The Australian Cricket Society is a fraternity of cricket lovers with branches in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania. It was established in Melbourne, Victoria, in 1967. Ricky Ponting serves as patron.
Activities Guest speakers at its Annual Dinners come from the 'Who's Who' of the cricketing world. Down through the years, they've included Sir Donald Bradman, Lindsay Hassett, Bill Lawry and more recently, Ian Healy, Dean Jones, Damien Fleming, Justin Langer and Barry Richards. The Society supports youth and grassroots cricket through its Young Cricketer (male and female) and sponsorship of emerging talent through the Elite Cricket Academy.
Publications Each summer the Society publishes its flagship magazine, Pavilion, edited by Ken Piesse - a 48-page production with articles by renowned cricket writers and a forum for members and friends. The Cricket Society Scoresheet quarterly news bulletin edited by Wayne Ross keeps members informed of upcoming events.
Jack Pollard Trophy In order to encourage cricket writing in Australia, in 1984 Jack Pollard donated a trophy to be awarded by the Australian Cricket Society to the author of the best Australian cricket book published over the previous 12 months.The Oxford Companion to Australian Cricket, Oxford, Melbourne, 1996, p. 423. It is sometimes called the Jack Pollard Literary Award or the Australian Cricket Society Literary Award.
Year Winning author Title 1984 Michael Page Bradman: The Illustrated Biography 1985 Richard Cashman 'Ave a Go, Yer Mug!: Australian Cricket Crowds from Larrikin to Ocker 1986 Phil Derriman True to the Blue: A History of the New South Wales Cricket Association 1987 Chris Harte The History of the Sheffield Shield 1988 Jack McHarg Stan McCabe: The Man and His Cricket 1989 Chris Harte Two Tours and Pollock: The Australians in South Africa 1985–87 1990 Richard Cashman The "Demon" Spofforth 1991 Mike Coward Cricket Beyond the Bazaar 1994 Gideon Haigh The Cricket War: The Inside Story of Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket 1995 Mike Coward Australia vs the New South Africa: Cricket Contact Renewed 1998 Gideon Haigh The Summer Game: Australian Test Cricket 1949–71 2000 Gideon Haigh Mystery Spinner: The Story of Jack Iverson 2002 Gideon Haigh The Big Ship: Warwick Armstrong and the Making of Modern Cricket 2003 Mike Colman and Ken Edwards Eddie Gilbert: The True Story of an Aboriginal Cricketing Legend 2004 Max Bonnell How Many More Are Coming?: The Short Life of Jack Marsh 2006 Alf Batchelder Pavilions in the Park: A History of the Melbourne Cricket Club and its Ground 2008 Gideon Haigh and David Frith Inside Story: Unlocking Australian Cricket's Archives 2009 Greg de Moore Tom Wills 2010 Alf Batchelder Hugh Trumble: A Cricketer's Life 2011 Rick Smith Blighted Lives: The Story of Harry and Albert Trott 2012 Max Bonnell and Andrew Sproul Tibby Cotter: Fast Bowler, Larrikin, Anzac 2013 Gideon Haigh On Warne 2015 Daniel Brettig Whitewash to Whitewash: Australian Cricket's Years of Struggle and Summer of Riches 2016 Elliot Cartledge and Tim Lane Chasing Shadows: The Life and Death of Peter Roebuck 2017 Gideon Haigh Stroke of Genius: Victor Trumper and the Shot That Changed Cricket 2018 Denis Brien All the Kings' Men: A History of the Hindmarsh Cricket Club2019Richard Cashman and Ric SissonsBilly Murdoch, Cricketing Colossus 2020 Greg Growden Cricketers at War: Cricket Heroes Who Fought for Australia in Battle 2022 Peter Lloyd Warren Bardsley: The First Mr Cricket 2023 Max Bonnell and Andrew Sproul Black Swan Summer2024Peter Schofield and Ric SissonsWhen the Kangaroo Met the Eagle: The 1913 Australian tour of Canada and the United States NB: The trophy is not awarded every year.
Veterans cricket The ACS Melbourne Wandering XI plays up to 10 friendlies each season against like-minded players from the MCC XXIX Club, Lords Taverners and the Supreme Court of Victoria. The Society is a founding member of Veterans Cricket Victoria. fielding Over 60 and 70 year old teams in the Victoria state wide competition and end of season carnival at Echuca. ACS players have represented Victoria at National Over 60s, Over 65s, Over 70s and Over 75s Championships with 4 ACS members selected to play for Veterans Cricket Australia since 2009.
The Society has been a regular participant in Golden Oldies, Vintage Cricket carnivals and Exotic Cricket Tours around the world and has hosted like-minded overseas touring teams visiting Australia since 1996.
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