Valley v University of Queensland First Grade Grand Final 1974-75

Peter Nicholson | August 25, 2023

Left to right - Gill Chapman (12th man in final), Peter Nicholson, John Bourke, Peter Easton, Malcolm Francke (overseas for final), Geoff Trivett (now deceased – RIP), Keith Dudgeon (captain), Col Cooke (injured for final), Keith Ziebell, Lindsay Bell, Geoff Gray, Terry Khan, Peter Muspratt

Absent – Ross Wallace

I played for Valleys against University of Queensland in the 1974-75 Queensland Cricket Association First Grade Grand Final as a 19 year old, it was a 4 day game at the Gabba.

The University team were overwhelming favourites with a huge record during the season and had around 8 first class and international players. Valleys on the other hand had not won a premiership in 50 years.

We were the complete underdogs. A few ex first class players and our no 1 spinner Malcolm Francke was on tour with a Derick Robins XI plus big quick Col Cooke was out with a broken thumb (he was so keen to play he took the cast off to try it out bit couldn’t do it).

John Bourke his replacement took a catch on the fence in the first innings and split the webbing in his fingers and bowled 5 overs for the whole game.

However Valleys had a plan and were as tight knit a team that I have ever played in over 20 years of grade cricket in Brisbane and Sydney.

Game day and University won toss and batted. They probably thought they would bat for the 4 days. Bill Buckle has scored 800 runs during the year (had a Shield double century to his name) and the late Geoff Trivett (RIP great man) decided he would bounce him out, 6, 4, 2 followed but in the end I think he must have got tired of swinging and holed out in the fence (Trivo says giving a few runs away was worth it).

Wickets fell slowly during the day and we fielded like maniacs, every catch stuck. University out for about 175. Keith (spook) Dudgeon with his big looping swingers to 4 wickets.

It was our turn to bat and Valleys batted and batted and batted. Geoff Gray (Bullet) – a real grafter and Keith Ziebell (another ex-Shield double century maker) really grafted it out against a very good University attack (Ellis, Buchanan, Crane & Vievers) to obtain a 50 run lead. My contribution wasn’t very many at all (more catches than runs for the match).

University batted again and needing quick runs to leave time to bowl Valleys out they were bowled out for about 100 with Valleys quicks Geoff Trivett and Ross Wallace getting near all wickets – again catches stuck and the fielding was sensational.

The 50 odd we required to win was grounded out with the loss of just two wickets and Valley won the unwinnable of Grand Finals in the eyes of most cricketers throughout Brisbane.

The celebrations were big. It wasn’t the prettiest game of cricket but gee it was hard.