Tony Bristow- Turn up and play
Belmont District Cricket Club | September 13, 2024
What year were you born?
1965
Where did you start junior cricket and the clubs you’ve played for in senior cricket?
I started playing at 8 with Kotara Juniors and also at Charlestown District Cricket Club at 8. My dad was captain of 5th grade and I used to fill in. Fine leg to fine leg. Played at Charlestown until I was 26. Had one season in between at Belmont around 87-88. Went to England as a pro for Kenilworth Wardens in 1990 to play in the Birmingham league. I also had stints at Knowle & Dorridge, Leamington Spa and mainly Coventry & North Warwickshire. I played Minor Counties for Bedfordshire while also representing Warwickshire, Worcestershire and England at over 50’s.
How would you describe yourself as a cricketer?
Batsman, and wicketkeeper who also bowled off-spin in the day.
What do you enjoy most about playing cricket?
I love the team environment and social company throughout the season.
What’s been your most memorable moment in cricket so far?
Probably my five 1st grade premierships in the 80’s. I played with some super cricketers in that era.
Who’s your favourite all-time cricketer?
Without a doubt Mark Curry.
Mark Curry
Who is the fastest bowler you’ve played against?
A guy called Kenny McCleod for ACT. I was playing for Newcastle at Manuka Oval. He was a West Indian from Kent. He was slippery.
Who is the best spinner you’ve played against?
No one in particular. I tried not to let them settle. Michael Hill is the best spinner I’ve ever seen and played for.
Who played the best innings you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?
Mark Curry knocked 158no against Belmont during the last game of the season to win the Minor Premiership and Club Championship. I was at the other end coming in at 4-40 chasing 309. We won 4 down.
Who is the best wicketkeeper you’ve had the good fortune to play with?
A guy called Richard Johnson at Knowle & Dorridge. He was on the Warwickshire staff. He made it look so easy. He was a typical classy English keeper.
Is there a young player in your club you’d like to nominate as a player to watch?
Connor Gibson to me has a bright future. He bats, bowls and is an excellent fielder. Great attitude.
Who are the two players you’ve come to admire most in your club in terms of skills and competitive spirit?
The Big Guy Jamie Heath brings NSW experience and I’d have to say Clay Stevenson. Never gives in attitude. He would put up a brick wall in defence.
Jamie Heath
What are the two attributes you like to see in a captain and leader?
Authority and a good communicator.
Which singer/band would you like to see perform live?
Love my Icehouse.
Icehouse
Who’s considered the biggest pest at your club?
Easy question, hands down Nathan King- Absolute clown.
Favourite location, city or country as a holiday destination?
Vilamoura/Portugal, great place to play Golf.
Who’s been the biggest influence on your career so far?
Michael Hill my first captain in 1st grade. He believed in me at 17.
Where do you find inspiration that gets you through challenging times?
I’d have to say my wife Lyndelle is a pretty positive person.
Who are the three people in the world you’d love to meet and talk to?
Iva Davies (icehouse), Alan Border (legend), and Adam Scott (golfer).
Allan Border
What do you like to do to relax outside cricket?
Fishing and Golf.
If working, what do you do?
Curator self-employed at Belmont, Charlestown and Cardiff District cricket clubs.
What are your goals for the next season?
To stay fit and healthy. At 59 time is catching up. Leading Belmont 1st grade this season is a great honour and I really just want the boys to enjoy themselves and want to turn up and play whatever the results.
Can we ask, what would it mean to you to play first class cricket?
I actually played 3 List-A games for Bedfordshire in the 2000’s. It was just another game of cricket. I’ve always had the same attitude whatever standard it was.
What were your strengths as a player?
Good question, probably my flexibility to bat, wicket keep and also bowl off-spin. Certainly, the latter does not appear anymore.
What was your highest score in senior cricket? For which club and where
I scored 200 for Leamington Spa v Moseley in England back in about 2002.
What were your best bowling figures in senior cricket? For which club and where
I don’t know the exact figures but I got a couple of 7 for’s for Kenilworth wardens playing in the English leagues when I first went to England in the 90’s.
Who were the best three fast bowlers you have played against?
Definitely Kenny McCloud who played for ACT. He was an import from Kent. I got caught at third man at Manuka oval, which is one of the biggest grounds around. Next was a former Pakistani international called Eshan Adil. He could let them go. He was the pro at Attock Cc in the Birmingham League. And the third was an Aussie playing in the Birmingham league back in the 90s for a club called Stourbridge Cc . His name was John Manou.
Eshan Adil
Who were the best three spinners you have played against?
Three spinners will this is a tough one. I’m going to say the best off-spinner I’ve ever seen and played with not against, but he has to be named and that is Michael Hill. Always thinking and working out how to get the batsmen out. Next is a guy I played with and against and he got me a couple of times. That guy was Mark Lilley, a left-arm orthodox who was a wiley old fox. The third would have to be Dutchy Holland. Although he didn’t do that well against us because we had 7 left-handers the class was there to see.
Dutchy Holland
Who were the best 3 batters you’ve played against?
Best batter without a doubt Mark Curry. Played with and against. Legend. Another was Greg Arms who consistently scored runs against us and was like a brick wall. Hit the ball along the ground. Thirdly Wayne Larkins former England batsman who played for Leamington Spa in the Birmingham league. Oozed class.
Who has been your funniest teammate?
I’d have to say Daryl Morris back in the eighties. He once put house bricks in my cricket bag.
Can you recall some banter or an exchange on the cricket field that still makes you laugh today?
I was playing 2nd grade as a 16-year-old my captain Paul Harris. If a bloke was swinging he would always give him the send-off of pick your horse up at the gate cowboy. Always made me laugh.
What was your favourite ground to play at?
Definitely Coventry & North Warwickshire in England. It helps when you are the groundsman but a beautiful ground to play cricket.
What particular team did you especially look forward to playing against?
Belmont back in the eighties. It was pretty much us two that battled it out for honours then. There was so much respect between the two clubs to the point that we still all play golf together to this present day.
What’s been your most memorable moment in cricket?
I cant really answer that question as there have been so many. First-grade premierships and representative cricket they all stand out.
Are you still involved in cricket and if so, in what capacity?
Yes I’m fully involved still both on the playing side and curating side. Currently about to captain a young but ambitious Belmont 1st-grade team.
If you were running a state cricket association what would your 2 priorities be to ensure cricket in the state remained strong and successful on and off the field?
Be a lot stricter with running the competition. Making sure all grounds pass a specification test. That is decent dressing rooms, sight screens, scoreboards etc. Another would be pitches. Marked by umpires and captains(which I know are now) but something is done if not up to scratch. Pitches have deteriorated over the years and this needs to be addressed. Lack of soil is a major issue and more needs to be done by either NSW CA or NDCA to help clubs out.
