Paul Rofe - enjoyed being the workhorse

Paul Ryan | September 07, 2023

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.

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

What year you were born?

January 1981

Can you remember you first game of cricket?

I was 9 years old when my family was living in Naracoorte in the South East of South Australia. My mum made a call to the school, and I got to play as a fill in for the final rounds of the year. For my first game, I rode my bike to school, only to learn the game was at Penola, 50kms away. I got a lift with someone and left my bike at school. I bowled an over, no wickets, batted 10, made 0 off 10 balls. Then got a lift home to school and rode my bike home. Mum said she came to check on me but found my bike leaning up against the tree at school. That is the most memorable aspect, the fact that my I was 50kms away, 9 years old and my parents were not concerned that they didn’t know where I was. It is certainly a different environment now.

Tell us briefly about your cricketing journey?

Lived in Naracoorte from 1988 to 1996, where my cricket journey started at age 9. I got into the South Australian grade 7 talent camp in 1993. However, at this stage, I was still enjoying athletics (high jump) and basketball. I wasn’t really aware of how I stacked up as a cricketer against other talented juniors.

When we moved back to Adelaide in 1996, I was put in the under 15 state training squad immediately, then a couple of years later played in the state Under 17s and Under 19s squads.

I played in the Australian Under 19 team on two tours, to England and Sri Lanka for the Junior world cup. I was at the Cricket Academy in Henley Beach during this period, which was great fun. I roomed with Mitchell Johnson for my second year. We were very disciplined and loved the training, getting super fit but also being young lads, living away from home.

Within 6 months of finishing at the cricket academy, I played my first 1st class game for South Australia around my 20th birthday.

I went to School at Prince Alfred College in Adelaide. Playing cricket at school was great fun. I learned how to take lots of wickets, lead teams and doing it all with your best friends is just amazing. After school finished, I played for East Torrens DCC. The captain at that stage (1998/99) was the 1990’s SACA character Joe Scuderi. He was a great cricketer and captain. He was a very good senior captain to start one’s career under. After a few years I switched to Adelaide Uni CC, which lasted about 4 years. I finished my career back at East Torrens. I captained a few games shortly before retiring. I will be honest in that I always considered myself a professional cricketer. Playing club (grade) cricket was not my passion. As a fast bowler you always have to be monitoring your fitness and the volume of deliveries you have bowled from week to week. Sometimes it was difficult to justify playing grade cricket when I knew just how much bowling I had ahead of me for the season. That is why we see so little of the topline fast bowlers taking part in club cricket anymore.

Joe Scuderi

Overall, though, I revelled in playing cricket for the SACA and the experiences that stemmed from that. I loved training, keeping fit, going through the warm up routine prior to each games and having to be disciplined. That aspect suited my personality very well. As I result, when I finished, I knew deep down I gave it everything I could and reached my optimum potential, which is all anyone can do in my opinion.

In which grade and at what age did you make your debut in grade cricket?

I originally played for East Torrens. South Australian legend and well known character Andrew Sincock was involved in getting me to the club. I played a Sunday one day 1st grade game when I was 16. I only ever remember playing the one 2nd grade game the year earlier, as I was playing school cricket most of the time.

At what age did you make your first grade debut in grade cricket and can you remember how you performed in debut?

I played my first season of 1st grade cricket when I was 16 turning 17 half way through the season. I only took a couple of wickets in my first 4 games that year. The following season I took a 5 for in the second round and from there I was on the way.

If you can share with our audience, how would you describe yourself as a cricketer?

I was a fast/medium bowler. I am tall (199cm) and bowled from close to the stumps at a steady pace but not express by any means. I was always very fit so consequently bowled a lot of overs. This became my point in difference in 1st class cricket. Often I would bowl 25+ overs per day, holding up one end whilst the quicker bowlers and spinners attacked from the other end.

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.

Paul Rofe

What was your highest score in senior cricket?

Hmmm……this question I would rather pass on……I had a top score in 1st class cricket of 25. In 1st Grade cricket it was 61, playing for Adelaide Uni.

What were your best bowling figures in senior cricket?

I am proud to say I took 2 x 7 wicket hauls in 1st class cricket. One of them was part of a 13-wicket match against NSW (7 for 52 and 6 for 61). The 7 for 52 were my best innings figures.

You played 70 first class games for South Australia with one season in Northamptonshire, can you share with us how you found out you’d been selected to make your debut for South Australia, who did you play and what do you remember about your first-class debut?

