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11th ABCC BRISBANE CARNIVAL
SUBMITTED BY TREVOR VAYRO
The Brisbane Carnival held late December, 1972, through to mid January, 1973 was the first time all six states of Australia competed. Some eight years later at the Sydney Carnival six states were represented but Tasmania and Western Australia combined as one team.
The carnival committee headed up by Lindsay Dyball as President and Trevor Vayro as Secretary welcomed players and officials to Brisbane prior to the carnival commencing. Western Australia had formed their cricket club some fifteen months earlier and after a very extensive fund raising campaign travelled to Brisbane with fifteen players and several sighted officials. The carnival comprised a double round of matches with no final. Three playing fields were arranged, one at Yeronga High School, ground 1 of Q.B.C.A at Villa Street, Yeronga and the third ground was situated near Souths Rubgy Union Club. This latter ground had been used previously during a Brisbane Carnival and whilst the pitch was of a high standard, the playing surface was very sub standard. However, because of the unavailability of another ground at Yeronga State School one month prior to the carnival commencing, the organising committee had to make a late change and carry out extensive ground improvements to get this third ground to a satisfactory and safe standard for the playing of ten matches.
When the draw for the carnival matches was taken, each state was allocated an equal number of matches on the third ground so that no state was disadvantaged.Queensland as the Host State arranged for a large marquee to be assembled at the western end of their small wooden building situated where the present clubhouse has been erected. This marquee was large enough to house more than 150 persons for lunch and afternoon tea at one sitting. Volunteer ladies and gents worked tirelessly over the carnival period headed up by Daphne Vayro as carnival convenor. The Yeronga Girl Guides Building was used during the carnival as dressing room and storage area for the players and officials.
The Brisbane Carnival of 1972 was one in which many new players competed in their first interstate cricket carnival. Queensland had previously conducted a junior program for two years and several of these junior players were selected in the Queensland Squad. These players were partially-sighted Mark Turner, Peter Uther, Ron Greer, Trevor McGrath, Jim Pitman and totally blind players Barry Brown, Jim Nelson and Willie McKennariey. The captain of the Queensland Squad was Bob Rowley assisted by vice captain Brian Forster. Other new players from interstate making their debut to carnival cricket were Jeff McNeill and Graham Innes from NSW, Peter Hetherington, Jim Lester and Peter Greco from SA. Les Buchanan was a member of the WA squad and has remained an active player for the past twenty five years competing for the states of QLD and SA.
The series of matches held over the ten playing days proved an outstanding success with several highlights. Victoria dominated the carnival going through undefeated and winning all ten matches on the first innings. NSW was a very strong competitor only losing by a small number of runs on the first innings on each occasion their state met Victoria. Queensland with the inclusion of several young players performed well in all matches and finished a creditable third.
Several outstanding individual performances were registered during the carnival with Terry Eagers securing a double hat trick in a wonderful spell of totally blind bowling against WA. Terry took a career best of six wickets for no runs and assisted to dismiss WA for an all time low score of only five runs in their second innings. NSW scored an all time high score in an innings against SA with Jeff McNeill scoring more than thirty runs. Les Buchanan and Terry Eagers both scored forty runs and forty-one runs respectively against Tasmania. Another outstanding batting performance was registered by Rin Pas from the state of Victoria going through the carnival with scores of seven times being not out for thirty runs.
Presentation of trophies evening was held at the premises of Queensland Blind Association situated in Hubert Street, Woolloongabba. Best players for the carnival were Terry Eagers for the totally blind category and Bob Evans for the partially category. Best players for Queensland were Terry Eagers and Brian Forster. These two Queensland players were also selected in the Australian Blind Cricket Squad named that evening.
During the visit of players and officials to the Brisbane Carnival three social functions were held at Yeronga Services Club, bar-b-que function at Q.B.C.A headquarters and the farewell function at the Queensland Blind Association. Queensland Cricketers Club at the Gabba Cricket Ground held a social function for all visiting players and made all visitors honorary members for the duration of the Brisbane Carnival. State squads were housed at hotels and motels situated in the Brisbane Central District. Next carnival venue would be Hobart, Tasmania to be held late December, 1974.