Greg Edwards - one ball at a time
Western Suburbs District Cricket Club Sydney | January 23, 2023
Greg Edwards made his first grade debut for Western Suburbs on 31 March 1984 against the old Sydney Cricket Club to become the clubs first grade player number 502.
A very talented and stylish batsman Greg had made the move to Wests from Gordon were he’d already played first grade. A measure of Greg’s ability was the quality of the players in Wests first grade team, Dirk Wellham, Greg Matthews, Greg Dyer, David Gilbert, Brad McNamara, Peter O’Reilly, Murray Radcliffe, Peter McLay, Andrew Jones, Tony Dwyer all Australian, NSW or NSW 2nd XI players.
Let’s find out more about Greg’s journey in the game
Greg Edwards
"Before we start on my meagre journey (in comparison to some more, well credentialed players), I would personally like to thank the team at stump to stump for welcoming me to this wonderful platform, where memories are rekindled of the life and times of grade cricket back in the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s. "
"The camaraderie and friendships made on the field, in the dressing rooms and the atmosphere created, is what I miss the most and will always fondly remember. The tale of the day has re-connected me with teammates from both my clubs, Gordon and Western Suburbs, plus old colleagues from opposition teams."
What year you were born?
1959
Can you remember you first game of cricket?
First game was when I was 11 years old. In the Under U12’s St Pius X College Chatswood. First coach was Graham Roberts (Kevin’s dad). Didn’t bat, bowl or field a ball and for some reason, loved the game immensely.
Tell us briefly about your cricketing journey?
My senior cricket journey started at school in years 10, 11 and 12 in the First XI as captain.
I was selected in the Gordon District Association for all the rep pathways, Moore, Watson, Green Shields. In 1976 I was selected in the Combined Catholic Colleges for the NSW Schools Championships, captained by my best mate, Matty Troy. Jimmy Dixon, Mark Carmichael, Mark Preddy and Stu Irwin were also members of that team
In 1977, while in Year 12, I was 17 and selected to make my grade debut for Gordon in 3rd grade.
During the 6 seasons with Gordon, I played 2 years of Poidevin Gray and captain in the latter with team mates such as Rusty McCool, Bernie Rourke and a 16 year old blonde kid from Shore College – Phil Emery.
While moving upwards through the grades at Gordon my mentors included such great players like, Marshall Rosen, Allan (Cec) Poole, Bob Thomas, Greg Evans, David Gray, Phantom, Ross Collins, Rowan McGregor, Michael Falk, Jimmy Cameron, Cuthbert Berenger, Daryl Quigley, John Dedman and who could forget our mascot, Kenny Cook.
In 1979, both Greg Evans and I had the opportunity to play in the UK with the Guildford CC, in the Surrey League. We played mostly one day games and 20/20’s in 1st grade and I even managed to play a couple of matches as a replacement, for Hampshire County 2nd’s (paper bag contract only). After a 3 day county game against Sussex at The Hove, I was lucky enough to be invited to stay overnight with Garth Le Roux and Ian Greig and went night clubbing with Imran Khan, which was an experience I will never forget.
In 1983 I was living in Five Dock, so a move to Western Suburbs CC with my mate Matt ‘Pumper’ Troy, was a big decision for me to make as I’d finished the previous season in 1st grade with Gordon.
I was selected in 3rd’s at Wests which didn’t go down well at the time, even though elevation was only a few games away. The next 8 seasons with the Maggies were extremely memorable due to many personalities like Wayne Levy, Steve Jansz, Dave O’Neil, Neil Davidson, Peter Walsh. Tony Monogahn, Brad McNamara, David Gilbert, Michael Swan, Peter Burkhart, Peter O’Reilly and of course the Bear and the boys on the Pratten Park hill plus Pete Bardsley “WHAT!” and of course Pencil, Mal Gorham
Greg Edwards batting
At what age did you make your first grade debut in grade cricket and can you remember how you performed in debut?
I’m pretty sure I was 19 when I made my 1st grade debut at the end of my 2nd season with Gordon. I recall it was against Randwick at Chatswood Oval. Ross Collins was skipper and I batted 7, Mike “Crazy” Whitney was bowling. The first ball I faced, managed to clip through backward square for 4. Whit wasn’t happy and let me know about it. 2nd ball short and I nicked it onto my right shoulder and was caught at cover point. One word “PAIN”.
