From veterinarian to biosecurity expert, Bruce Christie has been called many things during his life, but one of his lesser known nicknames is the “godfather of Indonesian cricket”.
“I think it got lost in translation — it’s supposed to be grandfather, not godfather,” he joked.
The 68-year-old from the New South Wales Illawarra region has recently received a lifetime achievement award from Persatuan Cricket Indonesia (PCI), in recognition of his contribution to the development of cricket in the country.
“[It is] so totally out of the blue, totally unexpected, but very much appreciated,” he said.
Cricket was first introduced to Indonesia by Dutch and British immigrants in the late 1800s.
But the game was predominantly played by expatriates, while locals preferred local sports such as Kasti — a game similar to baseball.
Bruce Christie says beach-style cricket was the most efficient way to teach the game in Indonesia’s hot conditions. (ABC Illawarra: Brooke Chandler)
Mr Christie moved to West Timor in 1995 while working on an AusAid project and began teaching cricket to locals as “there wasn’t [much] else to do”.
“My son was [also in] under 11s cricketer at that stage, and we wanted him to keep playing cricket so when he came back to Australia, he’d fit back in a team sport,” he said.
Cricket spread throughout Indonesia in the 1990s, which the sport’s governing body has in part attributed to Mr Christie’s efforts.
Cricket is played in 18 provinces of Indonesia, with both a men’s and women’s side currently playing in the country’s National Sports Week, the Pekan Olahraga Nasional, a four-yearly sporting competition.
A Indonesian friend accepted Bruce Chistie’s lifetime achievement award on his behalf. (Supplied: Bruce Christie)
Humble beginnings
Before moving back to Australia in 1998, Mr Christie used an old tennis court to teach approximately 30 young men from the province of Kupang the basics of the cricket.
“We couldn’t actually take the net down, but we were able to roll the net up, and we were able to play a modified indoor game to play cricket,” he said.
“By the end, these guys were really keen.”
Mr Christie, an Australian Cricket Board level one coach, said he had no trouble attracting Indonesian nationals to his lessons.
Bruce Christie had had few resources when he began teaching young Indonesians cricket. (ABC Illawarra: Brooke Chandler)
The group raised enough money to fly to Bali and play against an expat team in what was a first trip outside the province for some of the players.
“Once the Indonesians were out there [playing cricket] and teaching other Indonesians, it just spread,” Mr Christie.
Out of that group, five men including Soni Hawoe have since gone on to be employed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to develop cricket throughout Indonesia.
“[Mr Christie was] a very good teacher and good friend,” Mr Hawoe said.
Soni Hawoe (right) and Bruce Christie met then-PM John Howard in 2000. (Supplied: Bruce Christie)
Game spreads to provinces
In 2000, Hawoe and the four other keen players visited the Don Bradman Museum and even met the then-prime minister John Howard during a training trip to Australia, partly organised by Mr Christie.
After playing for Indonesia’s national team, which was established in 2016, Hawoe has dedicated his life to sharing the sport of cricket.
“I’ve introduced cricket to 16 provinces before 2008 and [will visit] 30 more schools in the next three months,” he said.
When he’s not playing cricket, Bruce Christie volunteers at Wollongong’s rhododendron garden. (ABC Illawarra: Sarah Moss)
Another Australian expat, Alan Wilson, helped to continue Mr Christie’s work once he returned home.
The now-retired Mr Christie said he never anticipated the impact of sharing a game that reminded him of home.
“It’s amazing to see the five guys I taught to play cricket [that] have been around the world playing,” he said.
“It’s just amazing what sport can do — not just for the hell of playing sport, but the socio-economic development and the friendship that it builds.”
