 FLAG TESTIMONIALS |
The Flag is proud to list these many great words of appreciation from touring Flaggers and former Australian Test Cricketers. If you would like to add your Testimonial, it will be very welcome. Thank You to Justin Langer, Andy Bichel, Mike Coward, Jason Gillespie, Gavin Robertson, Colin Miller, and all Flaggers that have contributed, I am humbled by your great words. I look forward to adding many more.
Best Wishes and Keep Flagging
Luke / Sparrow (Captain)
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| From the pen of Mike Coward Cricket Author & Journalist |
Since meeting Luke Gillian in the Caribbean in 1995 I have watched his personal and professional development with keen interest. Luke has great energy and enthusiasm as well as a deep love of cricket and his wavingtheflag.com has become a conspicuous part of the cricket scene in Australia and overseas. He has established impressive contacts and credentials and developed a successful method of operation which has given countless people an opportunity to experience the joys of travel through the great game in Australia and abroad. I wish him well in his continued endeavour.
| From the flag of Justin Langer Australian Test Cricketer |
To best sum up Lukey Sparrow and Waving the Flag’s contribution to Australian cricket and the Australian cricket team, is to let you know that Lukey is the first, and only, person outside the team to have been invited in to sing the team victory song, Underneath the Southern Cross…
Big deal some may say, but if you knew just how sacred the song is held amongst the group then Lukey’s invitation is a bigger deal than you might imagine. Over my time in the team, dignitaries, family members and even Prime Ministers have been shown the door, politely of course, when it was time to sing the song.
In Auckland though, in Lukey’s 100th Test supporting the team, he was invited into the inner sanctum and was asked to sing the song with us as well as recall his favourite cricket memories throughout his vast ‘flag waving’ career.
As a player it was always comforting to look up into the stands and see a friendly face, dressed in a colorful shirt, baggy green cap and Aussie flag. Regardless of the circumstances or location, Lukey was always there with his band of merry men, supporting the team with a passion reserved for few.
Whether it was in the West Indies, Pakistan, India, South Africa, England, Zimbabwe, New Zealand or Sri Lanka, Lukey was there, as committed and as passionate as ever. In many ways he became part of the folklore of our era in that wherever or whenever, Lukey would be there to support his boys.
There is no doubt that Lukey’s support made a valuable contribution to our team, as he was always smiling and quick with an encouraging word. While we lorded it up in posh hotels, Lukey would make his way around with an inspirational attitude, which was a great reminder to us all.
My memories of a career spent playing cricket around the world are tattooed into my mind, just as Lukey’s peerless support is etched into my memory bank like a happy snap shot of years on the road.
Waving the Flag is an institution, and a great one at that.
Thanks for the memories Sparrow, your support was invaluable.
JL
| From the flag of Colin 'Funky' Miller Australian Test Cricketer |
Well what can be said about the Sparrow, I first saw this guy in "Rawalpindi Pakistan" on my first tour with the test team. At the end of the first day Luke and his mate Bradley (Wooding) were out on the ground kicking a footy around. I mentioned to a few of the boys that these two must be lost, to be watching a test in Pakistan, only to be told that "Oh no they're not mad or lost. Thats Lukey Sparrow"
I think it was at the end of that test Australias 1st test win in35 years in Pakistan that Lukey was right there when I first sang the victory song of the Aussie Cricket team. And bugger me Sparrow was at every test match I played for the next 4 years.
Sri Lanka was where, if I remember rightly, Lukey said to me one day that this is the last time I tour with you boys, as he gently itched at his bed bug riddled body. And I still have the shell casings from the shooting range up in the Kyber Pass given to me by Luke (they landed on him, when ejected from my rifle, as he lay on the mat next to me), as he was there again as the locals offered some VIP treatment.
NewZealand, Zimbabwe, the West Indies, India. You name the place and no matter how far we travelled Luke and his well worn Bat and Flag were right there with us, bloody hell, he knew where we were going before we did.
Lukey has now passed the 100 test mark, and his support on those long lonesome overseas tours that no one wanted to go on was much appreciated by the boys in the team. Luke has been there and done that in every cricketing nation on the face of the earth. If Sparrow doesn't know were to have a beer at night or where to pick up a feed at any of these places then no one does.
Lukey has been the unofficial team member for years now, and a tour with Sparrow and The Flag is definitely one of the things I will do myself one of these days.
All the best, stay Funky!!
Colin "Funky" Miller
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