About the Australian Cricket Society
The Australian Cricket Society was founded in 1967 by a group of cricket aficianados led by Melbourne lawyer Andrew Joseph. Along with founding President Radcliffe Grace, their vision was the creation of a fraternity of cricket lovers to celebrate and “repay the tremendous pleasure we receive from the game”.
That inaugural vision remains true today. For over four decades, many thousands of members and friends have celebrated the game through dinners, meetings, film nights and the like. Down through the years, the Society has been addressed by the Who’s Who of cricket including Sir Donald Bradman, Lindsay Hassett, Paul Sheahan, Ian Healey, David Boon and in more recent years Kim Hughes, Damien Fleming and Darren Berry. In 2008, the centenary of Don Bradman’s birth was celebrated in unique fashion with a High Tea Party at Melbourne’s historic Windsor Hotel. Guests included Don’s son, John Bradman, Arthur Morris, Kamahl and Cricket Victoria’s CEO Tony Dodemaide.
Members have been privileged to hear the thoughts of Prime Ministers, writers and prominent administrators of the game. They’ve included Sir Robert Menzies, Bob Hawke, Christopher Martin Jenkins, Tim Rice, Gideon Haigh, Malcolm Speed and Jonathan Agnew.
Our flagship Pavilion magazine is widely acclaimed as an annual journal “which may be provocative, critical, yet not destructive or sensational whilst being reasonably topical”. Under the stewardship of former President and editor Ken Piesse, Pavilion is a great ambassador for the Society sought by cricket lovers worldwide.
The Society’s quarterly newsletter Scoresheet provided members news of activities and upcoming events since from 1968 to 2022. It knew only one editor – the legendary Doug Manning. For more than 50 years, Doug reported every function, result and item of cricket interest to members. – a remarkable feat of endurance and dedication. Doug’s dedication has been continued by former Society secretary Wayne Ross in the form of E-News, a monthly email publication on all things cricket and ACS.
Members have enjoyed playing the game through its Wandering X1. Many otherwise park cricketers have welcomed the opportunity to rub shoulders with many former internationals played at some lovely venues in a friendly atmosphere. Society members have long enjoyed tours to Golden Oldies and Vintage Cricket Carnivals around the world … a tradition that continues today.
The Australian Cricket Society’s original mission to promote the spirit of cricket continues today – nearly half a century on. That unwavering focus is due to many who have served the Society well down through the years. The most notable has been its select band of Honorary Life Members Sir Donald Bradman*, Fred Chamberlin*, Colin Barnes, Doug Manning, Steve Mason, Ian Stuart*, Rex Thompson, Ken Strickland*, Fred Hall, Richard Elvins * Roger Page and Ian Hammet
Membership of the Australian Cricket Society is open to all. The Society has a proud history of welcoming all cricket lovers irrespective of gender, class or creed. Please direct Membership enquiries here
* Deceased