If you can share with our audience, how would you describe yourself as a cricketer?
Solid middle order batsman, not flashy or of first class status. Team man with positive attitude
What were your strengths as a player?
Trained hard, loved fielding in the gully especially when Dave Gilbert, Murray Radcliffe and Angus Fraser were thundering in. Learnt game management when batting and encouraged all team members throughout the days play. A positive attitude is imperative.
What was your highest score in senior cricket?
Highest score was 172 not out at tea, with the last session being washed out. For Wests against Sydney University at Blick Oval
What were your best bowling figures in senior cricket?
1 for 20 off 2 overs in First grade, Wests vs Sutherland. Last game of regular season with both teams vying for semis on percentages. Sutherland needed 10 runs off my last over and then agreed to lose a wicket. I took a while to get one on the stumps, the patience of my Captain Greg Dyer was running out, but eventually with guile and flight, the arm ball hit the stumps and Tony Clark was bowled, (in fact he shouldered arms). A Brett Lee wicket celebration followed with my team mates already at the gate.
Who were the best three fast bowlers you have played against?
Could only narrow down to 4 best fast bowlers:
Played with:
Phil Antman – Gordon, a real athlete, always positive and great to be around. On the field, terrorizing
Dave Gilbert- Wests, the quickest, scary, bowled a ball at Pratten that hit the ridge and half volleyed the sight screen
Murray Radcliffe- Wests, right arm, tall, solid, dangerous, and balding
Angus Fraser – Wests, tall, super accurate, could bowl long spells- Wests.
Played against:
Geoff Lawson- relentless competitor, real quick in his prime.
Richard Stobo- tall and extra bounce.
Andrew Jones-left arm awkward and bowled short into the ribs.
Chris Killen - bowled unreal heat, especially when you got under his skin
David Gilbert
Who were the best three spinners you have played against?
Played with:
Russell McCool- Gordon, variation, great flipper, accurate
Greg Mo Mathews- Wests, an unbelievable competitor, wanted 15 fielders with interesting field placings and when he got out batting, wanted to declare and open the bowling. He was the BEST.
Played against:
Murray Bennett- guile, flight, great arm ball.
Steve Whitfield- extra tall lefty, extra bounce and turn.
Wayne Mulherin- Big turner, accurate, strange delivery noise.
Who were the best 3 batsman you’ve played against?
Played with:
Bobby Thomas- Gordon, fantastic left hand dasher, as well as left arm medium pace bowler. A mentor to me as I grew into the environment of a grade cricket club
Dirk Welham- Wests, prolific scorer, great fielder and a model of concentration when batting-
Trevor Chappell- Gordon, the ultimate professional cricketer, attacking batsman with a superb cover drive, fantastic fieldsman and solid medium pace bowler.- Gordon
Played against:
Doug Walters- legendary, scored 80 odd on a sticky wicket at Old Kings. A class above and was out caught Edwards bowled Troy (Matt does brag about his 1st class scalps);
Mark Taylor- scored 180 not out against us at Pratten Park and after a few dropped catches, we all agreed that we as a team, automatically selected him to make his debut for NSW. Great knock.
Doug Walters
Who played the best innings you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?
Dirk Welham - Wests v Petersham, Petersham Oval in 1986/87
Dirk opened and started very slowly and battled through a tough spell from Dave Chardon, who had a few wickets to his name. I batted 5 and managed to reach 50 before Dirk and wondered why he was having so much trouble.
This was the difference between a State and Australian batsman and a 1st grade batsman. A great catch from Stu Irwin at square leg, saw me out for 65. Dirk was 80 not out at tea.
At stumps, Dirk was not out 200. We sat together in the dressing room with a beer and he said to me “Ed you should have scored a 100 today the way you were seeing them. If you could’ve hung in at the crease until tea, 1st grade bowlers and fielders are exhausted and you can cash in”. That was Dirk’s philosophy and here endeth the lesson in concentration!
Dirk Wellham
Was there any bowler in particular who whatever reason always you to cause you a few problems?
There were many.
Michael Coote - apart from being one of the funniest guys I had the pleasure of playing with and against, he hit the seam more than anyone else I’ve faced.
Andrew Jones- one word, survival.
Evan Gordon- came onto the bat quicker than you would expect and was difficult to score off
Michael Coote
Can you recall a time when you thought, wow, this is a step or two up from what you were used to in grade cricket and you really had to knuckle down to survive?
The transition in the early days from 2nd grade to 1st grade while at Gordon was immense. 6 good balls instead of 4 or was it 8 instead of 6, back then, not sure.
No dropped catches and good fielding with throws over the bails expected. (No bounce throws like today) Training was intense at that level. It took me a while to adjust to first grade but with the help of “Top Cat”, Tony Steele, his wealth of knowledge and experience in that one season he had at Gordon, helped me heaps, in the beginning.
Who was the best wicket keeper you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?
Privileged to play with a few good ones, Michael Cox and Phil Emery from Gordon.
The best was Greg Dyer, for his immaculate glove work to spinners and footwork to the quicks. Inspirational leader and long-time good friend.
Greg Dyer
Who are the two players you admired most in terms of skills and competitive spirit in the competitions you played?
I can’t go past Bobby Thomas from Gordon and Greg Mathews from Wests
Greg Matthews
Who was the best captain you had the good fortune to play with?
Over the years, I had some great skippers. Whacka Murray, Sticks Collins, Michael Cox and Dave Gray, all from Gordon.
The best captain was Greg Dyer at Wests. He showed faith in me when I had little faith in myself and he believed in what I could bring to a champion team and not a team of champions.
To play alongside 7 State players, 4 of which were Australian team members, was a real highlight for me in my career and something I have cherished to this day
Who has been your funniest team mate?
Ross Steele, nicknamed ‘Mullett’ from Gordon. We got on like brothers, eventually, and he landed me the nickname of ‘Okey Dokey’.
Michael Coote - we had some great times in that season he switched from his beloved ND’S to Gordon.
Can you recall some banter or an exchange on the cricket field that still makes you laugh today?
“BANTER” is that what it’s called now?
Brian Riley must have over bantered. This “banter” lasted the whole day between both teams. Wests v Uni of NSW at the Village Green in a one day game.
Wests batted first with Geoff Lawson taking the early wickets of Dirk Wellham, Brad McNamara, and Peter O’Reilly, complete with vigorous send offs.
I was in, batting 5, when, in waddled Greg Mathews to the crease. If I recall, he let a few go outside off from Lawson, then tucked one to fine leg and of course swaggered down the wicket when I called him through for one. I watched the ball come in from the fine leg boundary to the gully fielder, then to cover and straight to Henry over the stumps at the bowler’s end.
The stumps were smashed out of the ground and to my amazement Matthew had decided to do some gardening on the wicket and had not made his ground. The send- off was deafening.
From that moment, it was on for young and old, from on the field and off the field. Thankfully we won the game.
What was your most embarrassing dismissal in senior cricket?
There are 2, one involving myself and the other I witnessed.
Gordon v Waverly at Waverly.
We were in a little trouble batting and I was in on around 30 odd not out when a wicket falls and out strides Michael Coote batting 8, looking dapper, swinging his bat around. It was the end of the over, I was facing David Hourn and picking him from the hand.
Cootey comes down and says “Okie, you take Cracker, I’ve got no idea, alright?” Yep, no worries”, I said. Cracker bowls a rare leg-break (apart from his many left arm wrong-uns) and I turn it backward of square, and I hear Cootey’s call of - “GO,GO,GO—GO BACK!” Run out by 3 metres.
The dismissal I witnessed was bizarre and the story has been legendary throughout Wests Cricket club players, so I think it only fair to share it with the wider audience.
Wests v Fairfield at Pratten Park.
My old mate Matty Troy was batting at the northern end against spin, (which wasn’t his strong suit). Banter from the 3 in close fieldsmen got a little heated, especially from Brett Lack, who fielded a forward push at silly mid-off and actioned to throw the stumps down.
Mathew, in a state of frustration, egged on Brett, “Go on, ava go you xxxxxxx”.
