Clinton Perren - resilient
Northern Suburbs District Cricket Club | February 10, 2023
Clinton Perren progressed through the grades at Northern Suburbs District Cricket Club relatively quickly, from 5th grade to his debut in first grade at the age of 18.
Clinton’s career blossomed through Queensland under age teams and he was a graduate of the 1995 Australian Cricket academy in 1995.
He made his first class debut for Queensland on 27 October 1998 against NSW at Manuka Oval in Canberra and scored 28 in Queensland only innings as they defeated NSW by an innings and 66 runs.
In a tremendous career Clinton played 84 first class and 105 one day games for Queensland.
In first class cricket he scored 4,785 runs at 34.92 including 10 centuries and 23 half centuries and took 80 catches.
In one day cricket he scored 2,919 runs at an average of 35.59 and hit 2 centuries and 21 half centuries and took 21 catches.
Let’s find out more about Clinton’s journey in the game
What year you were born?
1975
Can you remember you first game of cricket?
I can remember playing a game for Wellington Point Primary School against Dunwich Primary from Stradbroke Island. I can remember playing on a concrete pitch, wearing pads and gloves but still playing bare foot and got about 30 odd not out.
Tell us briefly about your cricketing journey?
Started at Mooroondu Cricket Club in an age group called ‘sporters’ at the time (Under 10’s). Progressed through junior age groups with Wellington Point, Moreton Rovers and Cleveland Thornlands – all local clubs in the Redlands area. I started playing Warehouse Cricket for Mater Hill on Saturday afternoons and then got asked to play for Northern Suburbs where I played Under 18’s and started my journey through Grade Cricket as I’d mentioned earlier in 5th Grade.
Had an average first few games, was apparently about to be dropped back into 6th Grade when someone pulled out, so I’d stayed in 5th’s – got 100, then got another two and was promoted to 4th Grade where I played remainder of the season and continued scoring heavily and helped win the 4th Grade Premiership.
After an off-season Wanderer’s Tour to outback Queensland, I was fast tracked the following year into 2nd Grade with some 1st Grade games and that was that. It all happened quickly really. From that point on it was Queensland Under 19’s, Qld Colts, 2nd XI and on to represent the Bulls. I’ve played League Cricket in the UK for years where I was professional at Littleborough CC for 10 years.
1995 Australian Cricket Academy
In which grade and at what age did you make your debut in grade cricket?
I was 17 and was initially selected for Northern Suburbs 5th Grade.
At what age did you make your first-grade debut in grade cricket, and can you remember how you performed in debut?
Made my debut for 1st Grade at 18 and got a golden duck vs Wynnum Manly – LBW to Ian Dollery.
If you can share with our audience, how would you describe yourself as a cricketer?
Top Order Batsman who always prided myself on my fielding. Medium Pace Bowler who ‘thought’ he could bowl off-spin towards the end of his career.
What were your strengths as a player?
I’d like to think I was resilient as a player and able to adapt to both the conditions and the situation of the game. Enjoyed being patient and building an innings.
What was your highest score in senior cricket? For which club and where?
226 for Northern Suburbs vs East Redlands at Ian Healy Oval.
What were your best bowling figures in senior cricket?
I was only ever a part-time medium pacer but bowled regularly in grade cricket for Norths. To be honest, I can’t ever remember taking bag fulls of wickets but always chipped in with a few wickets here and there with the odd 4 wickets and the very occasional 5 wicket haul.
You played 84 first class games in a tremendous career for Queensland. Can you share with us how you found out you’d been selected to play for the Bulls, who did you play and what do you remember about your first-class debut?
I’d received a call from my Mum as I wasn’t home because I’d been out with mates the night before. She said Graham Dixon from Queensland Cricket had just called asking to speak to me (no mobiles back then). She said he was about to call me at my mates’ house as she’d given him the number.
Sure enough, he called and notified me that I was now selected for a Day Night game against New Zealand that evening at the Gabba because Matthew Hayden had just been called up into the Australian team. Raced home, plenty of coffee and got myself together. Batted well and got 36 facing the likes of Daniel Vettori and Simon Doull.
Clinton Perren batting in a one day game for Queensland
What was your most memorable moment playing first class cricket?
I’d have to say my first Pura Cup (Sheffield Shield) title beating Victoria at the Gabba - having my family there in the crowd to share the experience with me meant the world. I batted well too, got 56 in the first innings and 43 in the second, run out from a mis-field batting with Stuart Law. I remember how intense it was towards the end of the final innings which made the experience that much more satisfying and rewarding.
How do you look back on your time in first class career?
