Stories

2 years ago

Mitchell Woods

Guyra, New South Wales, Australia

2 Likes
0 Followers

I have been very fortunate to play with fantastic cricketers through my time playing in Northern NSW from around 1985/86 onwards

I’ve played in Guyra, Armidale, Coffs Harbour and various representative teams in Lismore, Armidale, Central North and Northern NSW Under 21 Emus. Here's my best team from players I've played with

1. Justin Gilbert - Dorrigo
2. Alex Byrne - Coffs Harbour
3. Mark Curry - Northern Tablelands & Central North
4. Greg Johnson – Armidale (Captain)
5. Peter Browning - Armidale
6. Tim Welsford - Coffs Harbour
7. Matt Kelly - Central North and Northern NSW Emus (Wicket Keeper)
8. Craig Trindal - Armidale
9. Andrew Starr - Armidale
10. Billy Newell - Armidale
11. Dave Piddington - Armidale
12. Lach Falloon - Armidale

View responses or answer (0)

2 years ago

North West Sydney Hurricanes Cricket Club

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

4 Likes
0 Followers

Mark Tranter is a Life Member of North West Sydney Cricket Club and won the 1998/99 Eric Green Memorial Trophy for Outstanding Club Service.

Mark first joined club in 1982 when it was known as Wentworthville/Blacktown District Cricket Club in the Sydney Shires competition and played 207 games for the club.

He’s a multiple first grade premiership winner for the club and scored 4,222 runs and took 145 catches, 14 stumping’s and involved in 26 run outs.

Mark is now playing Over 50s Veterans Cricket for Newcastle and Hunter District Cricket Club

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/1216/north-west-sydney-hurricanes-cricket-club/blog/1468/mark-tranter-own-the-deal-like-your-life-depended-on-it

View responses or answer (0)

2 years ago

North West Sydney Hurricanes Cricket Club

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

4 Likes
0 Followers

Andrew Gokel has been playing and involved with Shires Cricket in Sydney since 1980.

He’s won numerous premierships, is a student of the game and loves the camaraderie you get from spending so much time with your team mates.

Who has been the best three spinners you have played against?

Pete Daly from Lindfield was a left arm orthodox with great control and variation who spun it and had a lots of ways of getting you out.

Tom Wood from Auburn bowled fizzing leggies and went through us in a semi at Monty Bennet once

Graeme Beard from Roseville was tough, as you would expect a former test player to be. He didn’t appreciate the shorter boundaries at Monty Bennet though.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/1216/north-west-sydney-hurricanes-cricket-club/blog/1467/andrew-gokel-dougie-was-my-idol

View responses or answer (0)

2 years ago

St George Cricket Club

Sydney, Australia

53 Likes
54 Followers

St George District Cricket Club Captains for 2023 - 24

Back soon from a season in Ireland with Pembroke Cricket Club will be Nick Stapleton who will once again lead our 1st Grade side.

Nick has had some incredible performances whilst in Ireland including that amazing 8-8 back in May. Since then he's peeled off a few centuries including 119 (121 balls) in July and 153 (103 balls) which also including a whopping 18 x 4's and 6 x 6's.

In 1st Grade for St George Nick has now scored 4690 runs and taken 205 wickets making him one of the most successful allrounders in St George history.

We look forward to having him back at Hurstville.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/275/st-george-cricket-club/blog/1466/st-george-district-cricket-club-captains-for-2023-24

View responses or answer (0)

2 years ago

Neil Davidson

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

6 Likes
0 Followers

Recently I found my dad’s (Alan Davidson) 1st Grade Premiers Cap of 1948-49 for Northern District Cricket Club and the letter from the club Secretary advising him of his selection in the First Grade Team at the start of the season.
Dad was working at the Commonwealth Bank in Gosford at the time and living in Lisarow.
The letter dated 19 September 1948 goes like this.

