History
Geography of Kippax Oval
The home of Ginninderra cricket is host to a number of landmarks reflecting the feats of Tigers past and present. Just as the Flinders Ranges are named in honour of the famous Australian and intrepid explorer, Matthew Ranges, various Tigers are remembered by the naming of part of the Oval in honour of their unique achievements. Come with me as I take you on a tour....
Garrett Gully
As one takes guard in the Burger Net, one can see a line of trees to one's left running the length of Kippax II. These tree's provide shade and cover for the most enduring landmark at Kippax, Garrett Gully. Named primarily in honour of Tim "Tooty" Garrett, the name also reflects the contribution to Tiger slogging made by Tim's older brother, Justin "Desert Head" Garrett.
The number of trips made by the Garretts to retrieve the leather from this slice of Australia are too many to recount, each one the result of a slowly floated delivery being moosed with gay abandon. As these extremely ordinary nude nuts floated invitingly toward the batsmen, it was often the practice of the Garretts to start running toward their Gully prior to the ball being dispatched by all and sundry.
Previously, Garrett Gully was named Moshins Creek, or Sheikh Creek, after a former Tiger who was hit into the Gully willy-nilly, his offerings of non-spinning pies were slogged into the Gully more times than the Garrett family collective total. However as he left the club he was deemed non-worthy of permanent recognition, and opinion was also torn, as most of Moshin's all-you-can-eat buffet ended up in the mystical realm beyond, the place where the Eagle Lands and the Wind Begins, Fennis Field...
Fennis Field
One has to descend into the dark hollows of Garrett Gully and grimly scale the North Face to emerge onto Fennis Field. Some say it is a place of Evil, some say a place of beauty and joy; in any case, it is a place inhabited by one man - Karl Fennis.
Being hit onto Fennis Field is an honour, and one not easily earnt. To create a delivery that can be slogged so far by so many is an achievement in itself. That Fennis has been able to maintain his creative output over numerous seasons speaks volumes for the character of the man. Many a Tiger has looked on with apprehension at the sight of Fennis bravely setting off on another perilous journey into The Beyond, and marvelled at his innate ability to return from his journey and serve it up again.
Humpy's Fence
Some landmarks are named after efforts over a number of seasons, sheer weight of numbers and consistency demanding their name be affixed to part of the Oval. Others are named after one moment in time when it is forged in the memory of all who witness the event.
What is now terraced seating at Kippax I was once a barren wasteland, inhabited by empty King Browns, scrubby bushes, empty cigarette packets and a pair of crusty jocks. The now complete and picturesque picket fence was commenced in front of this wasteland, and it was into this wasteland that Humpy was hit, by a fat number 9 Queanbeyan batsmen. The picket fence was about 20 feet long in its infancy, and a solitary symbol of hope, protecting the green swards of Tigerland from the ravages of the Wild. The fattys slog was true, the ball flew unerringly over the fence and another landmark was born - Humpys Fence.
Dags Lightpole
The symbolism of the slog that created Humpys fence is the essence of that landmark. The enormity of the roost that christened Dags' Lightpole is the stuff of legend.
Having taken a wicket with the previous delivery, Dags face lit up like someone had just handed him a tequila doughnut at the sight of the number 9 batsmen from the Filth striding to the crease. Unsuspectingly, Dags chortled up to bowl, sending down a delivery that would have made a Garrett/Fennis lovechild (Kevin Tran?) proud.
What happened next is hard to describe. The ball was not so much hit as launched into the stratosphere. It soared like a phoenix toward the sun, it brought rain to the needy and it was briefly visible from the moon. If you stand at the Toilet End of the pitch on the Western Side of the square on Kippax II and look into the distance, you will see a lightpole that stands just in front of Garrett Gully. About 5 feet from the top there is a small dent - this is where the ball hit the lightpole.
The Garrett family spent close to a decade offering up their range of baked goods to be delivered to their Gully; Fennis has an eerie ability that is not of this world to produce deliveries that sprout wings and dissapear into the distance with monotonous regularity. For one moment in time the depths achieved by these deliveries were dwarfed by the delivery that produced the biggest hit ever seen on a cricket field.
These are but a few of the notable landmarks at Kippax; for instance, one passes Dead Mans Corner immediately after leaving The Bags Carpark, or if one takes the southern route they will notice the entrance to Dizzys Tool Shed. On Kippax I the memories of Beasts Bush come flooding back, and the large expanse of the western side of Kippax I will forever more be Bombers Bog.
I hope this has been an educational tour, and I wish you every success in being remembered for eternity at Kippax oval.
Team Anthem
Ohhhhhhhhh
We're from Tigerland
The fighting fury, we're from Tigerland
In any weather you will see us with a grin
Risking life and limb
If we're behind then never mind
We'll fight and fight and win
We're from Tigerland
We'll never falter till the final wicket's gone
Like the Tigers of old
We're strong and we're bold
Cause we're from Tiger-
YELLOW AND BLACK
We're from Tiger-land.