It can be a small world at times – none more so than in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs this past two months when Hampshire’s Joe Weatherley linked up with Ringwood, the Victoria Premier League Grade club, whose batting coach is former Havant all-rounder Len Hayes-Rosario (right above).
Len, who spent three seasons with Havant back in the Seventies, was full of praise for the 22-year old St Cross Symondians raised opening batsman, about whom he said “was a great pleasure” to have at Ringwood for the second half of the season.
Weatherley, who struck maiden centuries in both List A (Kent, Royal London Cup) and County Championship (Lancashire) cricket last summer, would have spent the entire winter playing alongside Hampshire teammate Ian Holland with Ringwood, but for visa problems.
Hayes-Rosario, a prominent early order batsman and medium-pace swing bowler in his playing days, spoke warmly of Weatherley’s professional attitude at Ringwood.
He explained: “I am the club's specialist batting coach and work with the players on a Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Joe always seemed to get his pads on first and get across to me in before anyone else.
“He seemed to get a lot out of it and I enjoyed working with him. He has a lot of talent and I hope he does well for Hampshire this summer.
“He fitted in well with the club and had his best performance of 40 with the bat during his last game. I am sure he would have scored a lot of runs if he had played the full season.”
Down Memory Lane
Weatherley’s presence in Melbourne (where he took in the Australian Open tennis and a host of BBL matches) sent Len Hayes-Rosario on a trip down memory lane of his own cricketing times abroad, at Havant.
“It is hard to believe that it is over 30 years ago. I first played for Havant during season 1984 and then followed up in 1985. I then returned in 1989 as part of a world trip which took in America, Europe and Asia,” he said.
“I have kept a scrap book of my first season with Havant in 1984. I took a photo of every cricket ground I played on (about 60 games) and kept all the newspaper articles about the matches. I recall going to the West Country with the Hants & Sussex Borderers, several of those guys still playing for the Hampshire Seniors’ teams in 60s and 70s cricket.”
Weatherley left Melbourne in a hurry. Within hours of finishing his farewell speech at Ringwood’s President’s Lunch, he was on his way to the airport and a flight home.
“He was due to land in the early hours and almost immediately jet off to Tenerife for Hampshire’s pre-season training trip,” Hayes-Rosario concluded.
He made it. And slept well that night !
Len, who spent three seasons with Havant back in the Seventies, was full of praise for the 22-year old St Cross Symondians raised opening batsman, about whom he said “was a great pleasure” to have at Ringwood for the second half of the season.
Weatherley, who struck maiden centuries in both List A (Kent, Royal London Cup) and County Championship (Lancashire) cricket last summer, would have spent the entire winter playing alongside Hampshire teammate Ian Holland with Ringwood, but for visa problems.
Hayes-Rosario, a prominent early order batsman and medium-pace swing bowler in his playing days, spoke warmly of Weatherley’s professional attitude at Ringwood.
He explained: “I am the club's specialist batting coach and work with the players on a Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Joe always seemed to get his pads on first and get across to me in before anyone else.
“He seemed to get a lot out of it and I enjoyed working with him. He has a lot of talent and I hope he does well for Hampshire this summer.
“He fitted in well with the club and had his best performance of 40 with the bat during his last game. I am sure he would have scored a lot of runs if he had played the full season.”
Down Memory Lane
Weatherley’s presence in Melbourne (where he took in the Australian Open tennis and a host of BBL matches) sent Len Hayes-Rosario on a trip down memory lane of his own cricketing times abroad, at Havant.
“It is hard to believe that it is over 30 years ago. I first played for Havant during season 1984 and then followed up in 1985. I then returned in 1989 as part of a world trip which took in America, Europe and Asia,” he said.
“I have kept a scrap book of my first season with Havant in 1984. I took a photo of every cricket ground I played on (about 60 games) and kept all the newspaper articles about the matches. I recall going to the West Country with the Hants & Sussex Borderers, several of those guys still playing for the Hampshire Seniors’ teams in 60s and 70s cricket.”
Weatherley left Melbourne in a hurry. Within hours of finishing his farewell speech at Ringwood’s President’s Lunch, he was on his way to the airport and a flight home.
“He was due to land in the early hours and almost immediately jet off to Tenerife for Hampshire’s pre-season training trip,” Hayes-Rosario concluded.
He made it. And slept well that night !