Dear Mr Davidson,
Tonight the selectors chose you in our First Grade Eleven for the match at Waitara on Saturday, 25/9/48, subject to your being able to be on the ground at the correct starting time, viz 1-30pm. This applies every Saturday during the season.
You have also been chosen in our First Eleven for the Eight Hour Day Match at Waitara commencing at 10am sharp.
Much as we would be pleased to have your services, I am sure that you will appreciate the fact that your attendance on time is very necessary and in view of your discussion with Mr Caldwell on the difficulties of your transport, the selectors have requested that you make your position known to me at the earliest possible moment so as we can make any adjustments necessary.
With Kind Regards
Yours faithfully
Hon Sec

Apparently, Dad’s father Keith would wait outside the Bank in Gosford where dad worked on Saturday mornings until 10am, with the engine of his old Ford Model, a crank start car running, so as to get to Waitara on time.
He finished the first season, winning the competition and winning the clubs and Sydney bowling averages with 38 wickets at 14.2 apiece and becoming the youngest person in history to do it.

View responses or answer (4)

2 years ago

Paul Ryan

Founder

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

503 Likes
513 Followers

Paul Rofe made his first-class debut for South Australia during the 2000-01 season.

In 70 first class games Rofe took 218 wickets at an average of 31.66 with best figures of 7 for 52. He took 5 wickets in an innings on 8 occasions.

Rofe played 41 Limited Over games taking 41 wickets at an average of 34.09 with best figures of 3 for 23.

Paul Rofe played for East Torrens District Cricket Club and Adelaide Cricket Club in South Australian Premier Cricket.

What were your strengths as a player?

I was always very fit and bowled the same pace in the 1st and last over of the game. I went 50 straight 1st class games without an injury, so the team relied on me a lot during that era. It was a lot of fun and I always enjoyed being the workhorse, knowing I would be called on to bowl a large percentage of the overs.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/32/paul-ryan/blog/1465/paul-rofe-enjoyed-being-the-workhorse

View responses or answer (0)

2 years ago

Andrew Bennett

Teacher

Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong

2 Likes
0 Followers

I was blessed to play all of my junior cricket in the Nepean District Cricket Association. I vividly remember many of the umpires, coaches and scorers who gave their time, so boys like me could thrive and grow like weeds under the beating summer sun of the 70s and 80s. It was way hotter back then, no-one had airconditioners.

We young mountain men of the Springwood District Cricket Club U13s were taking on the pride of Werrington County on a balmy Saturday morning at what later became known as Rance Oval. Thomas J Rance was a long serving umpire and administrator in the Penrith district, who's home burnt down in the 90s with decades worth of NDCA and PDCA scorebooks lost but that's another story.

Back to Werrington, I was thundering in off the long run to Peter Ryman, one of the guns in the U13s NDCA rep side and was getting pumped. I couldn't work out why my out swinger wasn't hooping like the 2 piecer usually did. I realised the umpire, George Volkein, the Werrington coach was standing side on as I approached my delivery stride. George had paid for and sported a substantial beer belly by 1970s standards. I was having to run around him and was delivering from very wide on the return crease. I politely asked, "Mr Volkein, could you please face front on so I can get closer to the stumps?" he replied, cricket is a side on game son, batters are side-on, bowlers are side-on and I'm staying side-on so get back to your mark and bowl."

View responses or answer (0)

2 years ago

Sutherland District Cricket Club

Sylvania, Australia

29 Likes
22 Followers

Matthew O’Brien made his first grade debut for Sutherland District Cricket Club on 17 October 1993 to become first grade player number 162 for the club.

In 208 first grade games Matthew scored 6,050 runs at an average of 27.75 and hit 3 hundreds and 37 half centuries.

