Mike Porter - play hard but always be fair
Armidale District Cricket Association | January 25, 2023
Mike Porter has made a lifetime and invaluable contribution to cricket in Armidale in Northern NSW.
Firstly as a player and then as an administrator. Mike has been the President of Armidale District Cricket Association for 34 years and his journey of contribution epitomises everything good about the game of cricket.
As a player Mike played his entire club cricket career for Easts. Easts were arguably the most dominant teams of the late 1970s and 80s with most of their team also in the Armidale District Cricket representative team.
A left arm opening swing bowler Mike not only played representative cricket for Armidale but also for Northern tablelands against other Northern NSW Country Regions of North West, Hunter Valley and North Coast.
What year you were born?
1949 in Armidale NSW
Can you remember you first game of cricket?
Cannot remember the details but I was 14 and I am sure it was at the Racecourse and Pat McGee would have been captain in Easts Cricket Club B grade. Do not remember how I went.
Tell us briefly about your cricketing journey?
My career started and ended as a player with Easts Cricket Club in Armidale and I am still involved with the club today in an administrative role i.e. as Treasurer. In my early years I played B grade with Easts and after a few years off after finishing school I came back to grade cricket with Easts in A Res Grade. In that year East‘s had 2x A Res Grade teams who played each other in the final.
During my years with Easts I played representative cricket for Armidale in the Northern Tablelands Competition. On a number of occasions I was lucky enough to be selected to play for Northern Tablelands in the Inter Council Carnivals which in those days were selected at All Age.
Armidale District Representative Cricket team
Back Row – Mike Porter, Neil Baillie, Bruce Taylor, Rick Porter, Ray Eddie, Geoff Wood, Peter Hickey, Peter Schaeffer,
Front Row – Mal McLean, Brian Warren (Captain), Elspeth Howie (Scorer), Bede Ryan, Mark McCann
In which grade and at what age did you make your debut in grade cricket?
At around 14 in B grade with Easts
At what age did you make your first grade debut in grade cricket and can you remember how you performed in debut?
Not sure what age I was when I made it to 1st grade as it was extremely tough to get into 1st grade. Have not a clue how I went but I continued to play 1st grade for a long time. I eventually graduated back to 2nd grade to play with my son Nathan who was at that time coming up through the grades and he also went on to play 1st grade with Easts.
If you can share with our audience, how would you describe yourself as a cricketer?
I was a left arm opening bowler who could bat okay. So I guess you could call me an all rounder of sorts and I was pretty good in the field.
What were your strengths as a player?
Good line and length bowler who could be relied on in a crisis and could get handy runs when needed. Loved the game and always could be relied on with training duties.
What was your highest score in senior cricket?
My highest score was approx. 70 v Uralla at Uralla Sports Complex.
What were your best bowling figures in senior cricket?
Best bowling figures were 7 for 8 for Easts at Lambert Park Armidale v St Peters. Also took 7 for16 for Armidale Senior Representative Team in an inter town final at Harris Park in Armidale.
Who were the best three fast bowlers you have played against?
Best fast bowlers I played against were Andrew McNeill, Adam Marjoribanks, Craig Trindall and Peter Hickey. All were just typical fast bowlers wanting a piece of you every time they had the ball in hand.
Best fast bowlers I played with were Andrew Starr, Neil Johnson, Dave Piddington and Matt Foster.
Andrew Starr and Mike Porter
Who were the best three spinners you have played against?
The spinners were Mark McCann, Joe Harrison and Andrew Newling. All had exceptional control and were excellent turners of the ball.
Best spinners I played with were Neil Baillie and Brad Schumacher.
Joe Harrison is bowling and Mike Porter's brother Rick is backing up at the non strikers end
Who were the best 3 batsman you’ve played against?
The best batsmen I played against were Garry Phillips, Geoff Wood, Mark Haydon and Paul Ryan. All were brilliant players in their own right, two of them went on to play 1st grade in Sydney Paul and Geoff and the other two could have.
The best batsmen that I played with were Rick Porter, Bruce Taylor, Lachlan Fulloon and Alex Thomas. None of these guys played in Sydney but all could have.
Mike Porter and Rick Porter
Who played the best innings you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?
