• Fueling conversations and igniting meaningful experiences for cricket fans around the world
  • Fueling conversations, igniting experiences

Recent Activity

last year



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.

Read More
last year



Mike Veletta ➖ Australia v England, World Cup Final, Kolkata, 1987

It’s often the fate of the cameo specialist that he gets forgotten, as Mike Veletta’s trophy-clinching walk-on part in the 1987 final shows. The stories of David Boon’s 75, Steve Waugh’s second-last over, Mike Gatting’s infamous reverse-sweep are the stuff of legend, but it was Veletta’s impudent yet largely overlooked 45 not out from 31 balls in the closing overs which made Australia’s seven-run victory possible. Waugh described it later as “a gem of a cameo”, but aside from that byline the innings has sunk without trace. Veletta says he is happy with his place, but his role in elevating an unfancied Aussie side to their maiden world title should not be underestimated.

(Vintage Cricket)

Read More

Partner Sponsors

last year



Chris Killen played first class cricket for NSW and South Australia.

Growing up in the western regions of NSW Chris Killen caught the eye of the NSW Cricket Captain Dirk Wellham at the age of 17 and was promptly invited to join Wellham at his club in Sydney, Western suburbs.

Chris made his first grade debut for Western Suburbs against Petersham in September 1986 taking 2 for 31 in Petersham first innings and 2 for 29 in the 2nd innings. Chris is Western Suburbs first grade player number 517.

A strong robust fast Chris quickly earned a reputation for being one of the fastest bowlers in Australia.

Read More
last year



Since a talented Shubman Gill’s bat sans a sponsor sticker has got everyone wondering, it reminded me of one of the most famous pictures from the game in the 21st century where the subject is curiously without a bat sponsor. Here is the story behind it.

In 2001, Steve Waugh was entering his 16th year of international cricket at the age of 36. In 2001, his bat sponsorship deal with bat manufacturers Gunn and Moore also came to an end. Their Australian bat-making operation wasn’t making enough money and they just didn’t have the money to pay him. In the background, there was also a tussle going on between ICC and the cricketers as ICC at that point only allowed batsmen to use logos of bat manufacturers. Bat manufacturers didn’t have the kind of money to shell out for sponsorships that other players like MRF or Reebok had.

At this point, if you’re wondering that how did MRF manage to find space on Sachin Tendulkar’s bat, well, that’s because they were clever, like many Indian companies before them. MRF or Madras Rubber Factory is a tyre manufacturing company but to circumvent the ICC rules and be on the bat of the most popular cricketer, they just brought a bat factory!

Read More

Partner Sponsors

last year



If you bowl 90+ mph you can be carried

You can be a 1 dimensional (1D) player

If you bowl anything less you’ll be better off spending time on the other aspects of your game than trying to get that small % gain.

Below 85mph you have to be 3 dimensional (3D)

You know deep down if you bowl rapid. I mean proper pace not Instagram pace. If you’ve not been the fastest growing up, trust me you’re not magically going to be the fastest past the age of 20!!

Spend time working on your batting and fielding. You can still be really successful but work on become 3D. Become the 3 dimensional player not that bowler who spends 99% of the time trying to improve 1mph. Going from 79 to 80mph. Those speeds will never allow you to be the 1 dimensional professional cricketer

Honesty drives better performance

Note: That’s me scoring 105 against New Zealand in 1999.

Working on being a 3D player👍

Read More
last year



Back in the day when I ran my own website - thecricketragics - this following post attracted many thousands of hits, a revelation for an unknown writer trying to make his way. Its probably one of my favourite pieces, partially because I made a good fist of it and probably because it goes to the source of my adult style as a writer. Sports or otherwise, Peter Roebuck was my absolute idol as a writer. I have read many others who have influenced me such as Richard Flanaghan, Douglas Adams, Peter Fitzsimons, John le Carre, William McInnes, Les Murray, Sylvia Plath, CJ Dennis, Clive James - yes I know. A regular Christmas stocking of style and form and genre and sadly lacking, I realise too late, in gender equity.

Roebuck had something else. Intellect perhaps. Integrity, certainly. Courage, without doubt. I just loved the way he constructed a sentence and never treated me, as a reader, like an idiot. He expected me to do some work.

Read More

Partner Sponsors

last year



I asked, had he noticed that I just bowled two consecutive days where I had pumped out 35+ overs per day? No reply.

Our stunning Number 3 who had unceremoniously been dumped as skipper from the previous year’s tournament looked at me and in his own strong manner, said "I don’t need or want a night watchman."

Simon Moore from Newcastle is his name and what a player he was. Better bloke too to be fair. Anyway, our two openers Steve Mudford from Newcastle and Adam Jones from Tamworth negotiated the overs before stumps.

Turing up the next morning, Moorey quietly asked how I was travelling? I confessed that I was no good and wasn’t sure I could even get my boots on. He looked at me and politely said, ‘you don’t bay today, put your feet up’.

Read More

Partner Sponsors

last year



I've been hooked on cricket ever since I was 10. Mike Smith’s MCC had arrived in Perth for a stopping-all-stations summer of Ashes cricket, involving all the major capital cities, coast-to-coast. Every second day in the Melbourne Age, Percy Beames would profile a tourist from returning champions like Ken Barrington and Colin Cowdrey through to first-timers David Brown and Jeff Jones. It inspired my lifelong habit of keeping newspaper clippings. Later I was to work with Perc.

