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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 09 Hansard (Tuesday, 17 August 2004) . . Page.. 3799 ..

tournament, Matthew was able to shoot some great scores and won with a two-game total of 598 out of a possible 600, which for a visually impaired bowler is much better than I can do. The XXX format is where the best frames over a three-game facility are used to determine a final score. Matthew qualified in third spot with a 301 game—that is 233 plus his handicap of 74. He needs to be congratulated on that.

VISACT also entered a number of bowlers in the ACT adult championship on the weekend of 6 and 7 August. Results are not known but they had a great time. Now, the interesting thing is that in England at the moment, the England blind cricket squad have just completed its preparations for its encounter with Australia in the inaugural Ashes series for the blind. England plays host to the inaugural ECB/Sport—which is the English blind sports association—England Ashes series this month, August. The series will consist of five one-day internationals of 40 overs a side. International blind cricket is usually played using the limited overs format.

Both squads will be based at the Bradfield College in Berkshire and meet on Thursday 19 August. So, on Thursday, visually impaired Aussie bowlers will defend the honour of their country. The Australians’ visit to England kicks off with the Berkshire Trophy Centre seven-aside indoor cricket tournament. On Friday 20 August at Bradfield College, and on Saturday 21 August both squads will attend the British Blind Sport and Primary Club Knockout Cup at Lords cricket ground. The Ashes series then starts with the first game at Bradfield College at 10.30 on Sunday 22 August. Following the first game there will be a small ceremony where a stump from the first game will be burnt. A stump will be used as bails are not used in blind cricket.

The ashes will then be placed in the Ashes trophy and sealed. A ceremony will be performed by Peter Donovan, who is the chairman of the World Blind Cricket Council. The next three games will then be played at Lords on Monday 23 August, at the Rose Bowl in Hampshire on Wednesday 25 August and at the Horsham Cricket Club on Thursday 26 August. The final game of the series will take place at Bradfield College on Saturday 28 August. Following this game, the Ashes trophy, medals and other awards will be presented by Michael L’Estrange, the Australian High Commissioner, and representatives of the major sports. It is really impressive that Australians are participating in this way, particularly visually impaired Australians. It is particularly impressive that a number of them have gained a certain amount of encouragement from what goes on here in the ACT. VISACT is to be encouraged in the good work that it does.

Human rights

MR STANHOPE (Chief Minister, Attorney-General, Minister for Environment and Minister for Community Affairs) (10.19): I will just speak just briefly in relation to the position that I have put around the quite illegal detention of Hicks and Habibi in Cuba by the Americans. It is simply outrageous and beyond defence, and it intrigues me that the Liberal Party seeks to defend that dreadful abuse of human rights that has been exhibited in the detention without charge for so long of two Australians. It is shameful that the Australian Government did not seek to intervene more strenuously to ensure that that dreadful abuse of the human rights of two Australians was not allowed to persist.

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