Pencil had been scoring for Wests Firsts since he was 13. It was customary at Western Suburbs to be awarded your First Grade cap after you’d played 3 first grade games for the club. Pencil, was more than a scorer, and quite rightly wore his first grade cap No. 447 with a great deal of pride.

On many occasions as the captain indicated we were batting, I’d pack up my keeping gloves and head up to the scorer’s box and sit with Pencil. I'd watch him prepare for the day ahead. It was a work of art, everything in order and 447 sitting on top..

In what I remember to be my 2nd or 3rd game in Firsts, we’d been in the field for an hour or so, when I experienced a “what the f…..” moment as I noticed Pencil walking around the ground with no pen or paper - he was strolling, free as a bird.

For those who don’t know Pratten Park, the scorer’s box is about mid-wicket and some 15 metres from the boundary. It’d be a good 6 – 7-minute walk... about two overs.

I made a gesture to first slip..... “he never misses a thing” was the reply.. He was that good.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/32/paul-ryan/blog/126/pencil-the-sharpest-one-of-the-gang