Cricket royalty to join ‘Wazza’ at exhibition launch

He’s the Wisden of Wagga Wagga cricket who has been recognised with “local legend” status in the city’s Sporting Hall of Fame.

Now Warren Smith’s life and times in the sport is the centrepiece of a new exhibition being launched at Museum of the Riverina on Friday 7 December.

The exhibition “Wazza: A Local Legend” explores the life and legacy of a mentor and pioneering cricket coach who has contributed so much to the sport at a local, state, national and international level.

“Wazza” will be joined by two of his long-time friends and former cricket stars Steve Rixon and Geoff Lawson at Friday afternoon’s media opportunity.

The official launch later on Friday evening will see Alex Blackwell, former captain of Australian and NSW women’s cricket teams, join Smith, Lawson and Rixon for a night with Australian cricket royalty.

Blackwell, who retired in February this year and was coached by Smith, was the first woman in the 159-year history of NSW cricket to be elected to the Cricket NSW Board.

For more than 50 years, the irrepressible coach and mentor, Warren Smith, has been a regular fixture at ovals all over southern NSW, imparting the fundamentals of cricket, and some important life lessons too.

Smith was instrumental in the development of Australian Test cricketer Michael Slater, and influential to elite players the world over. To many more, his insistence on hard work, fair play and respect were just as formative.

The exhibition includes rare objects such as a bat from the notorious Bodyline series, signed by the likes of Sir Donald Bradman and Douglas Jardine.

Wazza is on show at Museum of the Riverina's Historic Council Chambers site from 8 December 2018 - 17 February 2019

Media opportunity

WHO: Warren Smith, Geoff Lawson and Steve Rixon with Museum curator Catherine Spreitzer
WHAT: Pre-launch of the Museum of the Riverina exhibition “Wazza: A Local Legend”
WHERE: MoR Historic Council Chambers site
WHEN: Friday 7 December 2018 at 12.30pm

Exhibition launch

WHO: Warren Smith, Geoff Lawson, Steve Rixon and Alex Blackwell
WHAT: Launch of “Wazza: A Local Legend”
WHERE: Council Meeting Room, Civic Centre, corner Baylis and Morrow Streets, Wagga Wagga
WHEN: Friday 7 December, 2018 at 6.30pm