Holdsworth v van Diensen, Bankstown v St George 1999-2000 Sydney Grade Cricket final
Paul Ryan | July 31, 2024
I love cricket.
It is the one-on-one competition between bat and ball. It's the isolation of a batter and a bowler as they test each other's skills and temperament.
The batter has only one teammate at the other end as a supporter, while the bowler has 10 teammates helping to plot the downfall of both batters.
The batters form a partnership to score as many runs as possible, while the bowling team's mission is to break the partnership and do it all over again ten times.
It’s a team game, but it’s also an individual game.
I often say, "find the game within the game." Individually winning games or moments increases the team's chances of winning.
The game within the game was never more evident than in the 1999-2000 first grade final between St. George District Cricket Club and Bankstown District Cricket Club at Bankstown Oval.
Two bulls, Brett Van Diensen and Wayne Holdsworth, went one-on-one. Opening batter vs. opening bowler.
Brett for St. George was one of the most talented cricketers I had the excellent fortune to play with, and he played 11 first-class games for NSW.
Wayne for Bankstown toured with the Australian Ashes team in 1993, and in 68 first-class games, he took 212 wickets. At his peak, Wayne was one of the fastest bowlers in Australia.
Wayne Holdsworth
Two bulls, one on one, and it was simply “me or you.”
To set the scene, Bankstown won the toss and elected to bat. St. George had finished higher up the ladder, so Bankstown had to win to be the premiers.
Bankstown's innings ended at 361 after 148.3 overs. Anthony Smith top scored with 90. Bankstown captain Kevin Roberts scored 72, Matthew Betsey scored 44, and Greg Trevena scored 47.
St. George Scott Thompson, playing against his former teammates, was the pick of the bowlers, with 4 for 80 off 29.3 overs.
Former NSW allrounder Brad McNamara, playing in his last game of cricket, took 2 for 85 off 33 overs and left arm spinner Peter Wooden 2 for 28 off 18 overs.
In reply to Bankstown's 361 runs, St. George innings began at 2.31 p.m. on day 2. We had two options: score 362 runs off the remaining 150 overs, or don’t get bowled out, draw the game, and become the 1999-2000 premiers.
The only instruction. Let’s bat with intent, whether attacking or defensive, and keep the scoreboard moving forward.
The Bankstown bowling attack included Wayne Holdsworth, future Australian left arm fast bowler Nathan Bracken, former NSW left arm leg spinner David Freedman, former NSW Colts allrounder Matthew Betsey, and wily left arm spinner Ken Hall, who many say is one of the best players not to play first class cricket.
Nathan Catalano and Brett van Diensen were the St. George opening batters, and Nathan took the first ball, with Wayne bowling the first over from the Bankstown Sports Club end of the ground.
Brett van Diensen
Three dot balls before Nathan hits a single to get off the mark. Brett navigates his first ball before scoring two off the final ball of the over to get his innings underway.
Nathan Bracken bowled the second over, and Nathan Catalano played out a maiden.
In the third over, Wayne delivers his first ball, and, from memory, van Diensen drives it through the covers for four. There are four dot balls before Brett hooks Wayne's last delivery of the over for 6 and well into the groundsmen sheds.
Nathan Bracken's, 2nd over and Nathan Catalano hit the 2nd ball for 4, followed up by 4 dot balls.
Holdsworth begins his third over, aware that the last ball in his previous over had sailed out of the ground for six and chooses to bounce van Diensen once more. Van Diensen achieves the same outcome, hooking Holdsworth for 6 once more.
The 6 is followed by three dot balls before van Diensen hits a 3 and Holdsworth finishes the over with Catalano on strike.
In Bracken’s 3rd over, van Diensen hits the 4th ball for a single. Catalano navigates the 5th ball, and then on the last ball of the over, he pushes the ball towards the vacant mid on and takes off for a single. Bracken dives and picks the ball up and knocks down the stumps at the bowler’s end, with Catalano run out by some distance for 5. St. George 1 for 27 off 6 overs.
Wayne Holdsworth starts his 4th over and Graeme Rummans is caught behind first ball, and St. George is in trouble at 2 for 27.
St. George captain Paul Ryan, batting number 4, gets off strike with a two off his third ball and a single off Holdsworth's last ball of the 7th over.
The next three overs are relatively uneventful, as Holdsworth takes the ball for his sixth over, bowling to van Diensen.
Bankstown now has a deep fine leg and a deep square leg in place, and van Diensen hits the first ball for 2.