At the time of publication Matthew is not only the 6th highest first grade run scorer for Sutherland DCC he is also the 6th highest run scorer across all grades for the club. 9,181 runs at 29 with 6 hundreds and 54 half centuries/

Matthew is also a former Sutherland DCC first grade captain.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/294/sutherland-district-cricket-club/blog/298/matthew-obrien-always-want-the-ball-to-come-to-you

View responses or answer (0)

2 years ago

Warwick Hadfield

4 Likes
0 Followers

The Newtown and Chilwell Sixth XI, captained by Phil “Surf Dog” Morgan, was playing Grovedale, a.k.a. the Lawnmowers, in a grand final at Reserve Road, Grovedale.

The Lawnmowers biggest hitter was starting to get going and Morgo decided he would take the lead and place himself where the ball was likely to go.

To ensure he knew exactly where to stand, he marked out an X on the ground. Bit hitter went bang, the ball when aerial, high enough to be lost among the string of trees that were the background.

Morgo ran around and around trying to see it, only to hear a clunk as it hit the ground, and when he went to pick it up, he discovered it was right in the middle of the X

View responses or answer (0)

2 years ago

Warwick Hadfield

4 Likes
0 Followers

The Newtown and Chilwell Sixth XI was playing Newcomb at Newcomb. It was a day for which the Western District of Victoria is well known, chilly and with blue skies followed by scudding winds and showers. One bespectacled bowler was having trouble finding the pitch through the rain drops.

The captain, despairing at 0-27 from four overs, said one more over. The rain stopped, the bowler wiped his glasses clear and took a hat-trick. In the next over, which he had clearly earned, he took another wicket, making Newcomb seven wickets down.

With another blast of cold and wet imminent, the captain said to the bowler, get another hat-trick so we can go home and get warm.

Three balls later, after the necessary hugs and kisses, the boys were going home, said bespectacled bowler with the respectable figures now of 7-35.

Funny game cricket.

View responses or answer (0)

2 years ago

Stuart MacGill

Cricket Coach

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

35 Likes
6 Followers

Episode 8: Wickets with Stuart MacGill and Jack Sharp: Heath Streak passes, Richie Benaud reflections, WR run scorers, T20 update, Around the World

Stuey and Sharpy chat about the sad passing of Zimbabwe icon, and all-round nice guy, Heath Streak. A sobering start to the episode, RIP Heath. The guys then switch from sombre topics to Garfield Sobers, Lara, and Hayden, let's reflect on world record run scorers.

Australia vs South Africa T20 match reviewed with Head scoring 91 and Australia winning with a few overs to spare. International round, we fly around the world and matches going on here, there, and everywhere.

Stu reflects on the late great Richie Benaud, and his time in the commentary box with him. A fantastic over, from the Paddington end, 2 for 22.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/988/stuart-macgill/blog/1464/episode-8-wickets-with-stuart-macgill-and-jack-sharp-heath-streak-passes-richie-benaud-reflections-wr-run-scorers-t20-update-around-the-world

View responses or answer (0)

2 years ago

Western Suburbs District Cricket Club Sydney

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

69 Likes
93 Followers

Finn Gray is a talented top order batting allrounder who made his first-grade debut for Western Suburbs against Fairfield in 2022-23. He’s the proud owner of first grade cap number 737.

Who are the two players in the club you admire in terms of skill and competitive spirit?

Mitchell Flemming for his competitive spirit and drive for the club.
Liam Sparke for his attitude towards his training, always trying to become the best version of himself week in week out.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/161/western-suburbs-district-cricket-club-sydney/blog/1462/pocket-profile-finn-gray-western-suburbs-district-cricket-club

View responses or answer (0)

2 years ago

Western Suburbs District Cricket Club Sydney

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

69 Likes
93 Followers

Tom Brooks is Western Suburbs first grade player number 721 after making his debut as a leg spin bowler at the age of 18.

In 2022-23 Tom had the good fortune of playing for NSW/ACT 2nd XI against Victoria in Melbourne. In 2022-23 he took his first five wicket haul in first grade and won the Western Suburbs District Cricket Clubs Mal Gorham Players Player of the Year Award.

Who are the two players at Western Suburbs you predict to have big season in 2023-24?

