The 2021 Lady Bradman Cup

A perfect Southern Highlands autumn’s day greeted the Edmund Barton Chambers and Eleven Wentworth Chambers cricket teams for the 30th fixture of the Lady Bradman Cup cricket match held on Saturday, 24 April 2021 at Bradman Oval in Bowral.

The Cup is named after the late Lady Jessie Bradman who attended the first match played in 1991 and presented the trophy to the winning team’s captain. Last year’s match was regrettably cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing players on both teams to benefit from an extra year’s net practice or rest, at their election.

Lady Bradman Cup stalwarts mixed with fresh faces in a match played in a friendly and collegial spirit, with player ages ranging from 8 to nearly 80. Edmund Barton mounted a respectable total of 158 runs in 35 overs, following a substantial contribution by three members of the Schofield family. While sons have often played alongside their barrister fathers in the match, this year’s match was the only occasion in the Cup’s history in which there have been two father-daughter player combinations (from the Fairfax and Schofield families) and a grandfather, son and grand-daughter combination from the Schofield family. The three Schofields were the individual top-scorers for the team, making 74 runs in total, and went on to take four wickets between them.

The cricketing partnership forged between Eleven Wentworth and Eight Selborne in recent years strengthened with the addition of further honorary Wombats comprising Eight Selborne members, their offspring and a former clerk. Not to be outdone by Edmund Barton’s multi-generational turnout, Eleven Wentworth showcased its own cricketing dynasty, the Jackman family, consisting of Ian and sons Xander and Nick. Xander Jackman (30 not out), Hayden Fielder (30 not out) and Alexander Langshaw (29) were the standout batsmen for the Wombats, who were ultimately victorious with captain Ian Pike hitting the winning runs in the 31st over after surviving a maiden over from debutante 8 year old Hugh Brigden.

Special mention must be made of Thos Hodgson, valiant captain of the Edmund Barton team, who is the only player to have played in all thirty Lady Bradman Cup matches, of Justices Andrew Bell and Michael Lee who descended to barristerial ranks for the day to play in the match, and John Ireland for umpiring.