ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
His parents finally felt safe to bring a child into this world when they saw the sea of Berliners taking to the wall with sledgehammers and crowbars.
However, when communism was dying its slow death, it was also a time when the Australian cricket team was also dying a quicker, less humane death.
After years, perhaps even decades of being the perennial bridesmaid of Test cricket, the Australians slowly emerged from the easy-beat shadow to become a powerhouse of the sport.
William Dunkirk was born into that post-communist world that saw the western economies buck and pull against the reins and experience unbridled growth and prosperity. Along with that boom was the growing dynasty that not only cricket and rugby union enjoyed, but Australian sport, in general, became accustomed to.
However, now that the nation’s cricket team is teetering on the verge of another period in the sporting wilderness – and it’s got the 24-year-old feeling something he’s never felt before.
“I haven’t lived in a world where Australia is just mediocre at sport. It’s an odd feeling,” he said.
“It feels like everyone from the Wallabies to the roundball boys are slipping into minnow status.”
“But it’s the cricket team that’s got me worried. You can’t go about making Rob Quineys out of these youngsters. You’ll break their little hearts. How can you judge a bloke based off one game? Warney got carted in his first Test. Tendulkar went to town on him, but Alan Border stuck with him.”
“Now I know how Dad felt after the big names from the 70s retired.” he said.
More to come.
Is William Dunkirk related to Dirk Wellham? Its too close to be a coincidence – second umpire needed.