| Questions and Answers

3 years ago

Greg Hartshorne

Cricket Coach

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

24 Likes
1 Followers

The three best fast bowlers I played against.
Jeff Thomson was most lethal I have ever seen, but the day I played him he was injured but still quick enough for me. Steve Bernard was a great bowler and best bowler at the tail I have even seen. However, the three I found the most difficult to play were
Phil Alley came from like 15 feet and I really struggled to handle the bounce
Dave Colley made me look silly with his late swing. One day at Mosman Oval he hit me in the ribs so many times I could hardly breathe that night. After the game he politely suggested I stick to the middle order.
Andy Roberts bowled to me in a state cup game. I was going OK until I hit a beautiful cover drive for 4. I didn’t see the next one as it whistled past my nose. He grinned at me and I realised I was in a different league
I must add Dave Chardon although I didn’t play against him. He was the ultimate swing bowler and should have had a much better go at first class.

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3 years ago

Tim Ebbeck

Company Director

Central Coast, NSW, Australia

43 Likes
11 Followers

As a wicket keeper my favourite moments were ones of pure joy when my feet were moving, my hands were soft, my talk was positive, and my mates were working hard and together.
My favourite story was in the 1986/87 grand final against Campbelltown and we were turning the game around with our bowling and fielding. English Test cricketer Derek Pringle came to the crease and Steve Whitfield was bowling. Earlier that season, Whit had twice got Derek out caught behind with his wonderful arm ball. I waited for Derek to settle down and take guard and then stood up and said to Whit “Whit, he’s here, remember THE ball?” Whit looked down the wicket and nodded.
As Whit was just about to start his approach I stood up again and said “Whit, remember precisely where that ball needs to go?” Whit acknowledged me again.
That wonderful umpire, Dick French, put his arm out and said “Timmy, that’s enough.” I smiled at Dick with that charming smile most people never acknowledged and went back in my stance. Whit pitched the ball precisely on off stump and the arm ball took the edge. Derek was 3 golden ducks from a Whitfield arm ball caught Ebbeck in the one season. Brilliant.

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3 years ago

Craig Dodson

Business Advisor

Melbourne, Australia

18 Likes
1 Followers

The light bulb moment occurred at 2.00am on Day 2 of the Second Test of the 2019 Ashes Series. Staying up to the wee hours watching the pulsating cricket on offer, I realised how much I missed the game and came up with an idea…
Ten games for ten different clubs across Australia during the 2019/20 season. I climbed into bed at the end of play (3.00am local time) and tapped Mrs D on the shoulder to tell her my brilliant idea. Not particularly thrilled at being woken at such an hour, she simply replied, ‘You’re having a mid-life-crisis, go to sleep.’
Looking back, I think it was just my way of clinging onto that boyish dream of playing cricket - the thrill of hitting one in the middle; the adulation of ten teammates slapping you on the back after taking a wicket; a cold beer in the sheds after taking 2/72 off 28 overs, figures that can only excite an off-spinner.
At 41, life was great – beautiful wife, gorgeous kids, steady job, nice house etc. With all that, there was something nagging at me. A desire to have one last crack at doing something I used to love.
It would be too self-indulgent to make this just about me. I went through a very rough patch with depression in my early 30s. In a short period of time I lost my job and then broke up with my partner. It seemed like the end of the world.
I shut myself off. Life was excruciating for a period of six months. I was going nowhere fast.
Over the course of time, and with the help of many important people I recovered.
Life is now great, however, I have never forgotten those dark days, so it was a natural consequence to want to support a mental health charity.
If I couldn’t convince ten clubs across Australia to give up a playing sport to a balding 41-year-old cricketer well past his prime, then the project would be over before it started.
Having played cricket for twenty years, I had a great network of mates spread across the country could ask a favour and hopefully turn out for their clubs.
Every club I approached said yes. All up, it was about 10,000 kilometres of travel to navigate Australia via planes, trains and automobiles!
Over the next 6 months the games ticked by and it was the ultimate cricketing and lifetime adventure. With the exception of getting married and having kids it was the best thing I have ever done. In total, we raised $9,000 for mental health.
I will be forever grateful that I had a crack at this great cricketing adventure.

I also wrote a book – A View of Australia from Fine Leg

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3 years ago

CricConnect Stories

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

191 Likes
257 Followers

Which cricket club in Australia has had the most number of Australian Test wicket keepers play grade cricket at their club?

