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2 years ago
Simon Taufel
Simon Taufel
Business Coach
Central Coast, NSW, Australia
37 Likes
13 Followers



Having spent over two decades studying the world’s best in different endeavours, to see what they did to get to world class, I don’t believe the “formula” or “ingredients” have changed. My development as an umpire on the cricket field from grassroots to the international level, followed by several years in training, coaching and administration, has taught me a lot about myself and what it takes to get to number one. I wanted to share my successes, failures, and learnings with a broader audience. For those who I cannot meet face to face, I'd love to have a conversation with you via this book. I want to share some of the highs, the lows and critical takeaways, about what it takes to get to world-class, stay there and exit on your own terms.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/92/simon-taufel/blog/1060/finding-the-gaps-simon-taufel
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2 years ago
Peter Dickson
Peter Dickson
Business Development Manager
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
1 Likes
0 Followers

Fitzroy Doncaster played Prahran In Victoria Premier Cricket. We were getting belted everywhere. Neil Schlittler was having a field day and was fast approaching his 100 at tea.

During the tea break I decided I would steal his inners. When the game re-started Neil would not commence batting until his “lucky” inners had been found.

Fitzroy players were heckling him to start and we didn’t have time to wait around until he had found his inners.

Eventually he turned to me and said, “What’s that in your pocket”? I emptied the wrong pocket, eventually having Neil ask your other pocket in which his two lucky inners fell out.

It didn’t end well for me or Fitzroy with Neil ending up with 160 and I was labelled a thief by his teammates.

Still to this day we have banter and a laugh about that day.

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2 years ago
Greg Briggs
Greg Briggs
Gosford, NSW, Australia
31 Likes
1 Followers



My best grade team - Greg Briggs 1980s

I was graded with Northern District as a 14 year old in the mid 70’s and went on to play First Grade with ND’s, Cap No. 275, then transferred to the Bankstown Club, Cap No. 151 followed then by moving to Gordon, Cap No. 430 in the late 80’s. I was fortunate to play 1st Grade with these three great Clubs throughout that decade. This is my Grade Team of the 80’s that I played with.

1. Neil Howlett – Northern District
Tall upright and elegant. Very unlucky not to play for NSW

2. Steve Smith - Bankstown.
Great opening bat and went on to play for NSW & Australia.

3. Mark O’Neill - Gordon.
Sparky made it look easy and was very close to playing Test Cricket.

4. Bob Vidler – Bankstown
Good bat led the Bankstown Club in those early 80’s and played for NSW

5. Peter Taylor – Northern District
This might surprise a few but Peter was a great middle order bat for the ND’s Club before going on to play as a Test Spinner for Australia

6. Randall Green – Northern District
I played a lot of cricket with this bloke in the early years. Great bat and could murder an attack

7. Steve Day - Gordon and Captain
I’ve gone with 7 bats in my 12 and this bloke was born to Captain. Great cricketing brain and could bat as well.

8. Phil Emery –Gordon and Wicket Keeper
Phil batted 3 for Gordon and was a great Keeper for the Gordon Club, NSW and played 1 Test for Australia. Great bloke as well.

9. Mark Clews – Northern District
Clewsy led the ND’s attack for many years and played quite a number of Shield games for NSW.

10. Brett McKirdy – Bankstown
Brett had some great years with Bankstown in that late 70’s & into the 80’s. NSW Colts Player.

11. Richard Stobo – Gordon
Stobs was a great bowler and always gave 100%. Played a number of Shield games for NSW as well.

12. Steve Whitfield – Northern District
Steve was one of those left arm fast medium bowlers to convert to bowling left arm orthodox later in his career. Did such a great job he ended up playing Shield Cricket for NSW. Great bloke Whitters as well.

That’s my team of the 80’s, so many great memories of those days.

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2 years ago
Greg Mail
Greg Mail
Director
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
1 Likes
1 Followers



My Best Grade team - Greg Mail 1995 to 2017

This piece and selections was originally published in April 2020.

