Sydney: Most people associated with the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) have been part of cricket history. One such person is Christine Bennison, the lady scorer in the Press box.
Sitting at one end, she announces time and again every detail of the match with great clarity. Christine has been on this job for the last 30 years and her details have helped media pick up the highlights and inform the world about the heroics of some of the great cricketers in action here.
Sixty-five-year-old Bennison’s voice is very clear and crisp, and she is always happy to provide everyone with any detail, most of which are at her fingertips. Years of keeping scores has helped her understand what is it that journalists need to put out in their story. “Three decades of scoring have been absolutely wonderful. In the first decade, I was mainly reporting about local matches and then on Test and one-dayers here. Keeping scores in Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) has always been a joy,” she remarked when I managed to catch up with her during the innings break.
“The first Test I did was against Zimbabwe in 2003. It has been a wonderful trip having been able to witness some of the great moments, like Steve Waugh’s last Test match. Keeping scores in my first Ashes Test in 2006-2007 was a great thrill,” she said.
In her first Test match in October 2003, she kept scores for Ricky Ponting’s 169. Then in January 2004, she recorded Sachin Tendulkar’s 241 not out that was made in 436 balls, 613 minutes and with 33 boundaries. India made 705 for seven in that Test match against Australia. She has also kept scores during Michael Clarke’s unbeaten 329 against India in January 2012 made from 468 balls, batting 609 minutes and hitting 39 boundaries and one six.”
Christine seems to remember every detail of the great knocks here. “There are many unforgettable Test matches. I am happy that I could keep scores during Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne’s last Test match against England in January 2007,” said Christine, who has also kept records during the VB Series second final twice and the ICC Women’s World Cup in 2009, including the final.
When asked whether she was the scorer for the match when Phil Hughes was fatally hit by a bouncer at the SCG, she said: “I was not scoring that match, and I am very grateful that I did not.”
Hughes was remembered on the eve of the semi-final with many fans walking to the member’s pavilion taking time to admire the batsman’s plaque. Matthew Wade, captain of Victoria Bushrangers, has tattooed a smiling face of Hughes on his right forearm wanting to pay tribute to his teammate, and his picture was published in the local newspapers. Wade has done this as a reminder that there is more to life than cricket.
On way to the media box is a tennis court, and one of the volunteers informed me that the man coaching there was none other than Rodger Waugh, father of Steve and Mark, and that he has played against some of the tennis greats like Tony Roche and John Newcombe and was also a state Under-14 champion before becoming a bank official. “How proud a father he must be every day when he walks in to coach tennis players and walks past the sculpture of his son Steve Waugh, who has been immortalized at the entrance of the stadium,” remarked the volunteer.
