On Breakneck Road, just East of the Forest Headquarters was Bennett's Sawmill. The mill was owned by Bert Bennett (H.J.) and his Sawyer was my mate Keith Gibson.
Bert sold the sawmill to Fletchers, who were trying to muscle in on the industry and they in turn later sold it to Burnie McMullen when Keith became the Manager - later his son Steve took over.
Back then the forest was too young to supply sawlogs to the mill but we were sort of colleagues in that we were in the same industry and from time to time we cooperated in fire training. But gradually as the forest matured we had a closer relationship.
I have no idea who's idea it was, but Keith made up a trophy using an old saw blade and we were to play a game of cricket for it.
We prepared a wicket by mowing the grass and removing the stones from an area on the paddock Bert Moir leased off the NZFS and Colin, who was a keen cricketer supplied secondhand bats, wickets, keepers gloves, pads, balls and the bag to keep them in. All courtesy of the MCC - ah no, not them, Maheno Cricket Club (now in recession).
The match became an annual affair and was contested fiercely. All who came played, or had the opportunity to do so. Even wives should they want, but most wives just enjoyed the spectacle. Everyone had to make a run, everyone had to have a bowl - and no quick bowling. One young fellow called Grant bowled a quickie to Wayne Coleman and smashed his glasses! It didn't matter that Bert preferred to bowl underarm, or Albert bowl with a chuck. The ball was seldom lost and the paddock was large enough for sixes to be a rare and wonderful thing - worthy of celebrating even! When batting, old Bert Moir even took his pipe from his mouth! Most of us missed at least one catch (in my case to allow someone to make his mandatory run!)
The drinks breaks were for beer and it was not necessary to have a break as the fielders took beer with them. So the toss winner would bat first because the fielders' became a little impaired as the game progressed.
It was great! People ran who you would never really expect to run, and people really tried to catch the ball - perhaps for the first time in their lives!
Generally it was fun times, enjoyed by all and often, later in the evening there was a barbecue to round off the day. These matches continued until the demise of the NZFS 1987.
Bert sold the sawmill to Fletchers, who were trying to muscle in on the industry and they in turn later sold it to Burnie McMullen when Keith became the Manager - later his son Steve took over.
Back then the forest was too young to supply sawlogs to the mill but we were sort of colleagues in that we were in the same industry and from time to time we cooperated in fire training. But gradually as the forest matured we had a closer relationship.
I have no idea who's idea it was, but Keith made up a trophy using an old saw blade and we were to play a game of cricket for it.
We prepared a wicket by mowing the grass and removing the stones from an area on the paddock Bert Moir leased off the NZFS and Colin, who was a keen cricketer supplied secondhand bats, wickets, keepers gloves, pads, balls and the bag to keep them in. All courtesy of the MCC - ah no, not them, Maheno Cricket Club (now in recession).
The match became an annual affair and was contested fiercely. All who came played, or had the opportunity to do so. Even wives should they want, but most wives just enjoyed the spectacle. Everyone had to make a run, everyone had to have a bowl - and no quick bowling. One young fellow called Grant bowled a quickie to Wayne Coleman and smashed his glasses! It didn't matter that Bert preferred to bowl underarm, or Albert bowl with a chuck. The ball was seldom lost and the paddock was large enough for sixes to be a rare and wonderful thing - worthy of celebrating even! When batting, old Bert Moir even took his pipe from his mouth! Most of us missed at least one catch (in my case to allow someone to make his mandatory run!)
The drinks breaks were for beer and it was not necessary to have a break as the fielders took beer with them. So the toss winner would bat first because the fielders' became a little impaired as the game progressed.
It was great! People ran who you would never really expect to run, and people really tried to catch the ball - perhaps for the first time in their lives!
Generally it was fun times, enjoyed by all and often, later in the evening there was a barbecue to round off the day. These matches continued until the demise of the NZFS 1987.
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