I have vivid memories of my debut 1st class game. It was against WA in Perth. There were 4 debutants that game (long story) and we were slightly outgunned by a more senior WA side that game. I bowled 4 straight maidens to start my career, taking 1 for 97 in my first innings. John Inverarity was at the team’s hotel the night before and presented my red cap to me. There was a lot of excitement. Similar to how I started in 1st grade cricket, it took me a few games to get comfortable. But in my 5th game, I took a 3 for 21 of 22 overs. The next week I took 5 for 30 against WA and from there I was away.

218 first class wickets is a terrific career, how do you look back on your cricket career?

I am very proud of my career. Particularly now as I get older, I am more aware of the unique experience I had during my 20’s. It is not just about the cricket matches themselves, but the lifestyle I lead throughout that period. Travelling around the country and the world. Meeting lots of people all the time and spending a lot of time with guys who I was great friends with. I think I took much of it for granted at the time, but looking back I am very grateful for getting to do something so special, at the time in my life when I had all the energy and youthful enthusiasm that comes with being a young adult.

I particularly loved playing 4-day games. One day games were not my thing. As hard as I tried, it just didn’t suit my style of bowling. In terms of highlights, the top ones are the 13 wickets against NSW. Being cricketer of the year for the SACA’s in 2003/4. Representing Australia, A and getting to play county cricket was a wonderful experience which in hindsight, rounded out my resume.

Who were the best three fast bowlers you have played against?

Brad Williams (WA) as good as anyone on his day

Andy Bichel (QLD) his endurance and his energy all around the ground were second to none.

Nathan Bracken (NSW) always seemed to terrorise SA.

Who were the best three spinners you have played against? 

I played against all the Australian spinners including Shane Warne and Stuart Magill and also Muralitharan. So, it is fair to say they stood out.

Beau Casson and Brad Hogg were both excellent on their day. Facing a chinaman is always difficult as there are so few of them around.

I got out to an arm ball from Daniel Vettori in a tour match. He bowled so much faster than any spinner I had come across before and he was much taller (6 ft 4”) than he appeared on TV. 

Finally, whilst his career was not as long as it should have been, Dan Cullen the SA offspinner was a terrific bowler at his best. He actually turned the ball and at times had flight similar to that of the great Harbajan Singh. It is a shame he did not go on to play more cricket as he was a unique talent.

Dan Cullen

Who were the best 3 batsman you’ve played against?

Steve Waugh - I adored him as a cricketer and we developed this fun, but spirited one on one contest over the course of a few seasons, at the end of his career. Looking back, I appreciated how seriously he took me. Whenever I bowled to him, I always brought my absolute best.

Brad Hodge - we played him a lot in shield games over the years and he rarely missed out. I reckon we went 3 years against him getting a hundred every game.

Chris Rogers - I have to mention him, as whilst he is not the best batsmen ever….I could never get him out. In 10 years bowling to him, think I got him once. He is a great guy and was very respectful to play against….I wonder if it was he way of psyching me out?

Steve Waugh

Who played the best innings you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?

I played alongside Darren Lehmann for many years. As far as first class cricketers go I doubt there will ever be a better batsman than him. There were several years where he made first class attacks look like schoolboys, I am not kidding. In Tasmania in 2001, on a wicket that was crumbling he smashed 160 something. They had all the fielders on the fence, and he was still hitting sixes. It got to the point where he was standing outside leg stump, giving the bowler a full view of where to bowl, and was simply walking across at the last minute and putting the ball wherever he wanted. I never saw anyone else do anything like that at any level of cricket. 

Can you recall a time when you thought, wow, this is a step or two up from what you were used to in grade cricket?

There was only one game I genuinely felt out of my depth. It was my 4th one day game for South Australia against WA and Adam Gilchrist and Damien Martyn were both playing. I came on to bowl, into the wind when both of them were already settled in. I went for 36 off my first 3 overs and really had no answers. I rallied a bit in my second spell, but it showed they were a level above where I was at right there and then.

Who was the best wicket keeper you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?

I was very lucky to have Graham Manou as my wicket keeper for 90% of the 1st Class games I played. Graham had terrific lateral movement. He was a soccer goalkeeper as a kid and could dive to get to any edge of a batsmen. I believe we had some record with 80 odd, shared dismissals to our names. As a bowler, it is easy to underestimate the impact a poor keeper can have on your performance. I pretty much knew that if I could find the edge, Graham would get the job done.

Graham Manou

Who are the two players you admired most in terms of skills and competitive spirit in the competitions you played?