The very year I was born, 1955, he broke the biggest story of his career, when the Melbourne Cricket Ground’s pitch was watered mid-Test before ‘the Typhoon’, Frank Tyson decimated Australia with seven for 27. One of Perc’s old footy mates had tipped him off. For 24 hours he’d sat on the story, believing its publication would be detrimental to cricket’s good name.

Read More
last year



Andrew Inwood is the Global CEO of CoreData and a passionate cricket fan. Tell us a little about the business and the service it provides the community.

CoreData is a research and consultancy business which focusses on banking, superannuation and asset management. Our job is to take the data from the markets, the customers and consumers and derive meaning from it. It’s my stated goal to help my customers grow and to help consumers make better decisions about money.

Who are the 3 cricketers from any era you’d like to invite to a BBQ?

You’d have to have Keith Miller there – for a yarn – it would be great just to listen to him, Shane Warne would be an absolute laugh – he’d have enough stories for a movie or two and Ian Botham. That would be a great BBQ.

Read More
last year



1988 Aboriginal Cricket team to tour England

Back Row – Dennis Monaghan, Joe Marsh, Greg James, Paul Bagshaw, Michael Williams, Dwayne Breckenridge, Pious Gregory
Middle Row – Michael Mainhardt, Sean Appo, Darren Thompson, Bert Pearce, Laurie Marks, Donald Gardner, Les Knox
Front Row – Neil Bulger, Ian King, Bob Hawke (Prime Minister), Mark Ella (Coach), John McGuire (Captain)

The 1988 tour was the first in 120 years after the first Aboriginal cricket team toured England in 1868.

Joe Marsh was only 18 years of age on the tour - you can read more about Joe and his personal highlights of the tour

Read More

Partner Sponsors

last year



On 16 July 2017 at the Sutherland District Cricket Club Annual General meeting for the 2016/17 season Phil Weatherall was nominated for Life Membership of the club

Here is Phil Weatherall Nomination for Life Membership as presented by Mathew Duff.

NOMINATION OF PHIL WEATHERALL FOR LIFE MEMBERSHIP

Phil Weatherall joined Sutherland in 1981-82, when he played AW Green Shield and a few matches in 4ths and 5ths. The following season, he again played AWG, plus 12 matches in 3rds, 4ths and 5ths. He started 1983-84 in 4ths and moved up to 3rds after two matches. On 7th January 1984, he broke the club record for highest score in all grades (held by Norm O’Neill since the Club’s first match in 1965), scoring 173 not out at North Sydney Oval No.2. He went up to 2nds after this and played the last match of the season in 1st Grade, making his debut on 24th March 1984 – player #122. In all grades, he scored 535 runs at an average of 31.5.

Read More
last year



Graeme Cunningham had the thrill and rare distinction of making a hundred on his 1st Grade debut. It was round 8 of the 1993-94 season when the 18 year old right-hander was called into the Petersham- Marrickville side for the clash with North Sydney at Petersham Oval. He had won his opportunity with some excellent lead-up performances in 2s where he had already brought up a sensational 103 against Sydney University as part of his 294 runs in just six matches.

Batting first, a solid start had been made but the side appeared to be losing its way at the loss of the fifth wicket with just on 150 on the board. Sent in at no. 7, the youngster joined John Affleck but rather than be guided by the cagy veteran, he opted for his normal attacking game hitting the bowlers to all parts of the field as he racked up a brilliant 109* in a final score of 7-346. In just over two hours he had belted nine boundaries and three massive sixes in an innings which brought raptures from good judges. The country boy was well and truly part of the big smoke.

Read More

Partner Sponsors

last year
Neil Marks
Neil Marks
Sydney, Australia
10 Likes
1 Followers



Johnny Phillips was a fine leg-spin bowler for the Northern District cricket club and was unlucky not to have been awarded a state cap. Apart from his bowling, Johnny was also noted for his brilliant fielding and for his ability to drink copious quantities of the amber fluid at the end of each game.

On one occasion Johnny was bowling against Petersham at Waitara Oval and the umpire at the bowler’s end was Fred Tilley. Fred, who had officiated around the Sydney grade scene for many years, was an umpire well respected by the players. Unlike some of his colleagues, Fred was a pleasant, smiling man who enjoyed the conviviality and camaraderie after the game as much as he enjoyed the game itself. When it came to the drinking of beer, I hesitate to say that Fred Tilley was in the class of Johnny Phillips but on the other hand, it must be admitted that fred had been doing it longer.

In this particular game, Petersham’s best batsman, Noel Hughes, had been having difficulty picking Johnny’s “wrong-un” and eventually, he nicked one and was comfortably caught behind by the keeper. There was a screaming appeal from everyone.

“Not out, “said Tilley. Then the following conversation ensued:

Phillips: What did you say?

Tilley: I said “not out”

Phillips: (Expletive) that was the worst (expletive) decision I’ve ever seen.

Tilley: You’re entitled to your opinion, Johnny, but the decision remains not out

Phillips: I knew you were getting old Fred but I dint realise you were going (expletive) blind as well.

Tilley: Could be, Johnny, because I didn’t see the bat touch the ball.

Phillips: Well surely you heard the (expletive) snick. Gee, they (expletive) heard it in Hornsby (expletive) shopping centre.

Tilley: I’m getting the feeling that you’re angry with me Johnny. Is that correct?

Phillips: Of course I’m (expletive) angry with you, you blind old (expletive).

Tilley: Then I suppose this means I won’t be able to buy you a beer after the game?

(Phillips looked down the wicket at the batsman, then looked back at the umpire and grinned.)

Phillips: You know Fred, come to think about it, I’ve seen worse decisions. After all, you’re doing the best you can, aren’t you

Read More

Partner Sponsors

More