Burma railway memorial match

Have bat, will travel for Matti Richardson – one of the cricketers off to Thailand on Friday.

Sharyn Oneill SO--

THAILAND might not be considered as one of the bastions of world cricket but for Matt Richardson and his team-mates donning the whites is just one reason for a trip there.

The group, known as “Richo's” as many of those who originally put their name forward bore the same surname as Matt, set off on Friday for an adventure in which the cricket match will be just one of the highlights.

The idea for the tour belongs to Ray Richardson, who visits Thailand regularly.

During those trips he has met up with Rod Beattie, an Australian military historian who was the founder of a military museum close to the Khachanaburi War Cemetery.

The museum is in memory of the many prisoners of war who perished while slaving to build the Thailand Burma Railway for their Japanese captors.

“We are going to raise awareness of what they went through, blokes of my age and younger don't know what they faced,” he said.

For Matt Richardson it will be a new experience as the cricket match will be played on a symbolic date, August 15 – 65 years after Japan announced its surrender and the end of World War II hostilities.

But why a game of cricket?

“That was the game the prisoners played at war,” Richardson said.

He said the men used rolled-up paper for a ball and a stick for a cricket bat.

While the equipment used by the players in this historic match will be traditional, there has been some innovative thinking to prepare a ground for the match.

With Thailand not embracing the sport the way Australians do, a pitch had to be prepared.

On one of his visits Ray Richardson found a suitable oval, a concrete wicket was poured and a synthetic surface ordered and imported from Australia.

The next step was to find an opposition but even that was sorted with a number of English and Australians working in Thailand putting their hands up to be a part of the challenge.

The tourists will take with them a squad that should do well.

While Matt said he likes the odd flourish with the willow during the Country Cricket Carnival there are other squad members with a good background in the sport.

Shaun Richardson is a solid cricketer on the local scene in Emerald while Rockhampton's Craig Wilkes is an asset to any team.

Perhaps the main signing however is Chris Swain, the former Gracemere player, who has been playing for the National Indigenous side.

Raising awareness is not the only plan on the team agenda as money has not only been raised for the trip but also to assist Beattie with the restoration work and upkeep of the Thai Museum.

A senior kit the team will play in and junior cricket kit has been donated by Sport Power and that will be presented to locals at the end of the game.

The trip is not planned as a one-off event with plans under way to return and play at the venue every five years.