Almanac Events: ‘Playing to Win – Australia and the 1972 Ashes’ with Barry Nicholls and Ross Edwards
The Western Australian branch of the Footy Almanac is holding an informal gathering at the
Wembley Hotel on Wednesday 20 August at 6pm.
The evening will feature Barry Nicholls, author of Playing to Win – Australia and the 1972 Ashes, and Ross Edwards, former Australian Test batsman and 1972 Ashes tourist, speaking about Barry’s book.
Barry’s book will be on sale for $35 cash.
All are welcome.
Below is an extract from the book:
After the 1972 Ashes Ross Edwards toured the West Indies as the second keeper and played every match. Marsh kept in the Tests (that Edwards played as a batsman), but when he was rested for some of the Island games, Edwards had to play as keeper. By the time Edwards returned from the West Indies, he’d been playing for Australia for around 15 months and had ‘ten dollars in the bank’. He was exhausted and broke. It was tough going for him and his young family. Edwards’ accounting knowledge provided the
background of two depositions to the Australian Board of Control regarding the need to increase player payments. It was ignored both
times. By then the gloss of playing for Australia was starting to wear off. Having to take time off to go on tour began to grate as he couldn’t enjoy holidays with his family. ‘Players started retiring because they couldn’t afford to keep playing. From 1970 I didn’t get a job for fouryears.’ Edwards was part of the Australian annihilation of England, scoring 115 in the Second Test at Perth in 1974, and was at the other end when Doug Walters scored his century in a session with a six off the final ball of the day. He topped the Australian averages in the first men’s World Cup before making 99 in the Lord’s Test. After he retired from first-class cricket, Edwards played World Series Cricket, captaining the Cavaliers on their country tours, returning to Sheffield Shield cricket briefly to captain NSW. He later took on a Channel Nine executive’s role in Sydney and other senior jobs with international broadcasters.A Ross Edwards stamp and coin commemorated the 50th anniversary of his undefeated 170 at Trent Bridge.
Ross Edwards speaking in India where he travelled on the way home from England in September 1972.
From Ross Edwards’ private collection.
Barry Nicholls will feature at a Footy Almanac event in Adelaide in November. Further details will be forthcoming.
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Sensational Barry. What a wonderful achievement.
Loved that series.
Seeya there
Sorry that I couldn’t make it along to the Wembley Hotel last night, Barry.
I’m really looking forward to buying a copy of “Playing to Win”.
Enjoyable evening. Barry’s depth of knowledge – encyclopaedic as always.
Ross was very generous (and humble) with his memories of the 1972 Tour and the master/servant relationship between administrators and players. The game was all about competitiveness and pride back then. Players were impoverished. WSC was inevitable – Packer was just the entrepreneur who realised the opportunity and facilitated the transition.
My reflection was how life and society always pendulum swings between extremes. An amateur’s game full of passion and pride in 1972 is now a joyless parade of meaningless celebrity contests between millionaires indentured to Indian oligarchs.
As Ross said – he was grateful to have played in that era. The role of Ian Chappell as a leader of men – both on the cricket field and then later in life – was central. WSC and Packer eventually delivered Ross the rewards he was owed on the cricket field with his employment by Channel 9.
“The arc of the moral universe is long – but it bends towards justice” (MLK)