MEMOIRS

OTC'S first Wagga Weekend reported in Daily Advertiser, 26^th January 1948

MORSE CODE “TALKS” ON INTER-CITY
CRICKET AT WAGGA

Cricket enthusiasts of the Melbourne and Sydney offices of the OTC were so keen to anticipate the result of a cricket match between the two offices that they discussed the match by morse code messages six months in advance. The match was played yesterday at the Wagga Cricket Ground. In a keenly contested match, Sydney defeated Melbourne by 61 runs. But the cricket was only a secondary concern. Players and supporters from both cities said after the match that they had not enjoyed themselves so much for many years.

The visit to Wagga was such a success, they said, that the match would be an annual affair in future.  The match was the first one played between the two teams. The origin of the match is quite a story in itself.  About six months ago, Lou Sherburn, secretary of the Melbourne team, and Lyle Gowanloch, captain of the Sydney Office team were “talking in morse” during an idle moment on a Sunday night.  Their discussion turned to cricket and each man argued that his office had the better cricket team.  The two men became so enthusiastic that they arranged a match “half-way” at Wagga, and set yesterday's date fir the game.  When the two teams arrived in Wagga on Saturday, they were keyed to a high pitch of enthusiasm. Most of them had communicated by morse during the months before the match, and said they felt “qiote at home” when they met face to face. 

A social evening was arranged on Saturday night at the Masonic Hall. Most of the men worked overtime for several weeks to amass enough time off to make the trip.  Some finished their work early Saturday morning after working throughout the night and then set off immediately by car to Wagga without resting or sleeping.

Twenty-six players and supporters comprised the Sydney team, and 31 came from Melbourne.  All were executives or staff members of the Commission.  Prominent among the representatives were the Chairman of the Commission (Mr Jim Malone), the secretary of the Melbourne cricket team (Mr Lou Sherburn), the manager of the Melbourne team (Mr T B Edwards), chief superintendent of the cable service in Sydney  (Mr A  D Gregory), superintendent of the Melbourne office (Mr A R Mancer), and the treasurer of the Sydney team (George Sheppard).  

Fifty watch the Match

About 50 spectators watched the match.  The Sydney team scored 208 in 160 minutes.  J Rodda top-scored with 80 in 95 minutes.  Lou Sherburn, a medium pace spin bowler, took 3 wickets for 33.  Melbourne were all out for 147 at 5.34pm. 

Scores:  Sydney 208 (J Rodda 80, F Hall 19, R Studd 14, L Hunt 10, J Connaghan 2, L Gowanloch 21, J Jackson 12, A Griffiths 3, D Gowanloch 11, H McInnis 1, H Stone 17, Waugh 1)

Melbourne 147 (Norris 14, Starr 45, Wood not out 25, Stubbs 14,  McCormack 20, Curran 2, Cornish 3, Sherburn 2, McGrory 0, Magnus 8, Vincent 0, Gordon 10).

Much of the success of the visit was due to the efforts of the Wagga postmaster (Mr W I West) and “Doc” Everett, senior post officer clerk, members of the team said.  The teams will leave early today.

Umpires at the match were Alan Anderson and F Dowsett, both of Wagga.