Nick Cutler and Mohammad Irfan

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/161/western-suburbs-district-cricket-club-sydney/blog/1463/pocket-profile-tom-brooks-western-suburbs-district-cricket-club

View responses or answer (0)

2 years ago

Brad Bannister

Teacher

Corrowong, NSW, Australia

32 Likes
3 Followers

Back in the early 2010's I was living and playing in Maitland for the great Northern Suburbs CC of Maitland playing out of the famous and historic Lorn Park. Each year the clubs from the Maitland Competition played in the Hunter Valley Cup One Day Knockout Competition. This comp encompassed teams from the following competitions Maitland, Singleton, Muswellbrook, and the Central Coast. Our club was hosting the final against our arch rivals, City United Cricket Club. We had played these guys in the previous few grade grand finals and had been sharing the spoils in all the big games. They were a very good side with a lot of quality cricketers.

We bowled first after losing the toss on a magnificent summer's day and high quality batting pitch. Their star player Josh Trappel had helped himself to an effortless and classy 100 to help them post a very good score. I had bowled my ten overs for a solid return of 5 for 20 and taken a couple of catches in the field.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/209/brad-bannister/blog/1459/boys-own-dream-comes-true

View responses or answer (0)

2 years ago

Western Suburbs District Cricket Club Sydney

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

69 Likes
93 Followers

Former England and Western Suburbs fast bowler Angus Fraser fires up against Randwick in November 1994

I look back at my two winters playing for Western Suburbs with a huge amount of pride and joy, and my Magpie cap proudly hangs on a hook next to my Middlesex and England caps in my office at Lord’s.

In 1988/89 I spent much of the summer with Brad McNamara and Scott Hookey. We spent a few Saturday evenings at Carmens in Miranda, so there are some stories I will leave alone. I do remember getting a bollocking from Greg Matthews one Saturday whilst Wests were batting for sunbathing on one of the grassy banks at Pratten Park. He took his shirt off and showed me the damage the sun can do. It was a good point, quite forcibly made??

In 1994/95, having been omitted from England’s Ashes squad, I positioned myself in Australia in case any England players got injured. They did, and I got called up to the squad. Before getting called up I played in a game against Randwick at Coogee Oval.

On first innings Wests won a low scoring game and I took five or six wickets on a slow pitch. I then got called up to the England touring squad.

In an attempt to provide a bit of colour to the news a national paper spoke to one of the Randwick players about batting against me. The bloke completely nailed me on every front – no pace, didn’t do much with the ball, easy to play etc etc. I wouldn’t have minded, but Wests won the game, and I bowled pretty well. I bit my lip with the media when I got a few wickets in the Sydney Test that followed.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/161/western-suburbs-district-cricket-club-sydney/blog/1458/former-england-and-western-suburbs-fast-bowler-angus-fraser-fires-up-against-randwick-in-november-1994

View responses or answer (0)

2 years ago

Mosman Cricket Club

Sydney, Australia

15 Likes
28 Followers

Whales in solid fightback - Mosman Cricket Club 14 January 2002

In other grades, there was a mixture of results, with the highlight of the round a marauding innings in third grade from the ageless Craigie Hughes.

Hughes made a quickfire108 runs, hitting no less than eight sixes during his short stay at the crease.

In only his second game for the season, Hughes has wholly and solely given the thirds an opportunity to protect their top-six position on the table.

However the modest Hughes described his innings as more butchery than style.

“My timing was out and, on most occasions, it was really only pure strength that enabled me to bash the ball over the boundary,” he said. “If I was in better form, I’m sure I could have hit 14 or 15 sixes for the day.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/340/mosman-cricket-club/blog/1457/whales-in-solid-fightback-mosman-cricket-club-14-january-2002

View responses or answer (0)

2 years ago

Northbridge Cricket Club

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

2 Likes
0 Followers

Our 1st grade side entered the final round of the 2020-21 season in last place (6th). Needing a collection of various miracles from mother cricket, as well as mother nature, we thought that we’d focus on the last round as something to enjoy following a weather and covid interrupted summer. We needed maximum points from an outright victory, a significant turnaround on quotient and various other things to fall our way. The most optimistic of optimists at Percy’s (North Sydney Hotel, our wonderful sponsor) all agreed it was unlikely.

