Adam Denmeade – A Menacing Fast Bowler

Parramatta District Cricket Club | February 24, 2026

Adam Denmeade emerged from the productive Kings Langley Cricket Club’s junior nursery to play A.W. Green Shield in 1996/97, and his fast bowling collected a fine 13 wickets @16.92 (B.B. – 4/18 v. Balmain) to win the team’s Most Improved Player Award.

His full-time NSW Premier Cricket career was launched the following season, 1997/98, and concluded in 2007/08, when a major elbow injury brought a premature close to his playing days.

His rich potential as a menacing fast bowler was such that by the close of his first season with Parramatta he was opening the bowling in Second grade.

Standing about 6’4” tall and sporting a powerful frame he was a quality bowling all-rounder. A firebrand fast bowler able to achieve genuine pace and extract spiteful bounce. Forthright in approach he liked to engage opposing batsmen with a ‘little verbal banter’ and the odd bumper or three and had the ability to make things happen when bowling with this ‘in your face’ method. For several seasons, he formed a hostile and belligerent opening bowling attach with the equally combative Daniel Jackson – this combination was often discussed at the post-game Captain and Umpires meetings.

As a batsman power was his major asset, a big strong man he struck the ball brutally, through and over the onside and down the ground.  Adam usually came in around Number 8 and launched explosive assaults on opposing attacks, bludgeoning them with his big-hitting bombardments – that could rescue a dodgy situation or enhance a healthy innings. Two performances best illustrate his batting assaults:

• In the1998/99 season whilst making a Cameo appearance after recovering from injury, he smashed 59 against Penrith – hitting 34 runs from a solitary over: 5 x 6 and 1 x 4 which was in dispute, many present claiming it also carried the boundary at Coleman Oval.
• In a 1st grade 50 over match against St. George at Merrylands Oval he struck 30 off an over from spinner Brendan Hill.

Adam first ‘dipped his toe in the water’ of NSW Premier Cricket in 1996/97 when he and Michael Wood were called up from Kings Langley’s Under 16 team to play in the Fifth Grade Semi-Final against Penrith.

However, his Premier career started in earnest in 1997/98 with his initial selection in Fourth grade. Premier Clubs are always on the lookout for bowlers of genuine pace and Adam was quickly elevated to Second grade after demonstrating his promise after grabbing 8 wickets @ 12.88 [4th Grade], 11 wickets @ 10.36 [3rd Grade], 11 wickets @ 30.73 [2nd Grade], buttressed by an outstanding first season of Poidevin-Gray Shield 17 wickets @ 14.35 (including 5/31 v. Sydney University).

He continued to impress in 1998/99, when several ‘quick hostile spells’ in Second grade singled him out as an authentic First grade contender (23 wickets @ 17.83).  His First Grade debut came in the 1999/00 season – he became Parramatta District Cricket Club First grade Player Number – 519.

After securing a permanent First Grade spot in 2000/01 Adam really ‘hit his straps’ and reached the ‘peak of his powers’ between 2001/02 and 2004/05. Not only was he opening the bowling with consistent success, but his latent batting also came alive, and he commenced to manhandle First grade bowling attacks with regularity. He morphed into an allrounder of quality, as evidenced by the following performances:

• 2001/02 – 257 runs @ 14.28 (H.S. – 59 v. Gordon), and 24 wickets @ 28.83 (B.B. – 4/32 v. Wests, 4/53 v. North Sydney, 3/39 v. Gordon)
• 2002/03 – 464 runs @ 27.29 (H.S. – 85 v. UNSW), 60 v. St.G., 52 v. Sydney University), and 18 wickets @ 40.44 (B.B. – 4/56).
• 2003/04 – 493 runs @ 30.81 (H.S. – 71 v. Manly, 65* v. Balmain, 58 v. Hawkesbury), and 28 wickets @ 19.28 (B.B. – 5/19 v. ND, 4/29 v. UNSW, 4/24 v. Bankstown, 4/43 v. Balmain).
• 2004/05 – 469 runs @ 31.27 (H.S. – 74 v. Campbelltown, 52 v. Penrith, 69 v. Gordon, 82 v. Wests), and 11 wickets @ 32.36).

During the 2004/05 season his bowling was badly impacted by the onset of a severe elbow injury that truncated his 2005/06 appearances and necessitated an operation that resulted in Adam missing the complete 2006/07 season. He attempted a comeback with a few games in Second and Third grade in 2007/08 but was unable to bowl in his normal fire and brimstone fashion and decided to retire and concentrate on building a thriving business career.

One branch of his career with Parramatta District Cricket Club in which Adam Denmeade stands ‘ahead of the crowd’ is the Poidevin-Gray Shield Competition. He is the club’s highest-ever wicket-taker in this format, he captured 68 wickets and the outstanding average of 12.12 – best performances being 5/31 v. Sydney University (1997/98), 5/38 v. St. George (1999/00) and 5/27 v. Manly (1999/00).

By Tom Wood – Parramatta District Cricket Club Historian