2011 Taverner’s Dinner and PM’s Match
Despite a smaller than usual attendance, the Invincibles Dinner, held on Sunday 9th January, was a most enjoyable event.
Andy Bichel was our guest speaker and regaled us with anecdotes from the extensive and successful career that he enjoyed in first class cricket. Neil Harvey , together with English coach Andy Flower, also attended and joined Andy Bichel in what was probably the most entertaining panel at this annual dinner, for many years.
Gary Goodman, once again, ran a ‘tight ship’ as Master of Ceremonies, overseeing the silent auction together with the management of the panel.
The PM’s Match was played the following day, with the PM’s Captain winning the toss and electing to bat. Although the day was interrupted by a few showers, the two major ones occurred with fortuitous timing to coincide with a break for the Taverner’s marquee lunch and a little later for afternoon tea. Larraine Nicholls, with her perennial Lady Taverner volunteers Robyn French and Angie Campbell, have refined the management of providing Lunch and Afternoon Tea to a fine art, accommodating all the vagaries of sun, rain and limited working facilities. Carver-in-Chief, David Nicholls sliced away behind his descriptive apron. The raffle was drawn at Afternoon tea, with Margaret Linford winning the Bat signed by the Australian Team v West Indies and Dennis O’Connor adding to his fine wine collection by winning the generous Jim Murphy/Mark De Jager donation of a basket of fine reds.
The PM’s Team played a solid innings at 254 (Tim Pain – 50), a target reduced to 223 (Duckworth/Lewis) through rain delays which was an insufficient target to offer England any real challenge – particularly with the form shown by Ian Bell who scored 124 from 102 balls.
Again, a most enjoyable day, but attendance down, with many Taverners still away from Canberra on holiday.