|PIC1|"My Cricket ministry is shortly to enter its twenty fifth year and it has included the Australian Cricket team, Life After Cricket, and respite facilities at Basil Sellers Tweed that cater for Cricket Family Respite and athletes from Australian Institute of Sport Cricket Centre of Excellence in Brisbane." mused M V Tronson. "I am continually in awe of the Lord's touch, in enabling me to continue to help these Australian sports people and their families."
M V Tronson, a Baptist minister of 31 years and chairman of Well-Being Australia, served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years to the end of 2000, when he initiated Life After Cricket. The inaugural retired Australian cricketers newsletter, which includes his Chaplain's Chat, was also distributed at that time.
It is published on 30 November and 30 March each year, and the content is overseen by the editorial team consisting of cricketing greats Allan Border (Qld), Phil Emery (NSW), VCA Jason Bakker (Vic), David Boon (TAS), Greg Chappell (SA) and Kim Hughes (WA).
These newsletters are available electronically or as hard copy, and are mailed by each of the State Cricket Associations to both retired and currently active Australian cricketers.
"We have evidence of how much our newsletter has established itself within the cricket fraternity, because we receive messages of encouragement and support, which are greatly appreciated," said M V Tronson. "We also note that we also receive 'change of address' notices, indicating how keen cricketers are to continue to receive the publication every six months."
"This current edition publicises retired cricketer activities, while the Chaplain's Chat illustrates Mark Tronson's message with a story of a troop train at Christmas 1942 in Western Australia that was saved from driving into a flooded river by its vigilant driver, the late Sam Inglis," M V Tronson noted.
The Australian Cricketers Pastoral Letter noted two stories, one of which related a quote from Kookaburra Olympic gold medalist Jamie Dwyer speaking about his junior hockey with his parents and grandparents watching: "You never score a goal just for yourself."
M V Tronson likens these anecdotes to the relationship of Australian cricketers to those around them, and how character is built within the providence of their lives.