Big Shine, David Renneberg - RIP

John Rogers | April 21, 2025

Dave Renneberg -" Big Shine", as he was known - had the misfortune of being dropped for his one chance to play a test match on his home ground the SCG - and in strange circumstances.

India was making just its second test tour of Australia in 1967-68, and was struggling against the Australian fast bowlers. Big Shine had taken 5/39 in the 2nd innings of the 1st test, and Graham McKenzie would take 7/66 in the next test. McKenzie would be dropped for the final two tests and Big Shine would be dropped for the last in Sydney when he’d taken12 wickets in the previous three tests at an average of 25. It was widely acknowledged he was dropped as he was too quick for the Indians and the contest needed to be evened up. Big Shine would never play another test match.

His test carer had begun just a year earlier in South Africa. He’d had a dream start in taking the early wicket of superstar Graeme Pollock for just 5. It was a struggle after that as the Aussies were beaten 3–1 by a very good South African team. He kept his place in that 5-test series and then for the first 3 tests against India. He was chosen for the 1968 Ashes tour and while he did quite well in county matches, seam bowlers Alan Connolly, Neil Hawke and Eric Freeman, plus McKenzie, were given preference in the test matches. 

After retirement at age 28, the ABC hired him to give expert commentary on NSW’s Sheffield Shield matches. That seemed something of a surprise, as he was not known for expressing opinions. Yet he was very good, with a deep, pleasant voice. He expressed quiet, sensible opinions and summaries, remaining well-liked and well-respected - as he had been throughout his playing career

And what was he like to play against?

In the fourth and final match of my brief 1st class career, on the 4th morning I took strike against Dennis Lillee on the notoriously bouncy WACA.

Dennis was a young, wild and woolly, fast bowler in his first season. The previous evening he had knocked over each of our two openers, Bruce Francis and Alan Turner for ducks. The first three balls I faced that morning beat me comprehensively outside off-stump.

I’ve been asked often whether I was terrified. My answer has always been: "Not particularly - I’d faced much worse.”

Much worse meant “Dave Renneberg.” Yes, Dave Renneberg - playing for Balmain against St George, mostly on Balmain's home ground at Drummoyne.

Big Shine, as he was known, was quick. Very quick. He bowled a very good, natural, out-swinger. But the delivery I hated was his off cutter. It spat at me off a length, and if it didn’t hit me on the thigh, it was higher up on the hip, or in the ribs. The bruises I’d have after playing Big Shine! I commissioned my Ros to make me a double-thick, foam, thigh-guard, just to counter him.

Yet he was never nasty. He had a proper fast bowler’s intent and enjoyed dishing out bruises. But he'd just give a little grin, go back to his mark and get ready to pile on more misery. He had a nicely balanced run-up, that had one oddity. As he got to the crease, he somehow “clattered". He had big feet, and, in those days, fast bowlers wore heavy boots, with a metal toe protection plus there’d be big metal spikes. Whether he somehow clipped his own feet, I never knew, but there was kind of metallic sound in his thunderous delivery strides.

I notice that Cricinfo described him a tall and “brooding”. What nonsense. If he ever brooded, it would only be when wondering where his next beer was coming from. As a perpetual 12th man for NSW, I must have been in his team perhaps ten times. He never said much but was always very good company. He was NSW’s premier fast bowler for several seasons - and I notice in that match I mentioned, he took 6/49 in WA’s first innings.

A terrific bloke, Big Shine. RIP - and very well bowled!