr, Shane Chatto took out the 2009/10 Talbot Smith and Karen Rolton and Emma Sampson have claimed the Karen Rolton Medal. As you can see we have a long and rich history and will celebrate our 125th anniversary in two years with a black and white ball event and commemorative logo and apparrel. Although Cricket clubs are not immune to the spread of the COVID-19 virus nor have we been spared the financial strain that our competitors are also feeling, we are however better prepared than we might have been given we have seen hardship before. Your Committee is working very hard to ensure we are ready for the new season whenever it starts and in whatever form it may take. I am very pleased to announce two key off-field appointments as John Kerr takes over as Chairman and Col Murray comes back to the club as Vice President. Their experience and enthusiasm to make Port great again completes a very powerful committee alongside Secretary Sheryl Bevan, Treasurer Robin Chapman and committee Shane Chatto, Ryan Egan, Blake Fry, Heath Harradine, Lisa Mihaljevic and Cheryl Radan. We have much to be thankful for and we have much to look forward to:
ONE CLUB ethos
Strong core of players across the senior grades
Rejuvenated junior structure
Greater partnership with the Eyre Peninsula Development zone
Experienced and talented Coaching panel
Sensational cricket facilities for playing and training
Enthusiastic and committed Management
Highly valued sponsors and supporters
I take this opportunity to formally recognise and thank the incredible support we get from our sponsors Pete Brien and the Alberton Hotel, Bridgestone Select Port Adelaide, MAC Fence Landscaping and Landscape Design, Maritime Constructions, all of our the wonderful player sponsors and volunteers and in particular Jann Brown. In the coming weeks I will announce the Port Adelaide Cricket Club 10 Year Plan, dates for the Annual General Meeting and updates from the SACA. In the meantime, check-in on each other, stay safe, keep fit somehow and look forward to the day we can pull on the black cap again. Kind Regards, Sean G Holden President 0428101990