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3 years ago

Richard Stobo

Teacher

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

9 Likes
0 Followers

Gordon were playing Randwick at Coogee. Our opening bowler, Mark Aldridge (‘Needle’) was bowling to the great Richard Chee Quee. Needle had a short run but could bowl a really nasty short ball, and he did clean-up one or two blokes over the years. On this day, he sent one whistling past Cheek’s helmet. Needle followed through and had a word to Cheeks – I was at fine-leg and couldn’t hear it (I could never really understand what Needle was talking about at the best of times) but I got the gist that he didn’t rate Cheeks. I’m pretty sure that’s how Cheeks heard it as well.

What Cheeks did next was magnificent. He spun round to the stand and called for his white floppy hat. We had to wait while someone ran it out, and then ran Cheek’s helmet off. Needle was steaming by this time, and charged in to bowl another bouncer – of course – which Cheeks smashed out of the ground near the pavilion. Brilliant.

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3 years ago

Simon Taufel

Business Coach

Central Coast, NSW, Australia

37 Likes
13 Followers

The advice I would offer an aspiring young umpire is to be patient.
Do the apprenticeship and umpire as many matches as you can. Find a good coach and mentor. Make as many mistakes as you can at the lowest levels and learn quickly (from others). Never worry about matches you should be umpiring, just umpire that match in front of you the best you can and let the selectors take care of everything else. Focus on your game and what you can do – above all, enjoy it or find something else to be passionate about.

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3 years ago

Adrian Butler

8 Likes
0 Followers

Australia v West Indies Melbourne Cricket Ground December 31, 1951 to January 3, 1952

John Goddard Captain of West Indies won the toss and decided to bat and batting number 3 Frank Worrell with 108 was the major contributor to the score of 272. The “Three W’s” Worrell, Everton Weekes and Clyde Walcott from Barbados were ranked with the best batsmen in the World. Keith Miller was amongst the wickets with 5 for 60.

Australia struggled making 216, the highlight being a partnership of 124 between Neil Harvey 83 and Keith Miller 47. During this partnership an intriguing battle took place with the West Indies spin twins Alf Valentine left arm and the mystery spinner Sonny Ramadhin right arm.

In their second innings West Indies were held to 203 with Stollmeyer 54 and Christiani 52 being the main contributors. The wickets were shared by Ray Lindwall 3, Miller and Bill Johnston 2 each.

Australia were set 260 to win and again the spinners were on top with Valentine 5 and Ramadhin 3 wickets. They didn’t have express fast bowlers in those days. Lindsay Hassett held the innings together for 5 hours making 102. With the score 9 for 222, number 11 Bill Johnston joined his Richmond team mate Doug Ring requiring 38 runs to win.

The next 35 minutes had the crowd on the edge of their seats watching an amazing and exciting finish to the match. Doug Ring was a more than capable lower order batsman who liked to chance his arm with lusty blows over the infield. Bill Johnston, despite leading the batting averages on a tour of England, was regarded as a bunny. They soon had the West Indies in panic mode with dropped catches, misfields and mid pitch conferences involving a number of their players. However to no avail as the last pair held their nerve, with Johnston turning a ball to fine leg for the winning run for victory by one wicket.

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3 years ago

Tim Ebbeck

Company Director

Central Coast, NSW, Australia

43 Likes
11 Followers

I was a wicket keeper and loved being in the action all the time. I wrote an overview on my LinkedIn profile a few years ago which described how what I learned as a wicket-keeper shaped me in my business career:

“For years I was the wicket keeper in a cricket team , a role that shapes how the team performs. It taught me the virtue of humility, the importance of teamwork and reliability, and the value that comes from instinct.
The wicket keeper is many things: the enforcer who takes the game to the competition, the elite fielder who’s able to convert half-chances into chances, and a safe set of hands who has the experience to be in the right place at the right time.
Like any successful person, a good wicket keeper is consistent day in and day out. He is never off duty mentally or physically.
What I learned behind the stumps shaped my approach to leadership.”

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3 years ago

Dale McInerney

Student

Auckland, New Zealand

2 Likes
0 Followers

As a wicket keeper it was mentioned last season I was standing too far back to the fast and medium pace bowlers. Is there a guide to where I should be standing?

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3 years ago

Michael Blatherwick

Managing Director

Hucknall, United Kingdom

15 Likes
0 Followers

B3 Cricket - revolutionary cricket bat manufacturer
I’ve worked in the business IT industry all my life and sold a business in 2011. My close friend Russ Evans worked at Gunn and Moore for more than 20 years. He approached me in 2012 to see if I would be interested in helping him launch B3 Cricket and explained the USP’s.