So, he did and hit the stumps and much to Matt’s amazement, he found his back foot was on the line.
The send-off was epic. It got worse, head down, slumped, swerving through the many Fairfield players in celebration, dragging his bat between his legs, he looks up and the first person he sees is me holding his baby son Joshua, at the entry of the Pratten Park cage. We all, to this day, remind him that in tennis on the line is IN! In cricket on the line is OUT!
Greg Edwards and Matt Troy
Who was your childhood hero?
Greg Chappell
Who are the three sports people in the world you’d most like to meet?
Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Viv Richards
Tiger Woods
Who’s your favourite cricket commentator?
David Lloyd and Richie Benaud
What was your favourite ground to play at?
Bankstown Oval
What there a particular team you especially looked forward to playing against?
Bankstown- Bob Vidler, Gary Crowfoot, Paul Talbot, Waugh twins, Steve Small, Wayne Holdsworth- always tough to beat on their home ground
What’s been your most memorable moment in cricket?
A career defining innings of 77 in a 1st Grade Final against Saints at Bankstown Oval. Saints 6 for 119, Wayne Seabrook, Ray Gonella, Geoff Milliken, Jon Jobson, Graeme Smith all out. 3 dropped catches later, Saints all out for 263 and Wests were none down for around 10 overnight.
Next day was overcast with an all NSW attack of Steve Bernard, Richard Done, Brett McKirdy, Graeme and Mark Osborne. I’m in at 4 for 25 with Bernard swinging the ball a mile. I survived till lunch and we were 6 for 97. Another 2 +1/2 hours later with a 9th wicket partnership of 86 with Jimmy Hadley, I believed we still had a chance to win.
We needed a certain amount of runs off the remaining overs and Jimmy got tied down and panic set in, trying to get me on strike.
I was supposedly run out at the bowlers end, backing up too far, when a great throw from John Jobson hit the stumps. I thought I was in, Dick French didn’t. Game over.
What’s the best win you’ve been involved with?
1984/85 Wests v Bankstown at Bankstown Oval. Needing around 8 runs an over and 7 down, Jim Hadley smacked them and got us home. Exciting finish.
Who are the three players from your playing days at the top of the list for a Saturday afternoon barbeque?
These 3 guys have been best mates of mine since we retired from cricket. Matt Troy, Tony Monaghan and Greg Dyer all golfing and travelling pals as well.
What are your hobbies?
Golf. Greg Dyer and I are 30 year members of Castle Hill Country Club. Golf weekends away with my longtime mates from Wests. Spending time with my wife and 4 children and of course catching up for a beer and a punt with mates on a Saturday afternoon.
What’s the best advice you’ve received?
The best advice was from my Dad, John - Concentrate one ball at a time and enjoy yourself. It’s always better when you win.
What is your occupation?
Real Estate agents and developers. We operate Lexicon Property Agents in the Hills District
Are you still involved in cricket and if so, in what capacity?
My interest has been uplifted over the last number of years due to the relationship between my eldest daughter, Dominique and Nick Bertus (NSW Rep and captain of Parramatta Cricket Club). His career 1st grade stats are phenomenal and would be a high order batting asset to any Sheffield Shield or One day team, in any state. The ups and downs these 2 kids have had to endure over the last couple of years, is unbelievable and they have come out the other side together and stronger than ever. I love them both.
Secondly, my youngest son, Ryan, has tasted his 1st year of grade cricket in the 5th’s for Parramatta at the age of 15, plus has enjoyed the junior rep pathway as a formidable wicket keeper/opening batsman. Being able to travel around with him to most grade grounds has been great and I’ve bumped into a lot of familiar faces.
If you were running a state cricket association what would your 2 priorities to ensure cricket in the state remained strong and successful on and off the field?
Get rid of all the hanger-onners. The pathway system is essential to a point but focus more on 1st grade player’s performances and statistics. Nurture the grade cricket clubs before they collapse. Make first grade stronger. There are a lot of 2nd graders playing 1st grade, therefore the standard is not at its peak. State and Australian representative players should be encouraged to play for their club where possible, so the young kids can dream to achieve, like they have had the opportunity to do.
