Angus Jemmett (above) scored 32 for Tech Stags on Saturday against Star at the Ashburton Domain Oval. Photo Adam BurnsA couple of individual cameos have guided  the Tech Stags home to ensure a winning start to the year, romping to an 83-run win over Star.

Tech had struggled after being sent in to bat by the Timaru club, with a couple of young recruits propping up the Stags’ batting effort.

Devon Flannery (67) and Angus Jemmett (32) were the only batsmen to get starts, while Des Kruger (11) was the only other individual to cross double digits as Tech were restricted to 151.

Openers Jason Morrison and Bevan Richan were ejected in consecutive overs to leave the Mid Canterbury club at 8/2.

It brought the in-form Kruger to the crease who briefly secured proceedings before he too was removed in the 14th over.

At 29/3, it was left to Flannery and Jemmett to get things back on track for the hosts, as the duo put on 49 for the fourth wicket over the next eight overs.

Brad Leonard rattled Jemmett’s stumps in the 22nd over however Flannery kept the scoreboard ticking over.

Despite a timely half century from the youngster, he was bereft of support at the other end as the Stags lost their final five wickets for 27 runs, to be all out in the 43rd over.

Star were restrained by some tight bowling in response, with Alex Hooper and Ryan Bell proving difficult to get away.

Openers Phil McGregor and Daniel Campbell were back in the hunt inside the first 10 overs.

The introduction of Jones into the attack cause issues for the top and middle order of the Star line-up.

He removed Chris Hogan to leave Star three down before claiming the quick scalps of Adam Fahey and Tyler Cox before the 15th over to leave the club’s chase in tatters.

The next two overs saw the visitors unravel further with a run out and another wicket for Jones, when he had Brad Leonard caught and bowled to leave Star at 45/7.

Some minor resistance from Hitesh Valand (17) alleviated some of the chagrin, however it was nowhere near enough as Star were dismissed in the 25th over.

Jones (4-15) and Hooper (3-9) completed sterling shifts with the ball, giving nothing away to the opposition batsmen.

By Adam Burns © The Ashburton Guardian - 12 January 2021

Jim Burgess. Photo supplied.24.4.1937 – 27.11.2020

Jim Burgess may have been a man who held a high public profile, but at heart he was very much a family man, at his happiest on home turf.

Ashburton was the place of his heart, from birth to death.

He was the youngest of Ernie and Bernadine Burgess’ four children, with his two older brothers Brian and Peter and his older sister Diana all predeceasing him.

Jim attended Ashburton East School (now Hampstead) and Ashburton Technical College, leaving at the age of 15 to earn his first pay packet at Burnetts Motors and wrapping up his long working life managing hotels and bars around the Ashburton District for the Ashburton Trust.

For about 15 years in between those two jobs he worked with his parents in their Moore Street grocery store.

In many ways he was destined to build a long career in the hospitality industry.

Those seeds were sown early in his working years when he started out moonlighting as a barman in the Somerset Hotel, dreaming that this might provide the stepping stone on which he could build a career in hotel management.

When the Hotel Ashburton opened in the 1970s Jim was on the payroll as bar manager and then moved up to become second in charge of the hotel.

He took a break from frontline hotel work and for a few years left the hospitality industry to take on the Creek Road Dairy, but the pull of hospitality was too strong and he returned to the Hotel Ashburton and later taking over as manager of the Hinds Tavern in 1979, moving to become mine host at the Devon Tavern the following year.

His rise through the Ashburton Trust’s ranks continued and he became the organisation’s operations manager in 1983.

In 1994 he took up the lease of the Hinds Tavern. This was the first time in the trust’s 44 year history it had leased one of its businesses, rather than appoint a manager.

Over Jim’s many years with the trust he managed virtually every hotel or tavern on its books.

His retirement, when it came, was to be brief, with Jim deciding he wanted to make a contribution to his community. He decided to stand for the urban ward of the Ashburton District Council at the 2004 election.

He won and that set him on a new path, one that would see him successful at each triennial election until his retirement in 2013.

Over those years he served on virtually every council committee and in his final term became a member of the Ashburton District Licensing Committee before deciding in 2013 it was finally time to retire.

During his years on the council Jim was a strong advocate and voice for older people and people on fixed incomes and their welfare guided many of his decisions as a councillor.

In his private life Jim was a keen rugby player and loved music. It wasn’t until his retirement, however, he had the time to become involved in community organisations.

He then joined Grey Power, becoming its president and joined the Savage Club where he could use his fine voice to sing at Senior Citizens’ meetings.

Jim was married to Edna for 62 years and together they raised four children. They now have 11 grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

His family describe him as a very humble man who was a true believer in service to others. His greatest joys in life were his family and later his grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Jim is survived by his wife Edna, his children Tony, Philip, Barbara and Brian and his 11 grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

By Sue Newman - © The Ashburton Guardian - 8 January 2021

Methven Summer School tutor Stephen Millichamp is a new tutor for 2021 Photo Heather MackenzieStephen Millichamp may have been a secondary school teacher for over 30 years, but a basket weaving course he’s running at this week’s Methven Summer School is only the second basket weaving class he has ever taught.

“Normally I teach agriculture and horticulture at Ashburton College, so this is a bit new to me.”

Millichamp said he was first introduced to basket weaving through a Wanaka Autumn Art School course a few years back and from this first seed his weaving and willow growing pursuits took off.

“Living in Staveley I needed something that would grow in the cold and damp and I knew willow would do that here.”

Millichamp said he now has around 1000 willow plants on the property, but any pictures of weeping willows, swaying gently by a babbling brook were quickly dashed when he explained they are actually just sticks.

“The willow sticks grow straight up. When they get to the right height I harvest them in the winter by cutting them off at the ground and they grow again for the next year.”

It takes a special kind of willow to make baskets from.

“Most willow is called ‘cracking willow’ for a reason, it is too brittle to weave,” he said.

In getting ready for his two-day Summer School class, Millichamp cut the willow sticks around twelve months ago, then left them to dry out.

Just before the class he soaked them in water to make them supple enough to work with.

“You can work with this type of willow green, but it tends to shrink as it dries out, making the basket looser than they should be.”

© The Ashburton Guardian - 8 January 2021