Russ knew I was a cricket badger and wouldn’t be able to resist! The concept was unique; the advanced manufacturing process allows us to give amateur players the same choice and quality as a top pro cricketer. There’s loads of stuff on our website and You Tube channel which shows how we do this, if anyone is interested. Just search B3 Cricket.

We can make a bat from the finest hand-picked English willow to a player’s exact specification and ship it anywhere in the world within a couple of weeks.

In 2014, Russ became a first-class umpire and was living his dream running B3 and umpiring around the UK. Tragically, in 2017, Russ died suddenly after developing problems while undergoing a routine medical procedure.

I like to think we have done Russ proud. I think we are one of the best in the business in terms of choice, quality of products and after sales service. Everyone at B3 is cricket mad, we live and breathe it and hopefully that comes through in what we do.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/472/b3-cricket

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3 years ago

SKY Cricket

Cricket Coach

Colombo, Sri Lanka

2 Likes
0 Followers

SKY Cricket Sri Lanka organize T20 & T10 women's cricket league in Sri Lanka from 2nd to 13th August 2023 . It is a great chance for women cricketers to showcase their talents in an overseas. This year we have 8 teams participation including overseas teams. You get minimum 7 matches ( warmup match , 3 -T20 / 3- T10 ) . If qualified for knock outs it will be more with attractive champions , runner-up , individual cash price with trophies. As a token of appreciation to women's cricket its free registration for overseas teams and ground logistics sponsored by SKY cricket Club.
We have discounted special tour packages design and contact us soon for special early bird offer .
skycricketsrilanka@gmail.com
0094766375178

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3 years ago

Terri Armatage

Wellington, New South Wales, Australia

3 Likes
0 Followers

We live remotely and my 12 daughter wants to learn about cricket and how to bowl.
There’s not much cricket close by and we look at youtube videos but I’d like to ask if she should be looking at the stumps when she bowls or an area on the pitch. When she looks at the stump the ball bounces twice before it gets to the wicket. She is quite small. We’d appreciate some advice.

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3 years ago

Shane Lee

Founder

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

39 Likes
10 Followers

With perspiration pouring from his forehead and a shirt lathered in deodorant and sweat, he walks off the ground, bat in hand and with a face more tanned than Julio Iglesias. One would expect a man with clothes this wet to have just scored 150 in Madras in 40-degree heat. But no, its pre-season at NSW cricket, mid-winter and the man is Steve Stumpa Rixon, the COACH.
Stumpa is the only person I have ever met that could sweat in the shower. A product of his commitment to practice as both a player and a coach. In my opinion, the greatest coach I ever played under. Direct, focused, well planned and a panache for finding key moments in any match and rallying the troops to execute on said opportunity.
I will never forget the day he pulled me aside as a senior player and asked me to room with Rodney ‘Horse’ Davidson’. Horse was a talented left-hander with interesting social skills. Stumpa thought I could bring the best out of him and the team would be rewarded as Horse continued to pile on the runs. The combination had immediate success as he started to make runs consistently, the only issue being is I found my new roommate using my toothbrush one morning. “For .... sake Horse, that’s my toothbrush.” “Sorry mate, I forgot mine,” Horse said.
“Stumpa, I can’t do this mate,” Stumpa replied with his typical laugh followed by a deadpan response. “I'll buy you a new one, we need his runs!”
That evening we had a team dinner. Rodney ‘Horse’ Davidson settled right next to Stumpa at the head of the table with a smile from ear to ear and his clean fangs shining. Those who have dined with Stumpa know he will not start his meal until everyone has received theirs. I have seen him wait for half an hour on one occasion. Even when asked to start by others, he will refuse. As Murphy’s law would suggest, Stumpa’s meal arrived that night before the rest of the team. He sat patiently and only occasionally looking down lovingly at his 400g ribeye on the bone, chips and pepper sauce. To my amazement, my little left-hander ‘Protege of Etiquette’ Rodney started to steal a few chips from Stumpa's plate while waiting for his meal to arrive.
After the third chip was about to be removed, Stumpa picked up his fork and stabbed our opening bat in the back of his hand. “Ouch,” Horse screamed as his hand quickly moved off Stumpa’s plate. “Don’t touch my food” our coach said with sweat starting to bead on his furrowed brow.
Come on Stumpa I’ll buy you some new chips. We need his runs!