I played with Jason Gillespie in a number of games. Dizzy was a terrific bowler and all-around cricketer but most of all, he genuinely enjoyed other people’s success. It is a trait few people have and the impact Dizzy had on the environment and bowling group was enormous.

I was and am still very close to Shaun Tait. We both had great seasons, the year he took 65 wickets in a single Sheffield Shield year in 2004/5. That year, the pace and ferocity he bowled with was ridiculous. There will never be a season like that again from another bowler. One afternoon Ryan Campbell (WA wicket keeper) ducked into a ball he thought was going to be a bouncer….he, like many batsmen were at the point they had to guess what the delivery was going to be, because Shaun was simply bowling too fast for them. It was crazy to watch.

Shaun Tait

Who was the best captain you had the good fortune to play with?

I played most of my career under Darren Lehmann. ‘Boof’s’ ability to think on the spot, particularly at the close of one day games was very good. He has a great intuition for the game and can see what a batsman is trying to do.

In contrast, I played under Mike Hussey in an Australia A game. Mike was methodical and supportive, making everyone feel like they were better than him. I always liked his style as a sportsman and playing with him as captain made for a very enjoyable environment.

Darren Lehmann

Who has been your funniest team mate?

Like I said, Shaun Tait and I are very close. We spent a lot of time together during our careers with South Australia. I think the rest of the team thought we had something wrong with us, as our sense of humour didn’t always translate.

We also played with a guy named Shane Dietz. He was a wicketkeeper come opening batsman, depending on what year it was. He had a terrific sense of humour, loved making fun of himself and had some ridiculous nicknames for himself and others. Of all the people I ever played with, he would win my award for best team man.

Shane Deitz

Can you recall some banter or an exchange on the cricket field that still makes you laugh today?

My favourite element was the stuff we used say to ourselves to keep the team motivated, on days when conditions were challenging. Whenever it was super-hot, Shane Dietz would always be calling out ‘these are best days of your lives boys, don’t forget it’.

And the endless number of nicknames that everyone had for one another. Often, they would evolve from some tiny thing that some said or did once, which would then get turned into their career long nickname. Some examples were Callum Ferguson ‘the Frenchman’, Cam Borgas ‘silver tongue’, Dan Cullen ‘Jibba’, Shaun Tain ‘Sloon’, Mark Cosgrove ‘Golden Grove’.

As we all know, cricket is a form of endurance sport and I assume the nonsense banter we would come up with must have been the brain’s way of passing the time, and not getting bogged down in the negative, like a flat wicket, or 40-degree heat, or your aching body. Cricket is unique in that way.

No other sport requires you to spend 9 hours a day, locked in a room or ground with 11 people, battling against the elements and 11 other guys, all with the possibility you may not even get a result at the end of that time….crazy.

Who was your childhood hero?

I loved all of the big fast bowlers. Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh, Craig McDermott. However none compared to Glen McGrath…..there is something about his action that whilst mechanical in some respects, is very graceful to watch.

Who are the three sports people in the world you’d most like to meet?

To be honest, I have always been more enamoured by artists or great leaders in the political sphere rather than sports people. I would love to be able to have a coffee with either Elton John, Barack Obama, Paul Keating. All of these people came from ‘normal’ backgrounds to have a major impact on their respective countries.

Barack Obama

What was your favourite ground to play at?

I always preferred playing at the Adelaide Oval and my record reflected it. Interestingly, I always enjoyed the environment of the SCG despite the fact I struggled to take a wicket there. I will always remember the ground announcer there who refused to pronounce my name correctly, always saying ‘ROFF’ as opposed to Rofe. He even persisted after our physio went up to correct him one year.

What there a particular team you especially looked forward to playing against?

I always liked playing against Queensland at home (Adelaide Oval). I think because going to the Gabba was always such a challenge, where the conditions were very different to Adelaide Oval. I revelled in getting to bowl to those guys in an environment that suited me. Queensland were always very confrontational. They talked a LOT in the field, but their aggressive style also meant they gave you a chance as a bowler. We had many good contests against QLD over the years and the banter on the field made those clashes even more memorable.

What’s been your most memorable moment in cricket?

My skin still tingles thinking about the week I took 13 wickets in a match, on my 21st birthday. It was very surreal. However, when it comes to particular moments, nothing will top the following:

Darren Lehman scored a triple century in the 1st innings against WA in Adelaide in late 2005. We declared in the 600’s, after lunch on day 2. I took the new ball from my normal end (scoreboard end Adelaide oval) and had Chris Rogers caught behind in my 1st over.

