Scotch College

The McLeod Club is Off and Running

A cricket support group at Scotch was formally launched in mid-October at a most enjoyable and memorable dinner held in the Melbourne Cricket Club's historic Long Room.

Doug Walters, Jill Spargo and Dr Donaldson

Over 150 cricket enthusiasts, including current and past parents, past cricket captains and Old Scotch Collegians with an abiding interest in Scotch College cricket attended the dinner.

The evening celebrated the impressive history of cricket at Scotch and the new support group was launched in fine style and in a festive and generous spirit.

Former outstanding Australian Test cricketer, Doug Walters, was the guest speaker. Doug entertained those present with many amusing anecdotes about his cricket career both on and off the field. It was appropriate that Doug could be part of the evening as he was the guest speaker at the first UK Cricket and Tennis tour dinner which was held at the Melbourne Cricket Club in 1993.

The name chosen for the support group is 'The McLeod Club', in recognition of the enormous contribution made to cricket at Scotch in the late 1800's by the four McLeod brothers, Robert, Charles, Dan and Harry. Three of the brothers captained the 1st XI, and Bob and Charles went on to play for Australia, with Charles scoring 112 at Lords in 1898. Of the first eight centuries scored by Scotch boys in inter-school matches, 7 were achieved by one of the McLeods.

Mr Paul Runting with the former Cricket Captain, George Tait, who had a mysterious likeness to 2001 School Captain Brendan Fergusson.

Senator the Hon Rod Kemp (an Old Scotch Collegian), a descendant of the brothers, also attended the launch dinner and delivered a most fitting speech in a formal toast to The McLeod Club, providing a great insight into the life and achievements of the four boys.

The aims of The McLeod Club are to support cricket at Scotch, helping each boy within the School's cricket programme to reach his potential, and to provide a forum to allow all those interested in, and connected with, Scotch cricket to get together.

The McLeod Club is extremely grateful to those who made generous donations in support of the Club at the launch dinner. The money raised and subsequent fund raising activities will assist with the purchase of cricket equipment and the provision of specialist coaching which will ensure boys at Scotch obtain the best possible cricket experience.