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Submitted by Trevor Vayro
5th A.B.C.C. Melbourne Carnival 1960-61
This carnival commenced in late December 1960 with only the three States of Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland competing as Tasmania had withdrawn late that year. Victoria fielded a second State Squad in this carnival, but matches against that team did not attract points. Only Queensland and the Victorian Squad played matches against this second Victorian Squad as New South Wales declined.
The Queensland Squad had again travelled to Melbourne by train, stopping off for one day en route at Sydney. Our State was accommodated at the Royal Domaine Hotel in St. Kilda Junction. The Hotel was demolished some years ago to make room for modern office buildings in St. Kilda.
Melbourne was in the middle of a heat-wave for the first two matches with players competing in above century temperatures. The carnival was declared open by former Australian Player Sam Loxton who was an Australian Selector for many years. The Carnival Secretary Arthur Lilley asked me as Captain of Queensland to receive the first ball from Sam Loxton to officially open the series. Sam tossed the first ball into my block hole and naturally I was unable to hear the ball. Quickly Arthur Lilley explained that the ball had to be bowled under-arm and the second ball was slightly outside the leg and I scored a single to open proceedings.
Queensland met Victoria in the opening match and we lost on the first innings. New South Wales met Victoria in the second match and won on the first innings, whilst Queensland played an enjoyable match against the Victorian Second Squad winning on the first innings. Queensland met New South Wales in the third match and lost on the first innings. The two day final was played between New South Wales and Victoria whilst Queensland met the Victorian Second Squad in a friendly match.
New South Wales batting first scored well and scored in excess of 120 runs. Victoria was dismissed for a score many runs short, which left New South Wales well placed on the second day to bat their top players and set Victoria a sizeable run chase. At lunch New South Wales had only lost six wickets and had scored in excess of 100 runs. With the consent of the umpires and both captains, the game was declared in favour of New South Wales who again retained the Shield having won same in Hobart two years earlier.
Queensland again defeated the Victorian Second Squad in one day and watched the second day of the final. Many top performances were registered at this carnival with Barry Ward, Colin Eccles and Ken Curtis being the top partially players. An outstanding bowling performance was recorded by Ken Curtis taking the first hat trick in carnival cricket dismissing three Victorian batsmen in the final. A name well known to all players, played in his first carnival and I refer to Bob Evans who competed for Victoria as a young lad of fourteen years. Best players for Queensland were Lou Deller and Tony Haven, both partially players and Ian Stewart a totally blind player.
The farewell function will long remain in my memory as I had the privilege of being introduced to Sir Donald Bradman, who attended the function for only fifteen minutes and met the respective captains and some players as well as presenting the Shield to the winning State. The Board of Control of the A.C.B. was meeting in Melbourne at that time, after the conclusion of the Third Test held in Sydney between Australia and the West Indies. On a personal note the Melbourne Carnival also has another fond memory, with my long time friend Ivan Molloy and his wife Lorraine announcing their engagement.