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3 years ago

Darshak Mehta

Business Owner

Sydney, Australia

22 Likes
9 Followers

Brabourne Stadium, Bombay, 18th Dec 1967. My cousin invited me to see the last day of the Test Match - India v/s West Indies. Over 35,000 people. Electric atmosphere. I was mesmerised. HOOKED. Hopelessly. It was Clive Lloyd's Test debut. I also got to see Gary Sobers, Basil Butcher, Seymour Nurse, Wes Hall. The Indian team also had some great stars: Chandrasekhar, Ajit Wadekar, Chandu Borde, Salim Durrani, M.L. Jaisimha. I had hardly played some street cricket before then, but after that I did not stop playing for over 45 years in India, England, Australia and have watched Tests in another 4 countries.

I am NOT a tragic. I am a VICTIM of cricket.

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3 years ago

Paul Ryan

Founder

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

503 Likes
513 Followers

Former Australian Cricket Captain Ian Chappell shared is thoughts on the role of a captain in an interview in 1992.

Ian Chappell - To me, captaincy is two parts. There is captaincy, which is on the field, the pinning up of the batting order, the handling of the bowling and the changing of the field, and there is leadership. That is time spent with players off the field. I am not talking about the time spent on cocktails. I am talking of time spent with the players. If the players have a problem, I have to listen to the problem and act upon it. If they have a fight against the board, I had to fight that fight.

Captaincy is not an 11 to 6 job. It is hell of a lot more than that. I think there are a lot of good captains around. Also, I think there are bloody awful leaders around. They cannot lead a backside. I think the amount of time spent with players off the field is what reaps the reward. That to me is the art of leadership, to get the best out of men.

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3 years ago

Shaun Graf

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

15 Likes
0 Followers

When captaining Frankston Peninsula v St Kilda, I won the toss and mumbled to my good mate, Jason Jacoby the Saints skipper, that “you can have a bat …. after us!” … the umpires heard what I said but Jason didn’t which was exactly what I wanted. It was very funny when there’s 4 openers out in the middle at the start of play. The Saints openers had to run off hurriedly as did the rest of the team who were just starting to put their feet up relaxing in their shorts and trackies … that was a pretty good crank!

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3 years ago

Neil Marks

Sydney, Australia

10 Likes
1 Followers

Wesley College in Perth is a lovely school, with great facilities.
In March 1992 I was manager of the NSW team to play WA in the Sheffield Shield Final. The trip was 10 days and the game was one of the best games ever played at the W.A.C.A. The fortunes of both teams flowed until finally the home team won the shield.
Soon after our arrival in Perth, we received a visit from a former Blues player, John Rogers, who was a teacher at Wesley College and a good friend. John offered the NSW team the use of the school’s ground and net facilities.
The team arrived at the school and we were shown the change rooms. As I walked into the room I saw a familiar face,eadmaster, Rod Keffotrd, whom I had known when he was teaching at Barker College in Sydney. We greeted each other, I thanked his for his hospitality and asked if we could reciprocate in any way.
“Well, we have a school assembly in half an hour, which Geoff Lawson has consented to address and I was hoping you would be able to attend yourself and, if possible, arrange for a couple of other players to join you, “Rod responded.
Like all good headmasters, Kefford never misses out on a chance to obtain a “quid pro quo”.
Half an hour later, “Henry” Lawson, the brothers Waugh, Mike Whitney and myself walked up onto the stage at the Wesley College school assembly. Lawson addressed the boys in his usual thoughtful and eloquent manner, the boys loved it.
When the assembly finished, Rod Kefford and John Rogers took us on a guided tour of the school. We walked around and then, by popular request, we ended our sojourn in one of the school bathrooms.
“Well, what do you think of Wesley?” asked Rod Kefford.
“It is a most impressive school Rod, you must be very proud, “I said. Three of the others endorsed my sentiments.
“Well, I don’t think much of it!”
Everyone turned to look at Mike Whitney.
“I beg your pardon?” said Kefford.
“It’s nothing like my old school, South Sydney Boy’s High,” replied Whitney.
I remember exchanging glances with Steve Waugh; this attitude was so out of character for Whit, who could lay claim to being Australia sport’s nicest man.
“No, this is not a real school – not like South Sydney Boys,” Whit reiterated.
Kelford asked, “Why is that?”
Whitney began to laugh. “Call yourselves a school, what a load of crap. Just look at this bathroom – there is no graffiti on the walls and not one cigarette but in the urinals.”
Then Whit winked at Rod, slapped him on the shoulder and walked out to practice

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3 years ago

Mark Tranter

I.T Manager

Newcastle, NSW, Australia

13 Likes
0 Followers

Holroyd vs Roseville at Monty Bennett Oval and captain Curtis brings Andrew Gokel on to bowl. Gokel was a slow bowler with fingers down the seam. Movement was limited but did skid the ball on from time to time depending on the track.

