Speech
Governor-General's College XI v Wanderers Cricket Club match
Greetings - and in the languages of the realm of New Zealand - in English, Maori, Cook Island Maori Niuean Tokelauan and New Zealand Sign Language:- Kia Ora, Kia Orana, Fakalofa Lahi Atu, Taloha Ni + Sign.
May I specifically then acknowledge you: Sir John Anderson, Chairman of New Zealand Cricket; Don Neely, President of New Zealand Cricket; Bruce Murray, President of Cricket Wellington; Gavin Larsen, Chief Executive of Cricket Wellington; College Principals; Members of the Governor-General's XI and the Wellington Wanderers cricket teams; Distinguished Guests otherwise; Ladies and Gentlemen.
Thank you for inviting Susan and myself to attend this lunch at the Basin Reserve as part of the second Governor-General's College's XI cricket match.
It is good to see so many familiar faces. Some of you I met at last year's match and others at a Secondary Schools cricket dinner for the Willows Cricket Club in Christchurch in October.
As a number of people know, I have an abiding love of the game of cricket that was already operational when, as a 12 year old, I saw New Zealand win its first test match in 1956, beating the West Indies. Cricket has long been part of our country's life. A 19th century Superintendent of Otago and later Speaker of Parliament, Sir John Richardson, said:- "where there is good cricket there will also be good citizens who will be a credit to their country."
It was therefore, to my mind, a pleasant consequence, that after being appointed Governor-General in August last year, I was also asked to be Patron of New Zealand Cricket.
During the last 20 years, cricket has gained a much enhanced international exposure and has expanded its following beyond the Commonwealth. As many as 101 countries are now represented on the International Cricket Council and, while there is a large disparity in ability between the majority of them and the top 10 sides, in which Bangladesh and Zimbabwe are relatively new members, the game can only continue to grow stronger in the future.
The development of new formats has done much to broaden the cricket's appeal. Most notable is, of course, the rise of twenty-twenty. The condensed format has proven popular in New Zealand with after-work crowds, for example, and for those who do not wish to sit for long hours. With this format, the game takes on a truly electric atmosphere as many who have experienced a game can testify.
Despite the growing appeal of twenty-twenty, all formats maintain merit. While the one-day match provides a day out for the family, the five-day test match provides the noblest of challenges to teams, and continues to be enjoyed by ardent cricket followers. The strategy and tactics needed to win such a drawn out affair are quite unique in sport. I am afraid that I am one who can't agree with former All Black and radio personality Chris Laidlaw's published comment in a new book Strong Language Very Quotable New Zealand Quotes when he said that: "test cricket is a leisurely business involving spectators time being passed watching grass grow or the mating habits of the seagull population." - as colourful as his expression was.
I am looking forward after lunch to not only seeing the continuation of your match, but also seeing the best of Wellington's young players in action.
In organising this match against the Wellington Wanderers' Cricket Club, Cricket Wellington have placed you against worthy opponents. Eight of the Wanderers have played in the Wellington representative side and five—Robert Vance, Ervin McSweeney, Evan Gray, Gavin Larsen and Anthony Stuart—have played at the international level. Anthony, who is also the State Wellington Firebirds coach, played for Australia and took a hat-trick in a one-day international against Pakistan in 1996/97.
This match then will test many of the players who will be participating in the New Zealand Under 19 championships in January and will be seeking selection for the New Zealand side to play in the world under 19 championships in Malaysia in February and March.
I wish both sides all the best but I will leave it to my predecessor of fifty years ago as Governor General, Lord Cobham, to ably describe a hoped for outcome for the Governor-General's College XI. The New Zealand team he had chosen was about to play the MCC which was touring here. Cobham said:-
"As a New Zealander, I am naturally anxious to see my side win. As an ex-President of the MCC, I hope that they will never win by more than one run or one wicket. But win, lose or draw, I know that both sides will play this lovely game for the only reason that any game is worth playing—and that is for fun."
Some might say that Cobham's advice, in these days of high-powered professional sport, is old fashioned. It may be wishful thinking to say this, but I suspect New Zealanders' collective grief at losses in international sporting events might be a little less painful if this advice was borne in mind.
Again, I wish you all the best for the second half of the match for the members of the Governor-General's College XI, all the best for your future careers.
No reira, tena koutou, tena koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tena koutou katoa