Rodney West – Loyalty Plus
Parramatta District Cricket Club | January 23, 2026
Rodney West is an asset to the Parramatta District Cricket Club. He is a rare specimen in the modern era of NSW Premier Cricket, an ex-player with an extensive personal cricketing background who in his post playing days actually ‘puts something back’ into his former club. This he does voluntarily because of his love for the game of cricket, and a genuine love and care for the welfare of the historical Parramatta Club – founded in 1843, NSW’s oldest living cricket club.
It is very pleasing to see a past player re-engaged with his club showing commitment, keen interest and encouragement to the current players each week and volunteering a helping hand.
Rain, hail or shine Rod is on deck at Old Kings Oval each Saturday at First or Second grade matches, and Sunday Poidevin-Gray Shield games at the same venue.
On match days the enthusiastic Rodney ‘rolls up his sleeves’ and embraces a range of activities that include marking the wickets during breaks in play, buying beverage supplies, carrying drinks, hoisting sponsor banners, working in the canteen during lunch and afternoon tea activities, and assisting in the cleaning of the Doug Walters grandstand and dressing rooms, and the end-of-day OKO close-up process.
In recognition of his services, he was awarded the Club’s respected Ray Rowe Volunteer Award in 2021/22. Rod has undertaken his volunteer activities for over seven years and declares he’s in for the long haul.
Roddney West was Parramatta District Cricket Club First Grade Player Number 529. He was a hard-nosed old style competitive cricketer, who fought hard for his wicket when batting and grafted hard with the ball in his left-hand.
Like many of his contemporaries of the time he played his junior cricket with the Kings Langley Club (Tom Wood was Coach and Peter West [his dad)] was the team manager). In those days Rod was a talented top-order batsman and a more than useful left-arm swing bowler, he played in all the Parramatta District Cricket Association Rep teams through to C.S. Watson Shield – grabbing a hat-trick in the Moore Shield.
His ingress into the Parramatta District Cricket Club came via the habitual path of A.W. Green Shield, in which he played in the 1994/95 and 1995/96 seasons, performing solidly with both bat and ball.
Rod’s introduction into NSW Premier Cricket came in the 1996/97 season in the Fifth grade team where gained experience and grounding under the cagey ‘old fox’ Johnny ‘JA’ Aitken. At first the grade cricket experience proved frustrating, always a top-order batsman in his junior and Rep days, for the first twelve rounds of the season he found himself ‘going in at No.11’ and opening the bowling.
Then against Balmain he was promoted to open the batting and responded with a well-crafted 98 runs, thereafter, he remained an opener for the rest of his career. His first tilt at grade cricket resulted in 238 runs @34.00 (H.S. – 98 v. Balmain) and 14 wickets @ 30.21.
The following season (1997/98) saw Rod further enhancing experience as an opener in Fifth grade compiling a solid 327 runs @ 24.00 (H.S. – 62* v. North Sydney – accomplishing the rare opener’s feat of ‘carrying his bat’ through the Parramatta innings of 147.
The career wheel rolled forward for Rodney in 1998/99, after starting in Fourth grade some typical gritty digs in Third grade – the best being 93 v. North Sydney and 51 v. UNSW – saw him elevated for a couple of games in Second grade.
Over the next few seasons, he churned out sturdy form at the head of the order in Second grade particularly in 2001/02 where compiled 322 runs @ 29.27 (H.S. – 94 v. Penrith – including a 2nd wicket stand of 144 with Russell Grimson). This form was instrumental in Rod making his First grade debut that season.
In 2002/03 Rod kicked the season off graded in First grade and skipper Greg Davidson made these comments in the annual report – “Rodney was just finding his feet as an opening batsman playing steadily in the seven games he played, batting through the first session on two occasions, ‘Westy’ showed that he could become a permanent member of the First grade side. A knee injury didn’t help Westy’s season”.
He played the following four seasons in Second grade before dropping back to Third grade where he played with distinction until ill health forced him into a premature retirement from playing in 2007/08. Prior to his retirement Rod took over the Third grade captaincy reins and proved an astute tactician and mentor of rising young players. He also enjoyed strong personal success and delivered his most prolific batting season in 2006/07 – 498 runs @ 35.57 (including a fine 100 v. Sydney University, 82 v. Easts, 54 v. UNSW, 53 v. Hawkesbury)
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By Tom Wood – Parramatta District Cricket Club Historian
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