For Brad Hodge, Raelee Thompson and the late John Allan ‘Jack’ Ledward were the 2017 inductees to the Lord’s Taverners Victorian Legends of Victoria Cricket.
Hosted by Lord’s Taverners Victoria at the Royal South Yarra Lawn Tennis Club, guests were treated to entertaining stories and heartfelt memories shared by Brad Hodge and Raelee Thompson, and Ryan Ledward son of Jack Ledward.
Lord’s Taverners member, Jim Higgs OAM delivered the citation for late Jack Ledward recognising not only cricket career with Richmond, Victoria and Australia, but also his dedication and accomplishments as a cricket administrator spanning 22 years. The presentation was received by Jack’s grandson Ryan Clarkson-Ledward who delivered a magnanimous speech reminiscing Jack’s ‘raw passion for cricket’.
Melbourne Cricket Club’s Marcella Torre took the audience back to a time during Raelee’s career when women held full-time jobs to support their sporting career and had to pay to represent their state and country. Raelee was celebrated as a pioneer in women’s cricket who worked full time in as a police woman while taking weekends ‘off work’ to play cricket. Raelee was well supported on the night with strong attendance from the ladies of Essendon Maribrynong Ladies Cricket Club.
In his citation of Brad Hodge, Lord’s Taverners President, Tony Dodemaide recounted days when Brad Hodge first entered the Victorian Bushrangers dressing room and was swiftly and affectionately nicknamed ‘bunky’ as he still slept at home in bunk beds – through to his extensive cricket career spanning all forms of the game to represent 22 cricket teams all over the world. Despite representing 22 teams around the world, it was his local grassroots cricket club – East Sandringham Cricket Club, that was in attendance to celebrate his career and acknowledge his induction in to the Legends of Victorian Cricket.
Complementing the evening, the Lord’s Taverners identified and acknowledged future stars of Victorian cricket - Annabelle Sutherland, Will Sutherland and Makinley Blows – who were recipients of the Young Taverners Awards.
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