By Rowan McClean
It was at the Rotary International Assembly held in Nashville in 1986 that the idea of an exchange of parties of cricket-playing Rotarians between districts in the United Kingdom and India was discussed. For several years, exchanges between India, South Africa and the West Indies took place, but it became clear that a new Rotary Vocational Fellowship would succeed. On 25th May 1993, the formal launching of the International Fellowship of Cricket Loving Rotarians took place in the Long Room of the Melbourne Cricket Club, courtesy of the Australian Cricket Board.
Tours have since taken place between Australia, India, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom and the West Indies. The incoming tourists have not only been able to enjoy the delights of a new country seen through the eyes of their Rotarian hosts, but they have also acted as “missionaries” and have shown that even though one’s body may have declined, the enjoyment of the game does not diminish. There are many examples of people who thought their playing days had long gone, but have realised that Rotary cricket is played at a more sedate pace. Even the Australian sledging is more polite in Rotary cricket.
Regular World Festivals have also been established with the first being held in Fordingbridge, England in 1997, followed by Chennai (1999), Christchurch (2002), the Hunter Valley, Australia (2004), Colombo (2007), Durban (2010), Vapi in India (2012), Nottihinham (2014), Christchurch (2017), and Melbourne last year (2019). As with the Olympics, they get bigger and better every time with each host city preparing itself well in advance for the onslaught.
But IFCR is not just about playing cricket...it is also an excuse for bringing together the fellowship that Rotary and cricket combines so uniquely.
For those interested in cricket, Josh Moore, a Melbourne-based film producer (now Principal of Nimble Pictures) who has done work for District 9800, has made an award winning cricket film “Beyond the Backyard”. Click the video below to see the trailer:
