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2 years ago
Brett Lack
Brett Lack
Business Owner
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
2 Likes
0 Followers



I joined Fairfield Liverpool at the start of the 1988/89 season after short stints at Petersham Marrickville CC and Parramatta DCC and have seen the club grow immensely from their first season in 1985/86.
There have been many great cricketers and premierships along the way.
Here is my all-time best Fairfield Liverpool cricket team from players I had the good fortune to play with

1. Grant Lambert

350 games, 12,572 runs and 681 wickets

2. Garry Baldwin

148 games, 4,915 runs and 155 wickets

3. Steve B Smith

71 games, 3,483 runs

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/170/brett-lack/blog/1025/brett-lack-my-best-ever-fairfield-liverpool-cricket-team
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2 years ago
Edmund Zelma
Edmund Zelma
Business and Research Analyst
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
5 Likes
1 Followers



I can’t quite put my finger on how I came to love cricket. Growing up in Enmore a predominantly Portuguese community, cricket wasn’t the main game. Dad would tell me that I used to like bowling to the painted stumps on a wall in Enmore High. My sisters would say that my love of the game drove them nuts, I would bounce a ball all day and hit things, anything. We had a prolific grapefruit tree in the back yard, and I once managed to hook an unripened grapefruit right off the tree through the very large lounge room window with a broom stick. I broke a lot of windows and learned to replace them sometimes managing to do so without mum and dad noticing. Having spent a big chunk of life on a cricket field, I don’t have a lot of handyman skills but replace a window yes, I can do that.

My favourite players growing up were Dean Jones and Allan Border. Deano’s 210 in Madras just about says everything about Australian cricket. I absolutely loved the Test matches against the West Indies. I remember feeling so nervous for the Australian batsmen as they would go out to bat and would ride their innings with them.

I loved all aspects of the game, bowling, batting, and fielding. I was a small kid, so as the other kids around me grew and I didn’t, my bowling seemed a bit pedestrian. Small kids can bat though, and I took to being a gritty opening batsman modelled on Geoff Marsh and David Boon. For most of my early playing days I was an opening batsman, handy with the ball but not overly penetrative. I played in the local Gladesville District, we were a tiny association, and my memory of those representative junior days were one of defeat, probably compounded by being the captain for most of those matches.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/914/edmund-zelma/blog/1020/ed-zelma-hit-the-wicket-keeper-gloves-hard-all-day
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2 years ago
Mark Ray
Mark Ray
Cricket Coach
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
2 Likes
0 Followers



Brian Riley the spectator

Village Green. The first grade final UNSW against Northern Districts in 80-81. I'm in the slips next to Jungle (Jim Robson), as always, when I look to the eastern side of the ground and see a couple of blokes settling down on the grass, an esky between them. It's Brian Riley, the captain of Petersham in the 76-77 final - a legendary sledger.

'Jungle, look who's just arrived,' I say. Naturally Jungle didn't have a clue as he was half-blind back then.

'It's Riles. This'll be interesting.'

Soon after we get a wicket and out comes ND's captain, the former Test player Ross Edwards. Ross had said in the press at the start of the season that a lot of ordinary players were making 500 runs a season and he'd be disappointed if he didn't make 700.

His tally to that day was about 380. I brought Henry (Geoff Lawson) straight on from the racecourse end and as he marked out his run, that familiar voice rang out.

'Hey Rosco, how's that 700 lookin'? Only 320 to go.'

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2 years ago
Peter Langston
Peter Langston
Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia
36 Likes
4 Followers



Neville Holstein: now there was a fine sportsman. He was an exceptional tennis player who used to volley a ball 200 times against the uneven slatted walls of the shed down there at Bridlevale in the steep valleys to the north of Nowendoc. 200 times without missing before he would come in for his dinner after finishing his chores.

He once took a phone call from Richie Benaud, in the early 60's, on the party line at the house, asking him to come to Sydney to play for Cumberland but he preferred to stay on the farm.

The stories about Joe are legend. He and his sister once held every tennis title and the mixed doubles of every town in the New England North West. I watched him play in the village championships at Nowendoc in 1981. He stood on the baseline hitting volleys from a school teacher from the big smoke, playing but not toying with his opponent and just enjoying the fresh air and having a hit ... until his wife Jean told him it was time to get home to milk the cows. He won the next two sets 6-0 in twenty minutes.

I played cricket with Joe in Qld Country Week in Brisbane for the Wheaton's XI. An old fellow cornered me at South's home ground while we were batting and told me the story of Wheaton's chasing down "300 and a bit, a while back, after being 9-80 odd". Exact measurements don't seem so important by the time you are too old to take out the drinks. Batting 3 on that day, Joe was joined at the wicket by his brother-in-law who batted 11 because it was his calling. When the brother-in-law off-glanced the winning runs past slips despairing hand, Joe was already 200.

Laconic, quiet and incapable of giving offence, Joe was like a lot of bush sportsmen in his day and yet, being so much better than most wasn't as important as being on the field and enjoying a yarn. You'd never know anything about Joe Holstein's achievements from talking to him. If you wanted to know what he had done, you asked Jean. She kept extensive scrap books. If you wanted to know what he could do, you watched.

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2 years ago
Steve Thomlinson
Steve Thomlinson
Teacher
Sydney, Australia
24 Likes
1 Followers

Col Thomlinson was a brilliant cricketer, but to me he was more than that. He was my Dad, a teacher, a family man, a friend and a team-mate. He showed me the importance of resilience, determination and friendship. Qualities that I’ve strived to pass onto future generations of cricketers.
The legacy of cricket in the Thomlinson family runs deep, suffice to say it’s in our blood. Dad was born in Hobart in 1923. His father Harold, known as ‘Tommy’, was a local Ashfield cricketer. Tommy’s father, Charles, also played club cricket in Hobart, while his uncle, Arthur, famously played a first-class match versus England, scoring 45.
Dad played his cricket in his early days with Western Suburbs and was a member of the 3rd grade premiership winning team. His stint at Wests was cut short by Fred Bennett who asked Dad to try his luck at the Balmain Tigers. The switch to Tiger Town was met with immediate success. Dad took a remarkable 25 wickets in his first six matches with a best performance of 6-39 v Manly, which quickly got him promoted to 2nds where he was a member of the Premiership winning team.
The following season saw Dad gain selection in First grade. His success was mixed, with highs and lows, like any sporting career. As much as the wickets came so did the no-balls. For the first time in his career, he was called for throwing. Sadly for Dad, it was only in First grade that his action was deemed unsatisfactory.
Dad went on to be the leading wicket taker in 2nd grade for over 5 seasons. His top performance was 9-55 v Cumberland. He also took 8 wickets innings on another 6 occasions. He put the throwing controversy aside, and just enjoyed playing his cricket with his mates. His total haul of wickets at Balmain was just shy of 400.
With my career at Balmain underway as a nervous 14 year old, Dad decided we too should have a season together. The joy of walking out to open the batting together and taking a catch off his bowling nervously under a high ball at mid-off, will live with me for all my days. He finished with the tremendous figures of 5-22 in which was his last match.
Dad’s sporting life was amazing. His stories of playing against Sid Barnes, Neil Harvey, to watching Don Bradman and the body line series were incredible.
Even more important were the lessons he passed down: That family, mate-ship and team-work are solid foundations for life. As I reflect on Dads career I marvel on how it has enriched our lives.
Well played Dad, your legacy lives on.

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3 years ago
Northern District Cricket Club Sydney
Northern District Cricket Club Sydney
Sydney, Australia
20 Likes
24 Followers

Hugh Chilvers was a leg spin bowler who played for Northern District in the Sydney Grade competition from 1925 to 1952. Chilvers is Northern District Cricket Club first grade player number 17 having made his first grade debut on 21 November 1925 against Glebe at Jubilee Oval

Chilvers remains the leading wicket taker in the history of Sydney Grade Cricket taking 1,153 wickets at an incredible average of 15.99 and had best figures of 9 for 46.

In what is truly remarkable Hugh Chilvers took 5 or more wickets in an innings on 105 occasions, one more than the great Bill O’Reilly.

Hugh Chilvers and Ken Gulliver from Mosman Cricket Club are the only two bowlers who have taken more than 1,000 first grade wickets in Sydney First Grade Cricket, Gulliver took 1,029 wickets.

Born Hugh Cecil Chilvers in Hertfordshire England in 1902 Chilvers moved to Australia at a young age and made his first grade debut for Northern District at the age of 23.

In 1929 Chilvers made his first class debut for NSW and in 34 first class games he took 151 wickets at 26.39 and his best figures were 6 for 62. He took 5 or more wickets in 11 innings and also took 10 wickets or more in 3 matches.

With such bowling performances it would seem quite unfortunate that Hugh Chilvers was never selected to play for Australia. It’s believed Bill O’Reilly rated Chilvers as the best spin bowler never to play for Australia.

From “Australian Cricket: The Game and the Players” by Jack Pollard (1982)

He strongly challenged for a position in the 1934 and 1938 Australian teams that visited England. In 1935, when the Australian Board found itself unable to accept India's request to send a team, Frank Tarrant organised an unofficial team to play in India while Australia's Test side toured South Africa. Chilvers was among the players Tarrant invited, but the Board refused to allow Chilvers to tour India on the grounds that he might be wanted by his State. Famous cricket writer Ray Robinson commented, "The sight of Chilvers continuing to play for Northern Districts until he was 56 should have been an annual reproach to officials who denied this honest toiler his only chance for a trip abroad. In my opinion officialdom has shown no poorer spirit in the past 20 years".

Hugh Chilvers was elected Life Member of Northern District Cricket Club on 12 July 1939. He died 1 December 1994 aged 92

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3 years ago
Geoff Lovell
Geoff Lovell
Director
Sydney, Australia
12 Likes
0 Followers

A highlight of my career was batting against Malcolm Marshall in 1993. I was playing for Combined Universities against Hampshire in a Benson and Hedges Cup (55 overs a side) match. It was Hampshire’s first match of the season at Southampton, and David Gower’s first match for Hampshire, so there was quite a large crowd there. The Hampshire side also included Robin Smith and Mark Nicholas as their captain. Batting first, I went in at number 3 in the second over, batting with John Crawley who later played for England. Facing Marshall was surreal – here was one of the world’s best bowlers, whom I had watched for years on TV, running in on his angled run-up to bowl at me. I cut one of his deliveries for four and the crowd applauded very generously – that was surreal too and the only time it ever happened to me. Marshall was very crafty, shortening his run up, bowling the odd slower ball, swinging it both ways. I somehow survived his opening spell, only to be caught behind shortly afterwards to a left-arm spin bowler for 18. Damn!

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3 years ago
John Rogers
John Rogers
Melbourne, Australia
23 Likes
7 Followers

1982-83 Sheffield Shield Final NSW v Western Australia

Before play began, a fired-up Mike Whitney charged out of the change-rooms breathing fire like a rugby league prop at a grand final. Old Bull, Rod Marsh an AFL type who disliked rugby league and NSW with a passion, was not amused and let fly at Whit with a series of loud aggressive put-downs as to his lack of respect - only to suddenly find Whit standing an inch in front of him and towering over him offering suggestions as to his imminent and long overdue retirement.
Effectively it was a clash of cricket cultures. Marsh, Lillee and the Chappells treated with disdain the catch-cry that when NSW is strong so is Australia.
It was all over pretty quickly but set the scene for a fantastic first Sheffield Shield Final - a precursor for many to follow - for what is effectively the 6th Test match played in Australia each year.

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3 years ago
Matt Whitby
Matt Whitby
Investment Manager
Sydney, Australia
18 Likes
4 Followers

The 1994/95 season was my first season at Western Suburbs. I’d played all my cricket at Petersham and after 4 years in the top grade, I felt it was time for a change.
I started the season in good form. In the first game we played Fairfield and I took 5 for 59 and scored 99 not out. Unfortunately, we lost by 5 runs. One game, one loss.
We won the next 9 before losing to Campbelltown on a wet wicket against Campbelltown.
We ended the season with one outright win,10 first innings wins and two losses. We won the Minor Premiership and the coveted home ground advantage for our first semi-final.
Winning the Minor Premiership was a reward for all the hard work but also “guaranteed” a home game semi-final which meant that if the semi-final was a draw or washed out we’d go straight through to the final.
So it was Pratten Park for us; you beauty.
With the top two teams set to play a home semi-final, it was 1st plays 4th at Pratten, and 2nd plays at home against the 3rd placed team.
St George had come 2nd and due to play at Hurstville Oval against Bankstown but North Sydney took the Sydney Cricket Association (SCA) to court to challenge their determination that North Sydney’s last-round win had been a contrived result.
For the first time in most people’s memory, the first week of the semi-finals was postponed until the courts made their decision. Not ideal but we simply prepared to play whomever at Pratten Park. North Sydney won their appeal, so they moved into 3rd spot to play St George at St George home ground and Bankstown finished 4th to play Wests at Pratten Park.
Out of nowhere there was a whisper Wests semi-final was going to be moved away from Pratten Park. At no stage during that season was any game transferred away from Pratten Park.
Unfortunately for Wests as minor premiers history will show that the game was moved to a neutral ground, UNSW’s Village Green. With the legal and courts commotion that North Sydney had prevailed in, Wests decided against fighting the SCA decision and played on.
After scoring a very competitive 351 Bankstown successfully chased our score for the loss of 4 wickets on a very flat 2nd-day wicket.
From 4th position, Bankstown then went on to play North Sydney at Bankstown Oval (home ground) in the final and won the Premiership and Belvedere Cup.
Lamenting, I never did play semi-final cricket again, maybe we should have taken a leaf out of North Sydney’s playbook.
We'd still love to know why we lost our home ground advantage.

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3 years ago
Darren Smith
Darren Smith
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
10 Likes
0 Followers

Recently, I was asked to present a cricket trophy back in Gilgandra (60km north of Dubbo) in honour and behalf of my dad, Ross ‘Chicka’ Smith. Driving five and a half hours to Gilgandra from Sydney I recalled some amazing moments my father was involved with. Like playing against the Poms for Orana region.

Dad was an opening bowler who swung the ball both ways and deceived many a batsman with his off paced balls and guile. So much so, that at the age of 10 I witnessed Dad taking 10 wickets in an innings.
I was perplexed going to the scorer and seeing his 10 for 29 in the book. I couldn't wait to go home and let mum know after witnessing this mighty feat.

When I told mum, she said, "Oh that's the third time he has done that. Oh, yes he took a 10 for 36 and another 10 for 26." I was staggered.

Three lots of 10 wickets in one innings. The nearest I’ve ever been was 6 for 23.

But Dad's achievements moved a little 10-year-old to play cricket and have that determination to go all the way. Needless to say, I thank Dad for his example and many of the young boys at the time in Gilgandra came up to me and said how much dad inspired them to bowl and bat.

Some of those boys were involved with Gilgandra (a town of only 3000 people) winning the regional championships in NSW in 2023 for the first time.

Role models are hard to find these days, make sure you cherish those moments.

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3 years ago
Dennis Hourn
Dennis Hourn
Sydney, Australia
38 Likes
2 Followers

In 1975 one of the greatest ever rugby league teams took the field on Saturday 20th of September in the Grand Final Eastern Suburbs v St George. Easts won that game 38 nil in a record-breaking performance.

September 1975 was a momentous time for the Eastern Suburbs Cricket Club as it had secured the services of the England cricket captain Tony Greig for 1975/76 season. Easts had gone 30 years without a first grade premiership and hopes were really high that Tony could reinvigorate the club.

The first game of the season was to be played against St George at Waverley Oval on Saturday the 27th of September.

One of the Eastern Suburbs players was John Rheinberger who the previous week had been plucked out of obscurity by coach Jack Gibson to play in the centres in the rugby league grand final.

Was St George to be humiliated two weeks in a row?

The previous day it had rained heavily and in this era of uncovered wickets we turned up to the ground to be confronted with a traditional Australian "sticky". Tony Greig had initially thought there was no way we could play and after the pitch inspection he came into the dressing room and said he'd never seen a wicket like it. "It was like glue" he said.

Tony lost the toss and the St George captain sent the Eastern Suburbs side in. What happened next was indeed a debacle but not what the Eastern Suburbs cricket officials had hoped for. This time the shoe was on the other foot and the Eastern Suburbs side were dismissed by St. George for a paltry 33. A disastrous start to the season.

In the crowd was none other than a very interested Jack Gibson.

What is not generally known about Jack is that he was a very handy cricketer and played four seasons with the Eastern Suburbs Cricket Club.

Anyway after being dismissed for 33 we were all sitting rather disconsolately in the dressing room when big Jack lumbers in and in typical laconic style doesn't say much to the team but did manage to blurt out:

" We scored 5 more than you last week"

With that cutting comment Jack exited the dressing room leaving us all even more crestfallen. We went on to lose this game outright.

Maybe Jack's comment worked for us because the good news was that after losing our first two games Easts went on to win the premiership that year due in no small part to the outstanding performance of one Tony Greig who took 75 wickets and scored more than 500 runs that season.

Two Easts premiership teams within months. Doesn't get much better.

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3 years ago
Tim Sullivan
Tim Sullivan
13 Likes
0 Followers

First year in Penrith 4ths, we had a dashing (i.e., crazy) opener Kevin Buick. He would smash anything he could reach. He was a tiler and used to pick me up before I had a car in his battered Holden station wagon, with all his tools and crap in the back.

I’d arrive at the game with brick dust, grout and concrete in my eyes, nose, ears, pockets—everywhere.

Kev’s at short leg. A ball gets punched at him. He grabs at it, knocks it up over his head, walks on the ball as he turns around, has the presence of mind to do a backward roll and pick up the ball as he falls. Springs to his feet and throws it straight into the ground in front of him. In disgust, kicks the ball into a gap, and the batsman who has been standing in his crease watching, takes a single. Kev is crestfallen. The bowler, Jon Llewellyn, says ‘Well done mate—a lesser man would have panicked’.

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3 years ago
Greg Hartshorne
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
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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