My Sydney University team mates often suggested I’d played with half of the competition, so picking my best grade team presented quite a challenge.

My 1st Grade career stretched from 1995 to 2017 across Parramatta, Hawkesbury, Balmain and Sydney University.

I played with and against some great players and great people. Just writing down this list this morning brought back some wonderful memories. Think we have a fair side here, who wants middle order players when you can pick seven blokes capable of opening the batting?

1. Greg Hayne - Balmain

The opening batsman’s opener and my mentor. Leading run scorer when he retired. First slip.

2. Ryan Carters (Wicket Keeper) – Sydney University

If his last match was timeless he may have batted for weeks. High class ‘keeper too.

3. Ed Cowan – Sydney University

My favourite batting partner despite his running between wickets. Also, fielded short leg for Australia, so fills that spot here.

4. Matt Phelps – Sydney University

The most destructive opener in the set, imperious at his best.

5. Scott Henry – Sydney University

Nice habit of making centuries in grand finals. Solid dry dressing room wit.

6. Nick Larkin – Sydney University

Need a current player so this isn’t all “in my day…”

7. Ian Moran – Sydney University

13000 runs, 300 wickets, O’Reilly medal, 4 premierships and the most competitive bloke I played with.

8. Neil Maxwell (Captain) - Balmain

Slightly demonstrative as captain, fast late outswingers, great hands.

9. Stuart Clark – Sydney University

Grumpy, fast and bouncy.

10. Simon Cook – Balmain

Got better the flatter it got. Wit to make S Henry look slapstick.

11. Stuart MacGill – Sydney University

The easiest leg spinner I captained; “Put the field anywhere, it won’t matter.”

12th man. Mark Cameron – Sydney University

Carries the drinks here, genuinely fast outswingers, jet in the field.

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2 years ago
Craig Hawkins
Craig Hawkins
Financial Planner
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
0 Likes
0 Followers



This totem is part of the display of 'premiership caps' from NSW clubs. Of the eight caps, the top four are from the Sydney Grade Cricket Competition, and were actually acquired years ago through one of the auction houses.

The lower four caps are junior level club caps, very kindly given to me by good friends who actually earned them playing for their respective clubs.

All the premiership caps are very special, as they represent a season or hard work, of team mates and of success. They mark points in cricket history, and are earned, not given.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/987/craig-hawkins/blog/1054/a-totem-display-of-premiership-cricket-caps
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2 years ago
Kevin Pike
Kevin Pike
Port Macquarie, NSW, Australia
6 Likes
4 Followers



Country club cricket in the 1970’s was, I suspect at an all-time high, both in standard and player numbers. It saddens me now to see that in many country- townships, cricket is either non-existent or close to it. When I was recruited to play with St Peters Cricket Club in Armidale in its 1975/1976 pre-season recruiting campaign, I gained the impression that St Peters was a club on the way up.

The next decade in fact proved to be the “golden era” for St Peters CC. On a recent visit to the cricket archives in Armidale, Mike Porter, the President of our Regional Association for over three decades, presented to me the historic records of premiership teams, with St Peters winning over the ensuing decade, five club championships, three A Grade Premierships, one 2nd Grade Premiership and two 3rd Grade Premierships.

St Peters was a club that was managed well during my many years there. There was an emphasis on supporting and promoting junior cricket with many senior players like Bede Ryan, Ian Watts and Brian Gream, spending many seasons coaching junior school and representative teams on their Saturday mornings, before their competition matches in the after-noon. These fellows made a huge impression on generations of younger cricketers, through their dedication and obvious love for the sport. They imparted not only the cricketing fundamentals, but also the importance of tradition and respect for the game.

I remember early on in my introduction to the senior players, Ian in a semi-serious mood during after match pub celebrations (or was it commiserations?), stating one of his often quoted dry one-liners- “You need a sense of humour to play cricket”!

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/443/kevin-pike/blog/1053/you-need-a-sense-of-humour-to-play-cricket
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2 years ago
Cricket NSW
Cricket NSW
71 Likes
102 Followers



Cricket fans can now be part an exciting intersection between history and the future at the home of Cricket NSW, Cricket Central.
The Cricket NSW Foundation has launched a Purchase a Picket campaign, giving fans, cricket clubs or businesses the opportunity to make a donation towards a plaque that will be applied to the picket fence that surrounds the main oval at Cricket Central.
In a salute to history, all former and current NSW Blues, Breakers, Sydney Thunder and Sydney Sixers players will have a picket dedicated in their honour and people can donate for the plaque that will sit alongside their favourite player or even for their own picket.
One former Sydney Sixers, NSW and Australian great, Brett Lee, is right behind the initiative.
“We’re giving cricket fans, clubs and businesses the opportunity to donate to Cricket New South Wales’ Foundation, which will give them a plaque put on one of these cricket pickets here at Cricket Central to show their contribution towards the game,” Lee said.
“So, you could have your name alongside the greatest cricketers ever to play the game right here on the pickets at Cricket Central.
“I think legacy is so important, especially here at Cricket New South Wales because I think about growing up and having the opportunity to leave a mark on the game.
“(But) I think about these pickets and all those amazing past players and also present players and the young boys and girls who are to come down to Cricket Central to see all these names and one day, hopefully, they might be on a picket.”
There is also a CNSW Legends category, featuring present and past greats, with plaques alongside pickets for the likes of Bradman, Trumper, Davidson, Clark, Healy and Perry all on offer via a donation auction. Lee is also one of the 27 Legends to be honoured.
Donations are tax-deductible towards the Cricket NSW Foundation and funds raised are a nod to the future - supporting our efforts to enrich communities and improve lives through cricket by enabling access to the game in NSW.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/154/cricket-nsw/blog/94/cricket-nsw-foundation-purchase-a-picket-campaign
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2 years ago
New Zealand Veterans Cricket
New Zealand Veterans Cricket
Auckland, New Zealand
3 Likes
0 Followers



Adrian Dale is the Captain of the New Zealand Over 50s cricket team.

Prior to moving to New Zealand in 2005 Adrian had a stellar first class cricket career playing for Glamorgan Cricket in the United Kingdon.

In 251 first class games from 1989 to 2004 Adrian scored 12,586 runs at an average of 33.29 and hit 23 centuries and 58 half centuries. His highest score was 214 not out.

With the ball Adrian took 217 wickets at 38.12 with best figures of 6 for 18.

Adrian played 314 one day games for Glamorgan scoring 6,606 runs including 2 centuries and 32 half centuries. He took 258 one day wickets at 31.70 with best figures of 6 for 22.

Adrian won the prestigious Glamorgan Cricket Player of the Year award in 2000 and 2001.

Let’s find out more about Adrian’s journey in the game.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/985/new-zealand-veterans-cricket/blog/1052/adrian-dale-be-busy-at-the-crease
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2 years ago
Gosnells District Cricket Club
Gosnells District Cricket Club
Perth, Australia
0 Likes
2 Followers



Ross Leipold played his junior cricket for Gosnell Cricket Club and as he made his way into grade cricket he played for South Perth Cricket Club.

Ross made his first grade debut for South Perth in 1978 and is the proud owner of first grade cap number 192.

Returning to Gosnell Cricket Club when the club was admitted into the Western Australian Premier Cricket Competition in 1987 Ross has made a tremendous contribution to the club. On the field as a captain and off the field as a coach. Ross is Gosnells Cricket Club first grade player number 1.

Ross was the President of the Gosnell Cricket Club from 2003 to 2020 and was awarded Life membership of the Club in 1996.