The second ball of the over is a bouncer, and van Diensen hooks it for 6. The third ball in the over is a bouncer, and van Diensen hooks it again for 6.
On the fourth ball of the over, van Diensen scores two runs.
It’s bull v bull, and the game within a game is on. The fifth ball of the over is a bouncer, which van Diensen successfully hooks for four runs.
As I walk back to the non-strikers end and pass Brett, I offer, "Just get through the last ball, nothing silly, and it'll be Crackers last over."
Deep down, I thought this was going to end disappointingly for Brett and the Dragons or go down as one of the greatest innings in the history of Sydney Grade Cricket.
Bankstown wicketkeeper Shane Duff shares his thoughts.
"After the fourth bouncer crossed the road, my first slip buddy Kenny Hall and I had our arms crossed, heads down, kicking the grass, hoping Cracker would pitch one up."
Everyone's adrenaline is rushing, especially among the two bulls. Clarity of mind is essential.
Both teams, supporters, and spectators are nervous, but they're also watching exciting cricket.
Holdsworth steamed in for the sixth ball of his sixth over, then bounced van Diensen again. This time van Diensen mistimed the hook shot, and Corey Richards ran in from the deep square leg to take an easy catch.
Bull v Bull and Cracker Holdsworth came up trumps. This game within a game was over.
Sometime later, Cracker confided in me that he had every intention of pitching the ball up, but it was only during his delivery stride that he said, 'Stuff it,' and bowled another bouncer. The old bull vs. the new bull.
St. George were now 3 for 62 off 11 overs, with Brett van Diensen out for 46 off only 27 balls, including four 6s and two 4s.
At stumps on day 2, St. George were 6 for around 128 off 38 overs, needing to score 230 odd runs to win or bat the full day 3 with only 4 wickets remaining.
Rain delayed any play in the first session of day three, demonstrating the unpredictable nature of the cricket gods. By the time play began, St. George needed to bat around 50 overs to score the necessary runs, or bat it out to draw the game and secure the premiership.
After Brendan Hill was out for 8, Bracken bowled Ryan for 53, bringing the score to 8 for 136 off 44 overs.
The intensity of the game increased when Peter Wooden and James Turner formed a 10-over partnership, culminating in Turner's dismissal for 19 runs off 33 balls. St. George were 9 for 156.
Steve Wark joined Wooden for the last wicket stand and together they showed the true St. George fighting spirit.
Woody showed tremendous maturity for a 21-year-old playing his first final and Warky dug deep like the competitor and team player he was and continues to be.
For 29 overs they had their team mates on the edge of their seats. Seats no one dared leave.
In the 82nd over Holdsworth trapped Woody LBW and the dragons were bowled out for 193 with only 5 or 6 overs left in the final.
Woody scored 14 off 132 balls and Warky remained 24 not out off 86 balls.
Yes, the weather played its part in allowing St. George to stay in the game, but hey, that’s cricket. Another game within the game
In the final, Bankstown played better cricket, and they were deserving premiers, defeating St. George by 168 runs.
Kevin Roberts - Bankstown DCC 1999-2000 First Grade Premiership winning captain
Wayne Holdsworth, Nathan Bracken and Matthew Betsey all took 3 wickets for Bankstown and Matthew Betsey all-round performance was recognised when he won the Benaud Medal for Player of the Final
Despite the loss, I still get a wry smile when I think back about VD and Cracker taking on each other and the excitement they both delivered within the game.
I also reflect with admiration on how the Bankstown boys acknowledged Brad McNamara and his career after Matthew Betsey dismissed him in his final cricket match. I distinctly remember Cracker Holdsworth leading the way as he ran from his position at mid on to shake Buzzard's hand as he was walking towards the pavilion.
The beauty of cricket.
BeaconPoint Cricket Clips – Phil Jaques on Batting: Mindset, Method and Making Runs
I had the pleasure of umpiring this match with Simon Taufel. I recall that the match epitomised what club cricket is all about. I remember when it was raining on the morning of the final day, I commented to Simon that it would be a shame if the players were not able to decide the result instead of weather. Cracker's bowling was excellent all through the innings as was Bracken and Betsey. When Van Deinsen was caught by Cory Richards off yet another bouncer from Holdsworth, it was Wayne who couldn't contain himself and gave Brett a big spray which in short, said to Brett "you stupid "F*****t". After the celebrations had died down, Simon and I had a quiet chat to Wayne about the volume of his comment which could have been heard at the railway station. All in all, players just enjoying the contest eh?