THE 35th Willowfest Cricket Carnival will have it’s very own special trophy for the Cup Grade winners.
Based off the famous Ashes urn, played for between England and Australia, the competition based in Sunraysia has had it’s own created.
After the first test between the two countries, Australian’s burnt the bails from the stumps and placed them into an urn, marking “the death of English cricket”.
Willowfest president Anthony Telfer came up with a similar idea when searching for artefacts for this year’s celebration, after discovering bails of the father of Willowfest, Charlie Hausler.
Jim Underwood, president of the Mildura Woodturners Club, was then enlisted to help, and the magnificent looking trophy was born.
“I went to AV Trophies for an urn,
but they didn’t have exactly what we were looking for,” Telfer said.
“Then they told us about Jim, so they sent him a picture of the Ashes urn, without any contact from me, and he went ahead and did it in six hours.
“I’m over the moon, it looks brilliant.”
The trophy is made from local Redgum and Yellow Mallee wood.
Underwood has been turning wood for 12 years.
“I’ve been turning ever since I went to a Mildura Wood Show,” he said.
“I was fascinated by what they did with the wood.”
Underwood has a shed in his backyard where the magic happens, which he said used to be the Red Cliffs Apex Club food van.
“At one stage I had it on the riverfront and was turning wood, and people would pull up and ask for a can of Coke!,” he laughed.
Telfer said the trophy will remain at the Mildura Workingman’s Club, but the winning Cup Grade side each year will get to keep a smaller version.
“AV Trophies engraved it for us, it looks beautiful,” he said.
A few tickets still remain for a river cruise on the PS Mundoo as the 35 year Willowfest team is announced.
Tickets can be purchased at www.willowfest.com.au.
