A remarkable period in the administration of Canterbury Cricket ended in June 2020 when Trudy Anderson resigned her position as Operations Manager after 21 years.

She came to the job with a background in teaching Mathematics at secondary school level. With her significant playing experience and knowledge of the game, Trudy brought with her that organised and clear-thinking approach so necessary in her teaching profession.

But let’s start at the beginning which saw her first 21 years spent in Auckland where she was educated at Mt Roskill Grammar School. The first seeds for a love of sport were sown with the encouragement of her Physical Education teacher and cricket was to take over. It was off to Auckland Teachers’ College on leaving school and, at this point, Trudy represented Auckland for a year before moving to her first teaching position at Dannevirke High School in the Southern Hawkes Bay. Her cricket was played through the Manawatu Gorge in Palmerston North where friends established a four-team competition involving Wanganui, Taranaki, Hawkes Bay and Manawatu. During this period, Trudy played for Central Districts (1981 – 1984) before moving to Christchurch, without a job, to challenge her cricketing prowess and advance her sporting opportunities in what was recognised as the strongest cricket province for Women’s cricket. Her career blossomed here where she represented Canterbury in 54 matches from 1986 to 1996. She taught for a term at Riccarton High School before spending 15 years teaching Maths at Hornby High School. Her club cricket was played at Sydenham and Lancaster Park during which she established herself in that golden era that was women’s cricket in Canterbury. After initially batting at 8, Trudy became an opener/no. 3 batsman where she flourished. She was selected for New Zealand in 1992 through to 1997. During this time, she played 26 One-day Internationals, 2 Tests and attended the 1993 World Cup in the England.

So, after 19 years of teaching, she was appointed to the role of Operations Manager at Canterbury Cricket in 1999. She would leave an indelible mark on Canterbury’s cricketing landscape. She brought a range of skills to this position which were aided by those intangibles such as a strong work ethic, an eye for detail and an ability to see a task through to its natural end. She had the capacity to work well with people and she was highly respected throughout New Zealand’s sporting landscape.

These were not easy times in New Zealand cricket as the game had to adjust to professionalism and all that went with that transition. Balancing the cricketing aspect of the game with the need for accurate forecasting of budgets was always a challenge. This suited Trudy as she was never one to waste money. Like her playing days, she was part of a successful era when she formed a formidable management team with CEO Lee Germon. Together, with an experienced Board, they steered Canterbury into steady financial waters and with it came on-field success and a new Hagley oval.

Trudy’s abilities were recognised at the top level when she was seconded to be Cricket Operations Co-ordinator for the 2015 Men’s World Cup in New Zealand (and Australia). She was an original inductee to the Red and Black Club in 2014 for an “immense contribution to Canterbury cricket”.

Trudy is proud of her part in organising a Canterbury Women’s tour to England in 2006 as well as being part of Canterbury Cricket’s capping initiative which recognises past players. She is swift to acknowledge the influence and encouragement of Greg Hills, former Canterbury Women’s coach, and of the late Peter Guerin, teaching mentor and friend. Perhaps the greatest influence on her recent working years has been Lee Germon who, while creating a pleasant and positive work-place environment, had the capacity to understand and embrace people so as to extract the best out of them. Her ability to manage people is the better for this influence.

So, what next for Trudy Anderson?

She has a massive reservoir of knowledge in the sporting world and this writer is sure that short-term projects at a national level will be begging for her professional input.

Trudy’s has been a massive contribution to cricket in New Zealand and she is respected throughout by players and administrators. She can leave Canterbury Cricket sure in the knowledge that she has served the province with considerable skill and with great integrity.

That well-used tenet that states “that no-one is irreplaceable” might well be put to the test.

Article added: Friday 10 July 2020