The top batsman of my time in Dubbo - Mick Davis

Mick Davis | February 06, 2024

By popular demand (well really just one reader but I still think it’s pretty cool) I have been asked to rate the best batsmen of my time. So, let’s qualify this. I must have seen them live; they have to have had an impact on me and they had to play cricket in Dubbo. Those three criteria get them a look. After that I am picking on who made a great impression on me. Not just who might have had the best stats. So, I am looking at things like stats, technique, attitude, their impact on the game and reputation.

First, I want to mention the batsman that brought the most out in me as a bowler. He played for Newtown in the late 80’s early 90’s and opened the batting. His name was Ian Anderson. He was probably what most would call boring, but he had the most solid defence I ever saw. I played him three times and got him twice, I think. But each time took at least 15 overs. I never more felt like I was in a competition than with Ian. I bowled 22 overs in 40-degree heat one day to him before I got him. My captain (worm) could not get the ball off me. I would try to set him up to leave the ball that swung into him (he was left handed). It was like an arm wrestle. He was solid, but not really a contender for my top 15.

I want to note two others that are not in my top 15 for a self-indulgent reason. As a cocky young opening bowler, I always had a plan and always thought I was going to win. These two were the only two that broke that mould. I never got them out. I never really knew how I was going to get them out.

Rodney Morrison, I think used to lift himself to face me. I don’t know why. His concentration seemed to elevate. I would see him get out to stupid brash shots to others but never to me. He just always seemed to be on song when I had the ball in my hand. I never felt like I troubled him.

Danny Bower was unique. I would swing the ball away from him and he would play and miss by a foot. If I tried to bring it in to him, he would hoik me over mid-on. I wasn’t quick enough to bounce him out, he would smash me if I tried. I just had nothing.

15. Chris Killen This guy’s bowling is well known. He was quick. But really when he came back from a couple of years of Sheffield Shield, he did more damage with the bat. You always felt he was going to do something stupid, but he struck the ball so well and into gaps he was hard to contain.

14. David Taylor was just a kid when he played here before he had a long career playing grade in Sydney and I believe he made the NSW squad a couple of times. He was completely focussed and hit the ball hard for his size. He put one on the Number 1 Grandstand roof in a night game once. (He was a lefty). He was in my team, so I didn’t bowl to him much in a match if at all. He was good though.

David Taylor

13. Bob Stroud To me Bob was so solid. He just seemed to have all the time in the world to play his shots. He was a worker of the ball. He could have played for NSW and was offered a chance but had to stay on the farm. I played against him in his later years but as a kid I saw him play in his prime. You just felt like he was going to bat all day. I can’t ever remember seeing him get out cheaply or quickly.

12. Steve Wheeler When he was in the mood Tub was a devastating lefty opening bat. I had a number of battles with him, and I remember taking the first 4 wickets against the old RSL for about 20 before he and Mick Kempston got the 200, they needed without the fall of another wicket. It was bloody hot that day, but he was particularly cruel to my figures. I liked bowling to Tub never-the-less. I saw him when I was a kid, annihilate bowling attacks all over the western region. He loved batting.

11. Jordan Moran I like watching Jordan bat. He looks like something special from the moment you see him. I would have like to bowl to Jordan as he is a good left handed opener. My Favourite!!! He is exciting and I like his commitment to his cricket. As a criticism I see Jordan throw it away too early too many times with irresponsible shots. He likes to dominate. And when it comes off, he looks spectacular. I’d like to see him handle someone who can swing it away from him a decent amount. I’d fancy my chances of a nick (early) if it were me (100 years ago :))

10. Greg Buckley Obviously I need to see more of this bloke, but I just feel like there is something special about him when I watch him move at the crease. He’s a pom that doesn’t bat like a pm. He’s aggressive, assertive, and focussed. He could well move up the list after this season. Time will tell if my judgement is correct.

9. Tim Armstrong I have to be honest; I haven’t seen as much of Tim as I would like. But he has earned a place on this list by his achievements. What amazes me about Tim when I do see him is how perfect his form is when he plays a front foot shot. He is so focussed and dedicated I do think he can make it all the way. The buzz he brings to the club and the game when he is around is truly amazing. He’s just a great bloke and a deserved top ten placement.