Let’s find out more about Ross journey in the game

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/422/gosnells-district-cricket-club/blog/319/ross-leipold-lead-by-example
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2 years ago
Veterans Cricket NSW
Veterans Cricket NSW
New South Wales, Australia
10 Likes
51 Followers



An ode to the NSW Possums XII of 2022 (by an interested onlooker)

Gents of the Mighty ‘Possums’ aka the ‘Blue Tongues’, aka ‘National 55’s Champions’... by now the team has said its goodbyes and travelled to different corners of the Great State of New South Wales, as we resume normal programming.

It would be wise to simply reiterate what other team members have stated about what a great week we’ve had playing the game we all love for NSW and bonding as teammates and fighting hard to be crowned Champions. In my experience it’s not a “given” on these tours and in these tournaments to all get along so well. Of course, winning medallions, corflute signs and trophies and the respect of peers outside the group helps. But it’s not everything. What really matters is the trust and comradeship that we all put in each other inside our group – sometimes against better or prior judgement (!!) and being prepared to work for each other through the tough stuff, through the self-doubt, self-loathing (!), the anxiety close games create and to put all that on repeat for 4 x 45 over matches. And all that, notwithstanding sore knees and shoulders, Achilles tendons and other nagging complaints that it’s absolutely natural to be feeling at 55 years +. That is what really matters.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/168/veterans-cricket-nsw/blog/1051/an-ode-to-the-nsw-possums-xii-of-2022
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2 years ago
Paul Ryan
Paul Ryan
Founder
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
503 Likes
513 Followers



25 January 1985 was the start of the 4 day Sheffield shield game between New South Wales and Victoria at the MCG.

After 175.2 overs Victoria were bowled out for 438 and NSW opener John Dyson strode to the crease alongside his new opening partner, debutant Wayne Seabrook.

In what many of the players involved in the game describe as one of the most dynamic debut innings in the history of Australian first class cricket Wayne Seabrook against a Victoria attack that included Merv Hughes, Simon Davis, Peter King and Ray Bright scored 165.

NSW declared at 9 for 442 and the game ended in a draw with first innings points to NSW.

Wayne played 3 more first class games before the end of the 1984/85 season and went into the off season full of hope and determination to capitalise on the opportunity to cement his position at the top of the order for NSW.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/32/paul-ryan/blog/90/wayne-seabrook-dynamic
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2 years ago
Lyall Gardner
Lyall Gardner
Sydney, Australia
31 Likes
9 Followers



The legendary West Indian fast bowler, Wes Hall, now Sir Wesley Hall, played for the old Randwick cricket club in the 1965-66 season. It was the first time an international cricketing superstar had played in Sydney Grade Cricket. Needless to say, Wes was a real hit, taking 56 wickets, getting Randwick into the semi-finals and bringing flocks of people to view the action at Coogee Oval each Saturday. Wes subsequently returned to Randwick in 2000 as guest speaker at the club’s Centenary Dinner at Randwick Racecourse.

Earlier this year, former Randwick leg-spinner, Mark Preddey, toured West Indies with an Australian over 60s team. During the tour, he met up with Sir Wesley at Kensington Oval, Barbados, where he was signing copies of a book on his life. Mark was quickly in line to get a copy and had a wonderful chat with the great man who was delighted to learn he was an old Randwick player.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/227/lyall-gardner/blog/1050/wes-hall-and-the-holden
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2 years ago
Parramatta District Cricket Club
Parramatta District Cricket Club
Sydney, Australia
6 Likes
10 Followers



Michael Wood made his first grade debut for Parramatta during the 1998/99 season and is the clubs first grade player number 514.

Over the next 16 seasons Michael scored 7,098 first grade runs including 9 centuries. He took 332 wickets and took 5 wickets or more in an innings on 8 occasions.

He was twice runner up in the Bill O’Reilly Medal for the player of the season in NSW premier Cricket and was awarded life membership to the Parramatta Cricket Club in 2015.

Let’s find out more about Michael’s journey in the game

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/406/parramatta-district-cricket-club/blog/290/michael-wood-loyal-and-respectful
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