I was keeping this particular day and the batter blocked his first 6 balls not knowing Andrew’s skill level. Next over same batter faces and blocks the 1st ball again. Gokel walks down the pitch to pick up the ball and with a big grin on this face says to the batter “you do know they smack me at training” – it was hilarious. Next ball OUT - bowled.

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3 years ago

Michael Blatherwick

Managing Director

Hucknall, United Kingdom

15 Likes
0 Followers

I’ve witnessed loads of great knocks, and often it’s not the number of runs, it’s the context of the innings.

In 1997 we were playing the last round of league games and we were top of the league, just 2 points ahead of our archrivals, Sandiacre. They had a relatively easy last game, but we had to go to Radcliffe on Trent. A tough track to bat on, made more difficult by the fact their overseas player for that season was Barrington Browne who was in and around the West Indies ODI squad at the time.

It was mid-September and conditions were Autumnal and the pitch was green. We won the toss and contained them to just 176/6 (sorry, 6 for 176) and we went into our innings with the league title in our hands.

Our innings started well but then in poor light, and with Barrington getting a head of steam, we lost 4 quick wickets.

Around this collapse, Sandiacre (who had brushed aside their opposition to gain maximum points) turned up and were very cock sure, thinking we’d blown it.

Enter Neil Fenwick and Brett Scothern in our middle order. They went into a different zone and made a fantastic 100 run partnership in the toughest of conditions against some great bowling. Brett finished on 52 not out and Fenners 55 not out. They pulled, hooked and cut the Windies superstar to all parts!

In the context of the game, what it meant, the quality of the bowling and the challenging conditions – those two share my best innings award. Happy memories!

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3 years ago

Greg Briggs

Gosford, NSW, Australia

31 Likes
1 Followers

As a young kid, I heard my dad share a lot of stories about his cricket career and he loved nothing more than stories of the great Keith Miller.
You see dad was Ron Briggs and he was fortunate to play 15 first-class games for NSW in the 1950s under the leadership of Miller.
It wasn’t until I was older that I appreciated his Miller stories.
In dad’s first game for NSW under Miller leadership, Jimmy Burke said, “whatever you do, don’t ask Miller where to field.” Dad asked him “why?” Burke replied, “just don’t, pick somewhere and go there.” To dads amazement with no field placings from the skipper he just kept picking positions in the field of his judgement through day.
It wasn’t long before Miller found out about dads love of the horses and a punt so he ended up next to Miller in the slips with Miller at first and dad at second with Miller talking about all sorts of things particularly the horse racing game but there was never any chat regarding the cricket match. He would make bowling changes and he would only bowl if he was in the mood.
As I working my way through the Grades at Northern District in Sydney I was fortunate to be selected for the Australian Under 19s tour of Pakistan.
The team gathered at the Travelodge in Rushcutters Bay in February 1981 for a couple of days to get to know our fellow squad members before flying out to Karachi.
The day before leaving we had a net session at the SCG followed by a function in the City and were told our special guest for the night was Keith Miller.
I couldn’t believe it. I rang dad as soon as we got back to the Hotel.
We filed in looking flash in our blazers and ties and Miller was sitting on a corner of a table and we were introduced one by one to the great man.
When it came to my turn, he looked at me “Briggs, Briggs”, I replied “yes, I’m Ron Briggs’s son” in which he replied, “well bugger me!!”
As the night went on, I heard from the other side of the room the booming voice of Miller, “Briggsy, get over here I’ve got a few stories about your old man I want to tell you.”
This bloke didn’t know me from a bar of soap but now we’re having a drink together like we were best mates with Miller sharing stories about my dad from those great years where I think they won the Sheffield Shield just about every year throughout the 1950s.
What a night it was, something I’ve cherished and never forgotten. I’d like to add that boarding the plane the next morning for Pakistan, I wasn’t in a good state if you know what I mean.

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Which cricket club in Australia has had the most number of Australian Test wicket keepers play grade cricket at their club?

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As a wicket keeper it was mentioned last season I was standing too far back to the fast and medium pace bowlers. Is there a guide to where I should be standing?

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Which cricket club in Australia has had the most number of Australian Test wicket keepers play grade cricket at their club?

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As a wicket keeper it was mentioned last season I was standing too far back to the fast and medium pace bowlers. Is there a guide to where I should be standing?

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