Elsie Lange
Down on the corner of Evans and Brook streets in Sunbury, commemorating its place in Ashes history, sit the four bronze busts of cricketing legends Don Bradman, Ivo Bligh, W.G. Grace and Dennis Lillee.
At a Hume council meeting on April 11, councillor Trevor Dance raised a general business item to look into the feasibility of adding two more late champions of the game: Shane Warne and Rod Marsh.
“Sunbury is the birthplace of the Ashes, and it’s a good opportunity to acknowledge these great, extraordinary legends who have just passed unfortunately in the last month or so,” Cr Dance said.
“It will only add to the story of cricket in Sunbury, and any associated tourism benefits as the country opens up that will follow for Sunbury.”
The existing busts were installed in 2011 as part of the 175th anniversary of the presentation of the Ashes urn to English cricket captain Ivo Bligh at Rupertswood.
Councillor Jodie Jackson said she looked forward to the officer’s report to council, considering the popularity of the existing busts, while councillor Jack Medcraft asked “Where do we draw the line?”.
“If we go putting Shane Warne and whoever else next to those busts, it’s going to lose its effect of history, so we’ve got to be careful of what we wish for,” Cr Medcraft said.
Councillor Jarrod Bell said he was in support of Cr Dance’s motion, but said he was concerned the street corner would become crowded and suggested the idea of a “cricketer’s walk”.
“Where we can memorialise and immortalise great Australian cricketers, and really play into the history of Sunbury’s cricketing history and Sunbury’s cricketing connection,” Cr Bell said.
Council officers will report back to council the feasibility of adding the busts.
