The stamps of greatness

Forty years ago this month, a young John Howard raced from his university law exams to the Sydney Cricket Ground to watch Sir Garfield Sobers score a stirring 168 against Australia.

Today during the luncheon break on day two of the Fifth Test, the Prime Minister was delighted to be able to present to West Indian vice-captain Sherwin Campbell stamps featuring the great man who was last year named among the five best cricketers of the century.

While the 2000-01 tourists from the Caribbean were planning their resurgence in the dressing rooms, Mr Howard was at the centre of the ceremonies inside the Brewongle Stand's Boundary Room, making presentations of the stamps betokening the Five Cricketers of the Century as selected by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack.

The five - Sir Donald Bradman, Sobers, Sir Jack Hobbs, Sir Vivian Richards and Shane Warne - were selected by a hundred judges from around the cricket playing nations, weighted according to the number of Tests their country had played. Their brief was to name the five individuals whose excellence at cricket during the twentieth century made the greatest contribution to the game.

Chosen last year, the five have now been immortalised in the stamps, featuring frame-by-frame shots of trademark batting and bowling. All present agreed the beautiful stamps were a bright idea.

"I can think of fewer better media for Sir Donald's image than a stamp," said Gideon Haigh, the editor of Wisden Australia.

"For every Test run he has made, he has sent countless more letters and well-wishers, while the Adelaide posties who have delivered his mail down the years are unsung Australian heroes indeed," he joked.

Self confessed cricket tragic Mr Howard took special delight in his duties today, pausing to reflect on the fact that he has been fortunate enough to watch four of the five outstanding cricketers. He was there for Bradman's final SCG innings, during the 1948-49 Alan Kippax and Bert Oldfield testimonial match. He was able to watch master blaster Richards in action, and was also in England during Warne's amazing Ashes performance, which included perhaps the most famous ball in Australian Test cricket history.

Speaking of the importance of the Wisden Almanack itself, the Prime Minister praised the panel of judges who chose the five players.

"I didn't have a vote but I have no quarrel with the decisions," he said.

"These players have played a tremendous part in the affection for the game many of us have. And our enjoyment of the game has been enriched by the feats of these players."

And at least one person was obviously immediately inspired by the memories of these excellent representatives. Campbell, who rushed away to be with his team after collecting the stamps and a plaque for his countryman, ran out Australia's Mark Waugh soon after the lunch break to keep his side well in the game.

Meanwhile, there is speculation that Mr Howard himself may be padding up for a couple of overs during an exhibition one-day match between a Prime Minister's XI and an ATSIC Chairman's XI to be played as part of the Centenary of Federation celebrations at Canberra's Manuka Oval on 5 April.

The game, first proposed by Geoff Clark, the Chairman of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission, is designed to recognise the significance of the participation of Indigenous Australians in cricket both prior to, and since, Federation.

It is hoped the staging of the event will provide an opportunity for all Australians to celebrate the contribution of Indigenous Australians to cricket, in particular the legendary 1868 Aboriginal team that was the first representative team from this country to tour England.