John Rogers has cricket in his blood. He has been a state player and selector for NSW, administrator at state and club level and worked in the media. His son Chris is a current Australian test player. When he retired, he took off with his wife Ros to circumnavigate the country in a caravan. On their journey, they stumbled across something which wouldn’t be out of place in a sleepy English village, but seems somehow at odds with the dry, rolling hills of the Strath Valley, some 85 kilometres north of Melbourne.
John and Ros had found the Hume and Hovel Cricket ground. It had been carved out of the bush near Strath Creek some 20 years earlier by Don and Anne McQueen, and the temptation to buy it was just too great. They renamed it The Village Green, and set about turning it into a cricket haven, not just for themselves, but for anyone that loves cricket. The manicured oval and turf wickets are available for cricket matches – serious, social or both. The picturesque pavilion can handle everything from a large catered function to Devonshire tea (fantastic scones Ros) or a refreshing beer. There is onsite accommodation (enough for two teams), so you can enjoy a few post-match refreshments without having to worry about driving home. John has a great collection of cricket memorabilia, and his happy to share the story behind each piece. It really is an amazing little oasis and worth checking out at thevg.com.au. Howzat?