On this basis, we made the decision able to fulfill our club patron’s dream. At 73 years old and a life member of the club, our 7th grade wicket keeper David Allan made his 1st grade debut. His cricketing dream was to play in the top turf side and mix it with the ‘big boys’. We wanted to not only acknowledge his years or unwavering support, service and countless hours of fundraising, but we also wanted to prove to him that we thought he was good enough to be there and would absolutely not let us down.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/1211/northbridge-cricket-club/blog/1456/david-allan-first-grade-debut-and-living-the-dream-at-73-years

View responses or answer (0)

2 years ago

Steve Rixon

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

2 Likes
0 Followers

So pleased to see my former Australian, NSW and club team mate Peter Toohey recognised and awarded Life Membership of Cricket NSW

View responses or answer (0)

2 years ago

Bradbury Cricket Club

Camden, New South Wales, Australia

0 Likes
0 Followers

Bradbury Cricket Club C Grade cricket team 1977

Back Row - Unknown, Doug Williams, Pat Frances, Brad Blundell, Norm Flegg, John Mason,
Front Row - Cliff Marsden, Jim Parker, Alan O’Connell, Steve Eason, Grant Shaw

View responses or answer (0)

2 years ago

Sydney University Cricket Club

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

10 Likes
14 Followers

Geoff Lovell became Sydney University Cricket player number 554 after making his first grade debut for the club during the 1985/86 season. Geoff had joined Sydney University after starting his grade cricket career with Gordon Cricket Club.

Geoff is a Life Member of Sydney University Cricket Club. He was selected in the Sydney Uni’s team of the 1980’s and was awarded a Sydney University Blue for cricket in 1988.

In 1990 Geoff Lovell had the distinction of being the inaugural recipient of the Bradman Scholarship which we will find out more through Geoff’s wonderful and insightful journey.

Playing for Oxford University Geoff played 26 first class games scoring 1,061 runs at 32.15 including two centuries.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/260/sydney-university-cricket-club/blog/131/geoff-lovell-keep-the-game-moving-forward

View responses or answer (0)

Recent Activity

Partner Sponsors

Partner Sponsors

Partner Sponsors

Partner Sponsors

Partner Sponsors

So pleased to see my former Australian, NSW and club team mate Peter Toohey recognised and awarded Life Membership of Cricket NSW

Partner Sponsors

Bradbury Cricket Club C Grade cricket team 1977

Back Row - Unknown, Doug Williams, Pat Frances, Brad Blundell, Norm Flegg, John Mason,
Front Row - Cliff Marsden, Jim Parker, Alan O’Connell, Steve Eason, Grant Shaw

Partner Sponsors

Platinum Sponsors

Stories

Partner Sponsors

Partner Sponsors

Partner Sponsors

Partner Sponsors

Partner Sponsors

So pleased to see my former Australian, NSW and club team mate Peter Toohey recognised and awarded Life Membership of Cricket NSW

Partner Sponsors

Bradbury Cricket Club C Grade cricket team 1977 Back Row - Unknown, Doug Williams, Pat Frances, Brad Blundell, Norm Flegg, John Mason, Front Row - Cliff Marsden, Jim Parker, Alan O’Connell, Steve Eason, Grant Shaw

Partner Sponsors

Bradbury Cricket Club C Grade cricket team 1977

Back Row - Unknown, Doug Williams, Pat Frances, Brad Blundell, Norm Flegg, John Mason,
Front Row - Cliff Marsden, Jim Parker, Alan O’Connell, Steve Eason, Grant Shaw