Amazing. I got to live a childhood dream – plain and simple. I played during the strongest and most successful period of Australian Cricket that there has been and played with and against some of the greatest players to have played the game so for that I’m incredibly fortunate. Not only that, I’m immensely proud to have been part of one of the most successful eras of Queensland Cricket also.
Who were the best three fast bowlers you have played against?
Jason Gillespie – Spent 1995 with him as part of the AIS Cricket Academy and thought his work ethic and attitude was fantastic. Having to then play against him during my career, he was constantly trying to figure you out and chip away at your weaknesses. You rarely got a bad ball, and you knew that every run you scored off him you earned.
Paul Reifell – Again, like Dizzy, he constantly asked questions of your technique and concentration. While I only really saw him the back end of his career, the few times I played him was a stern test and again you knew you’d earned every run.
Shaun Tait was obviously bloody quick, but I think it was the fact that he was so unpredictable that was an advantage at times. Even the times he wasn’t quite 100%, it only took 1 ball for his action to click, and he was away. Once he found his rhythm and was ‘on song’, he was scary!
Jason Gillespie
Who were the best three spinners you have played against?
Stuart Macgill – Had to mocca on me very early on in my career, and he knew it too which made it worse, in fact the whole NSW team did to be fair. I really struggled with it for a while but turned it around eventually and scored a couple of hundreds again him which was satisfying.
Shane Warne – Goes without saying really. It was always a challenge facing him and a real test of your game.
Brad Hogg – Great competitor who just thrived on the contest. Always enjoyed the challenge of facing him and had a genuine appreciation of him as a bowler.
Stuart MacGill
Who were the best 3 batsman you’ve played against?
Darren Lehman – Just a class act and knew his game to a tee. Scored so many runs his own way and never backed down from a challenge.
Mark Waugh – Having grown up idolising him, to end up playing against him several times was surreal to say the least. Had so much time and elegance at the crease it was ridiculous.
Ricky Ponting – Loved the way he took the attack to the bowling. He had so much intent and purpose at the crease that even his leaves were positive – something I still try and coach to this day. His overall presence at the crease and the fact that he couldn’t be bullied with the short ball made him such a challenge for any opposing bowling side.
Ricky Ponting
Who played the best innings you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?
Ricky Ponting vs Queensland at Allan Border Field, 2000. From memory he only got out because he was run out for around 230. Amazing innings in that the way he dominated and the ease in which he went about his business against an attack of Andy Bichel, Adam Dale and Ashley Noffke was head and shoulders ahead of any batting I’d seen at that point in my career.
Was there a bowler in particular who for whatever reason seemed to always cause you a few problems?
I’ve already mentioned Stuart Macgill, but Matthew Nicholson was right up there also. Had an awkward action that was always a little difficult to pick up out of the hand, good pace and had a good cricketing brain. Had quite a dry sense of humour too so would just chip away at you gradually throughout your innings. Great competitor though and even better bloke.
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?
One memory – albeit not a positive one was a 17-ball duck that I got in a one-day game at Bankstown Oval against NSW. Steve Waugh, Mark Waugh, Michael Bevan, Michael Slater, Glenn Magrath and so on – that was literally half the posters on my bedroom wall growing up - talk about a deer in the headlight’s moment. Given the fact I was facing Stuart Magill, no wonder it went pear shaped.
Who was the best wicket keeper you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?
Wade Seccombe – Queensland has been blessed with fantastic wicket keepers (Ian Healy and Chris Hartley) but Chuck’s overall work ethic and respect he had amongst the playing group was second to none. He was always the voice of reason both in a change room and on the field and quite often had this ability to put things into perspective and context when they needed to be. He had an amazing set of hands and was tenacious with the bat but overall was and still is an amazing human being which is now being reflected in his overall approach and results as a coach.
Wade Seccombe
Who are the two players you admired most in terms of skills and competitive spirit in the competitions you played?
Martin Love was one of the best batsmen I’d had the fortune to play with. I’ve never known someone so talented but so humble and laconic in nature as he was. He was so classical and made batting look so easy – never getting flustered against the very best of oppositions all while you literally had to check him for a pulse half the time.
Martin Love
Who was the best captain you had the good fortune to play with?
Stuart Law just oozed Queensland spirit for me and did his best to drag his team mates along with him. He was hugely responsible for the ‘Bulls Culture’ that made us so successful over the years. Very astute tactically and again, loved getting in the contest. Had a massive influence on my career and someone that I looked up to and admired.
Stuart Law
Who has been your funniest teammate?
Lee Carseldine – we just bounced off each other and were so similar in so many ways. We’d always pretty much competed for selection but fed off each other in motivating us to get better. We’d argue over who had the biggest chin (I won unfortunately) and we’d do our best to shoot each other down every chance we’d get. He had a great Milo Kerrigan impersonation!