5 minutes later, I hit Murray Goodwin on the pads, the celebration that went up from the lads was just sensational….we had WA 2 for 5 in 9 minutes, with 600 on the board. We went on to win easily in what was 4 of the best days of cricket I ever saw the SACA’s play.

Paul Rofe batting against Sri Lanka

What’s the best win you’ve been involved with?

In my 5th 1st class game, we were down in Tassie on a very cold October week. We won the toss and bowled, only for Ryan Harris to pull his side muscle in the first hour of play. He was ruled out for the match leaving us with only myself, Mark Harrity, Brad Young and some allrounders to bowl out an entire game.

I bowled 44 overs in the 1st innings, 21 in the second finishing with match figures of 4 for 90. We bowled Tassie out in the second innings using only 3 bowlers. It was a crazy game; we had several injuries. In the end, the coaching staff including Tim Nielson was sub-fielding, we had no bowlers and yet somehow, we snatched a win.

That week really made me fall in love with 4-day cricket. The effort required to win a 4-day game is immense, sometimes more than others, but that one was really special.

Who are the three players from your playing days at the top of the list for a Saturday afternoon barbeque?

Shaun Tait and I speak most weeks during some periods. Cullen Bailey and I keep tabs on each other every few months or so. I also love to catch up with Nathan Adcock and Graham Manou who lives just around the corner (our kids go to school together).

In saying that, we had a reunion for all SA players last year, where 149 players attended. It is fair to say there was a lot off hugging, laughing and almost crying I would say. In some cases, I hadn’t seen some people for nearly 20 years, but the joy of being back together was priceless.

What are your hobbies?

I have always been a very keen bike rider. Since my early 20’s I have done 2-3 rides per week on my road bike and more recently I have gotten into Mountain bike riding with my kids.

My wife and I also love travelling. We did a lot in the off seasons before we had kids and recently now that our boys are older, we have been able to get back out there again. We recently spent Christmas in California, seeing some great sights including Yosemite National Park, Death Valley and of course…. Disneyland.

What’s the best advice you’ve received?

I was very fortunate to have a mentor who I trusted my entire career, in Andrew Zesers.

I once asked him what I needed to say around the team to behave as a leader. He told me this “Rofey, you know when you guys are doing those 1km running time trials during the pre-season, and after each rep, everyone is hunched over gasping for air…?

I said, “yes of course, I love those sessions” ....to which Zes replied,

“Exactly, you can run, but not everyone can, so next time you are out there and they are calling people to the line for the next rep, pull someone up to the line with, make sure you are the first ones ready to go and support that person all the way to the finish line…. that is what leaders do”

I think about that conversation almost every day.

Andrew Zesers

What is your occupation?

The previous question is a great segway into this. For the past 12 years I have been working in Sales and then General Management roles in the transport industry. In my last role I was a National Manager at TEAM GLOBAL EXPRESS (formerly Toll Transport).

I am currently working on start-up transport business - Felix Transport with a friend of mine and am working on plans to commence my own leadership training practice in 2024.

Are you still involved in cricket and if so, in what capacity?

I stopped playing when my professional career ended, and it was some time before I got re-engaged in the game. I now have 3 sons, 13, 9 and 6 who are all into cricket.

So basically, I am a full time ball thrower/bowling coach to my 13 year old. I have run Woollies Blast programs and coached under 10 teams and this year I will be looking after a Under 14 rep side here in Melbourne. I would say my passion for cricket is as strong as it ever has been, however in a very different way compared to when I was a player. 

If you were running a state cricket association what would your 2 priorities to ensure cricket in the state remained strong and successful on and off the field?

Gosh, that is a great question….

1. To win games consistently, you must have a style of play that can be replicated game after game and that incoming players can understand and quickly adapt to. I am fan of the ‘Bazball’ idea, not because I love aggressive cricket but because it is a clear and transparent strategy that all of the England players can understand. Then subsequently selectors and coaches can pick teams easily, by choosing players that can and will adapt to that style of play. ‘Bazball’ is not the only strategy one can use to win a game of cricket, but to win a game, you must have a strategy, that is a fact.
2. When it comes to being competitive, you need a talent pool to choose from. The larger the overall pool is, the more talent that emerges. Therefore, we must do whatever it takes to keep people engaged in playing Saturday cricket. We need to be realistic about people’s time constraints with family, work (the fact that people work 24 - 7 nowadays due to emails) and cricket needs to accept this. Otherwise, men and women will simply not play the game far beyond the age after which they start working and having families, which can set in as soon as 22 to 24. Club red ball games need to be as few overs as possible 75 -80 overs each and their needs to be options to keep senior players in the mix for longer.