This is a story about a passion for cricket and a burning desire to immerse oneself in the game.

Cricket, of course, is a game of statistics. It’s about individuals striving to perform on a personal level within a team framework. This story captures much more than this.

Ric Horsfall resigned from the Christchurch Metro Cricket Board earlier this year after serving on the inaugural Board established in 2012. He had been Chairman for a period but there is a requirement that he cannot hold that position while also serving on the Board of Canterbury Cricket. In order to oversee a smooth transition, he resigned that position as required but remained for a final year to support the incoming Chairman.

The early spark was ignited not from a family entrenched in cricket lore but from Ric’s primary school teacher, Alan Wood. He introduced Ric to the technical side of the game and this introduction to the gentleman’s game coincided with the cricket revolution that exploded with the Packer Years of the late 1970s that were to bring such radical change to the world game forever. Riding shotgun with this backdrop was the turmoil within the New Zealand cricket scene where New Zealand’s premier batsman, Glen Turner, was joisting with the Walter Hadlee, Chairman of the New Zealand Cricket Council, over how to reward the professional cricketer within the local game. These two irresistible forces saw Turner suspended from playing for his national team for a number of years.

Ric fell in love with Test and Plunket Shield cricket from this point.

He entered Linwood High School in 1985 at a time when teachers coached sports teams and this school was blessed with several active senior cricketers including Peter Sharp, former first-class cricketer and legendary cricket commentator. Alongside him, teaching colleagues included Murray Leach (St Albans), Dave Trist (New Zealand, Canterbury, West Christchurch University and Lancaster Park), George Nicol (St Albans) and Dave Saunders (West Christchurch University). Ric was selected for the top third form team as a bowler. However, he progressed to the 1^st XI in 1987 as a batsman. He played in various Christchurch representative sides before leaving school to join his local club that was Lancaster Park in mid-1989 where he played Second Grade.

In the winter of 1990 Ric travelled to the UK to play in London for Lancaster Park’s sister club, Cockfosters CC.

He returned to New Zealand in 1991 to play Second Grade and then Seniors for Lancaster Park CC in 1991-92. At this point he came under the influence of club coach Gary MacDonald. He also became a committee man for the club. Cricket had become central to his life.

He journeyed to Canada in 1996 to play on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Upon returning to Christchurch, Ric completed his degree at Lincoln University and his good friend, Ben Harris influenced him in a brief flirtation to join St Albans CC. At this stage in his life the playing of cricket took a back seat and he travelled abroad again, this time to Australia and Sydney. During a five-year spell in Sydney (where he married), he absorbed the cricket culture in all its facets.

He returned to Christchurch in 2005 and to his old club. He took up work on the committee and played, at a leisurely pace, in the Presidents Grade. He became Chairman of the Lancaster Park Club and during this time, the club had significant success on the field with a number of Premier titles while off the field the club ran at a profit and recruitment was strong. A club mantra of “better than what you were” was instilled in the players and this work ethic led to a number of young players being attracted to the cub before going on to higher honours. As outlined earlier, Ric took his skills to the Christchurch Metro Board and then to the Board of Canterbury Cricket.

He has recently become President of the Lancaster Park club following on from Craig Thiele. He has been a trustee of the Lancaster Park Cricket Foundation since its inception ten years ago. Ric believes, although youthful in its existence, the Metro set-up is a leader in the New Zealand district cricket. He is keen to see the Christchurch Junior Cricket Association join Christchurch Metro so as to streamline cricket in Christchurch in a common-sense manner.

It’s clear that Ric enjoyed his time as Chairman of Christchurch Metro and that he enjoys the rough and tumble of the politics associated with sports administration at the regional level.

What is also abundantly clear is Ric’s unbridled passion for the game. He was a foundation member of the new Hagley Oval and, while he remains connected to the club game, he enjoys the game at the national level as well. He has served on the Canterbury Board for two years and prior to that, he was a Board member of the Mainland Netball Association which had the Canterbury Tactix under its umbrella.

Ric is a passionate advocate of the community game and his administrative career to date has honed his skills and provided perspective to further contribute to the game he loves.

To this end, Ric acknowledges the importance of Ivan Lawson, Trevor Luke and Graham Harris (of Sydenham CC fame) as they have proved wise sounding boards in his personal development.

His outstanding contribution to the Christchurch club scene should stand him in good stead in cricket leadership at the higher level.

Article added: Monday 19 July 2021