Can you recall some banter or an exchange on the cricket field that still makes you laugh today?
Brad Hodge calling me the Predator made me laugh – made us all laugh. I wasn’t exactly an oil painting so to get likened to the Predator when he takes his mask off in the movie was bloody funny. I remember Hodgey fielding in gully saying “if it bleeds, we can kill it” in a Schwarzenegger voice. It still gets mileage to this day.
What was your most embarrassing dismissal in senior cricket?
One of my earlier Pura Cup games vs New South Wales at the Gabba. Shane Lee was bowling, I was batting 5 or 6, we’d just lost a wicket and Martin Love was at the non-striker’s end. Met him for the usual chat in the middle where he kindly informed me that Shane was getting plenty of shape away and bowling decent lengths so work hard. No problem – I left the first ball which happened to be a hooping inswinger which collected every piece of my front pad and that was that. Woops!
Who was your childhood hero?
Michael Jordan – Loved everything about him and the Chicago Bulls at the time. The life size poster of him on my wall as a kid was probably a giveaway.
Michael Jordan
Who are the three sports people in the world you’d most like to meet?
Michael Jordan
Tiger Woods
Jack Nicklaus
Who’s your favourite cricket commentator?
Ian Healy – has a great perspective on the game and a great sense of humour.
What was your favourite ground to play at?
Gabba – first and foremost but closely followed by the WACA. Loved the pace and bounce.
Clinton Perren takes a diving catch for Queensland
What there a particular team you especially looked forward to playing against?
If there was one team that you wanted to get up for playing it was Sandgate Redcliffe. I think they were responsible for making and breaking a few aspiring young cricketers in their day. If you could cope with the likes of Brendan Creevey, Gavin Fitness, Matty Goggin and Brett Mortimer you could pretty much cope with anything. They knew what buttons to press no matter who you were
What’s been your most memorable moment in cricket?
Individually, it would be scoring 173 in the 2005/06 Pura Cup Final. Again, having my family there to share the occasion with me – I still to this day remember the look on my parents faces as I raised my bat walking off after that innings. It was an emotional ‘thank you’ for all the sacrifice they’d made for me growing up as a kid so was unbelievably satisfying to have them there to share that moment.
What’s the best win you’ve been involved with?
Very hard to go past the Pura Cup Final against Victoria at the Gabba in 2005/06 where we scored 6/900. Even now, it takes some sinking in given the score line. That really was an incredible effort from the whole team and was a fantastic 5 days of cricket.
Who are the three players from your playing days at the top of the list for a Saturday afternoon barbeque?
Lee Carseldine, James Hopes, Nathan Hauritz but I also know if I invited them that Damien Mackenzie would just rock up anyway.
What are your hobbies?
I love golf. I’ve turned into a golfing tragic with an unhealthy appreciation of putters.
What’s the best advice you’ve received?
How you respond to getting dropped from a team or suffering a slump in form is a test of character – how you handle it says everything about your character, both as a person and as a cricketer. They’re always the most rewarding and satisfying runs when you can overcome adversity and self-doubt.
What is your occupation?
I’m currently working for ICON Sports here in the UK. ICON has evolved into a leading Cricketing brand and team-wear supplier throughout Australia and has been growing here in the UK for the past 5 years with great success. We now have 2 offices here in the UK with plans to expand further across the country.
Are you still involved in cricket and if so, in what capacity?
I still play League Cricket here in the UK with Littleborough CC in the Lancashire League. Having stood down as Pro after 10 years, I’ve continued playing and now am fortunate enough to play 1st Team with my son Zac who’s 18 which is a great experience. I’m also an MCC playing member and have been fortunate enough to tour Uganda, Oman and Bahrain over the past few years. I love coaching and continue to do so and am currently undertaking my ECB Level 3 Advanced Coaching Accreditation.
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?
1) I think we need to continue promoting the game as one – a game accessible to anyone regardless of their sex, race, religion, sexuality, or gender and ensure that there are offerings across the board for everyone to enjoy.
2) Kids (and young adults) develop at different ages therefore a state’s pathway must be robust enough to allow continued development and talent identification across the board.
Played against Clint Perren on the SCGXI tour I did to the UK in 2013. He was playing for MCC, on the Nursery Ground at Lords. Was the biggest mismatch ever, we were average at best and they put out a proper team, including him and a couple of young blokes from England U19. Anyhow, Clint came in near the end, they were 2 or 3 down and only needed 30 or 40 with 15+ overs left. Well I think it took him about 10 balls, he scored nearly all of them including hitting one out of the ground into the top deck of the back of the stand next to the media centre on the main ground. I think it’s the biggest hit I’ve ever seen!