7 March 1938, Melbourne, Australia
I would like to thank you very, very much indeed for the kind words which you have said to welcome us here today, and to wish us godspeed and I would like to thank all of you for the very hearty manner and obviously sincere manner in which you drank the toast.
As I look around me, I can see some ex-Australian XI captains. Well, it won't be very long before I'm also down there amongst the tables, but I wish just at this moment in front of this large gathering, that I could change places with them immediately.
It is a very great honour to us indeed, that you should honour us by turning up in such great numbers today, We are going away on a mission, which after all is only a game of sport, but by the wonderful interest and enthusiasm which is being displayed, it is obvious that the public of Australia regard it as being something much more important than a mere game.
Last night on board the boat, we had a very good evening. I hear some of the players start to laugh quietly, so I won't go into details about it. In addition, we've had the pleasure of the company of that dear old gentleman and scorer, Mr. Fox.
He said he had great difficulty in keeping up to time once or twice, but it couldn't have had much effect on him because last night on board that ship, he confided to me. I dunno whether I should tell you, I suppose it'll be all right, that he had his first dance for 45 years. Well, if it was his first dance for 45 years, then I regret to say that he has been keeping that treat from the ladies all this time.
There is just one little touch of sadness about our departure from Melbourne. And that is that here in Victoria, you have some very, very excellent cricketers who narrowly missed selection in the Australian team.
Now the selectors are very human people. They're not given credit for being human of course! Nevertheless, they are and they share the trials and the disappointments of the players. We are extremely disappointed that certain players could not find room in the 16. But I want to say that I personally have been very touched by the charming manner in which those players have taken their omission. It shows the true cricketing spirit, and they have realised of course that if the selectors acted according to sentiment, instead of according to their judgement, they would not be worthy of holding the position of selectors.
Now I'm sure I've kept you all too long, but I know that you're going to follow our doings with the greatest interest on the other side of the world. You want to get out all those rusty old broken valves so there won't be any breakdowns at about three o'clock in the morning, and you'll have to rush over in your pyjamas to your next door neighbour's place. But one thing you may rest assured, and that is that wherever we go, we shall not forget that in addition to being your cricket representatives, we are representative of this country as citizens and on all possible occasions, we endeavour do act as thorough gentlemen,
Thank you very much.