Tim Armstrong

8. Stuart Webster came to Dubbo in the mid 80 after playing for NSW. His Knees were shot, and he was shocking between wickets. But he was so hard to get out. I never bowled to Stuart. He retired before I got to first grade. I can never remember seeing him hit the ball in the air. He opened the batting and seemed to love torturing fast bowlers with his unrelenting defence. Even with shot knees he had all the time in the world. He was a class act.

Stuart Webster

7. Wayne Munro is yet another lefty. I never got to bowl to him much because my bowling partner (Russell Peet) used to get him out cheaply all the time. Once I bowled to him on number three and he would have scored 40 in no time. He was such a good judge of length and had/has amazing hands. He just whipped you off his pads all day. I couldn’t believe such a little bloke could hit the ball that hard. He was the ultimate competitor. I fancied getting him caught behind because he used to hang his washing out early. But I never did get him out.

6. Corey Martin A Kiwi born right handed opening bat. I got him out once caught behind when he hit the ground (there you go Marto I admit it) but I reckon he nicked one the previous over and was given not out. Corey was the ultimate technician. So much concentration and could pull and hook better than anyone I ever saw. He never seemed like he was in a hurry to get his runs, but he would work you all day and just controlled the game. He was a great bloke to play either with or against. I reckon if he had of stayed in NZ he would have played for his country. He played NSW country a number of times.

5. Lloyd Keir was my hero as a kid. He gave me my first bat. A GM galaxy. Lloyd was the prettiest batsman in this group. So much style and elegance. Perfectly balanced. I remember seeing him charge down the wicket to a leggie at number two and hitting it along the carpet like a tracer bullet. He was almost Greg Chappell like. When he was a teenager, he scored 1400 runs before Christmas in Whitney cup one year. He left the game and planet far too early with MS. Lloyd was all class in everything he did. He loved helping people, but he was a show within a show when he batted.

4. Brad Cox I can remember Brad as a kid at the cricket with his dad. He always had a bat in his hand. People just threw balls to him all day. Its little wonder he wound up being the talent that he is. The best I ever saw Brad bat was when got 90 and RSL lost. He came in late during harvest and very nearly took an impossible situation to a win with Jacob Bruce. He just seemed to effortlessly hit a six whenever he needed to. He is such a talent. He is an inspiration to the younger players in his club.

Brad Cox

3. John Colwell (pictured) brings a presence to the game like no one I ever saw. I’ve never seen anyone hit a cover drive as hard as he does. I saw him get 200 in Gilgandra in a Brewery Shield game. We were chasing 285 to win. We got them in 28 overs, and he got 200 of them. He never hit a six in his first hundred. They were all placed and on the ground. He hit 5 in a row in his second hundred. I loved playing against him, with him and he was an outstanding captain. I was on VP2 next to him when Killen returned to town from Sheffield Shield. JC was 19. Killen broke one guy’s finger and was so fast. Enter JC. He got a hundred that day and everyone knew he was something special. You never give JC a challenge. You will lose. I have seen heaps sledge him. Big Mistake!!

2. David Tink was as close to professional as you can get. Balanced, straight bat, heaps of time and heaps of patience. If you bowled well to Dave, he respected you. If you stay just a little with width outside off, he would cut you though the gap. Over pitch and he would drive you through the gaps. Stray onto his pads and he would work and onside shot through the gap. He never missed a chance to punish a bad ball. You had to get him early. You had to be on your game from the moment he took strike otherwise you were in for a long day. He timed the ball so well he just made good bowlers look mediocre.

1. Ian Drake is my number one pick and by a long way without any doubt. He scored 100 100’s for his beloved South Dubbo. In 1974/5 he scored 40 against the West Indies including Michael Holding. He played against the poms at VP1 captained by Colin Cowdrey. In fact, in that match, he was given out for 40 odd run out. There was confusion between the umpires where one had signalled 4 and one gave him out run out. Colin Cowdrey, ever the gentleman, called him back and Drakey scored a hundred. I mean just put that into perspective. They came out here for a tour match and some practice and this local scored a ton. I only really remember him at the end when he was riddled with multiple sclerosis. He still played and captained South Dubbo 3’s and he couldn’t run. But no one could get him out either. A magnificent sportsman, administrator and just a wonderful person. A truly dedicated cricketer.

Ian Drake