This is so hard because there have been so many I have seen either as a team mate or an opposition player. Probably if I am being truthful about it, I would have to say one I witnessed in Tenterfield. We arrived only to find the turf wickets too wet for play so we the Armidale Rep Side which was loaded with bush talent was moved onto a synthetic ground at the High School. Tenterfield had two opening bowlers in Peter Smith and Neil Johnson ( who a couple of years later played 1st grade in Sydney for Balmain ) and Armidale lost a couple of early wickets and out to the centre walked Bede Ryan. Bede then proceeded to carve out a century against these guys, it was great to watch.
Other than that I would say many of my brother Rick’s innings were very memorable and he did score many runs for our club.
Was there any batsman in particular who for whatever reason always seemed you to cause you a few problems?
Probably Geoff Wood because when he came to Armidale after playing in Sydney, he valued his wicket greatly and gave you not much to work with as a bowler.
Geoff Wood playing for North Sydney in Sydney Grade Cricket
Can you recall a time when you thought, wow, this is a step or two up from what you were used to?
Going away the regional all age carnivals and playing against representatives from outside our Tablelands Council. Great experience to have to rise to these occasions. Also playing in the old Toohey’s Cup Matches against State Players.
Who was the best wicket keeper you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?
Paul Marquardt was a master craftsman with the gloves and an unbelievable fieldsman without the gloves. He was closely followed by Alex Thomas who played for the Armidale School and then on completing school moved to play for Easts.
Another favourite of mine was Ray Eddie who was a wicket keeper and opening bat. After the 2 mentioned previously there were two gentleman by the name of Keith Smith and Alec Eddie who were as good as any keepers ever to play the game. Really over my time in cricket in our area there have been some great keepers and today it seems to have become a little less fashionable to be a keeper, pity because they are the focal point of any fielding side.
Who are the two players you admired most in terms of skills and competitive spirit in the competitions you played?
Garry Phillips, as a batsman he gave you nothing.
Brian Warren, he worked so hard to make our Easts team and club get better.
Who was the best captain you had the good fortune to play with?
A fellow who came to our club as a UNE student, but a late entry student Brian Warren. He played for Page College at the UNE then came to our club. He saw a club full of talent but one which was young and not sure how to make it work. He approached me early one season asking if he could play for Easts and that he would like to captain our team.
He captained a very talented team and made it work for us with the club winning many 1st grade premierships at a time when Armidale Cricket was extremely strong.
Brian remains one of my very best friends and this all through our time together in Cricket in Armidale. He now resides in Margaret River WA which for us all is too far away.
Brian Warren
Who has been your funniest team mate?
That is a hard question to answer as there have been so many funny moments and so many glorious moments. There’s also been many sad moments but at the end of the day we were playing our favourite sport cricket. It is a team sport and so many great and close friends have come from being involved in the gam.
Can you recall some banter or an exchange on the cricket field that still makes you laugh today?
When you play team sports there is always banter both between your own players and also between teams. Not always polite but it was mostly left on the field. My guys nickname for me was COB, short for Cranky Old Bastard. Partly because I was slightly older than them and for some unknown reason they thought I was a bit Cranky at times. Hard to agree from my perspective however it all worked for us and the name still gets bought up at different times.
Who was your childhood hero?
I have to say my Dad even though he was not involved in Cricket. He and Mum in different ways gave us kids a great life and set us up for the future. But in saying that they were always around our club giving myself and my brother great support while we participated in our sport.
Who are the three sports people in the world you’d most like to meet?
Roger Federer, Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist. Shane Warne and Don Bradman would have been great to meet as well.
Ricky Ponting
Who’s your favourite cricket commentator?
Alan McGilvray - the Best Commentator.
Alan McGilvray
What was your favourite ground to play at?
Armidale Sportsground.
What’s been your most memorable moment in cricket?
Just being with our mates playing a game we loved and winning premierships at a time when Cricket was incredibly strong in the Northern Tablelands and in particular Armidale.
What’s the best win you’ve been involved with?
Playing in an Inter District Grand Final v Glen Innes at Harris Park. Armidale scored 125 with a really strong batting side and Glen Innes were 5/123 at drinks. Incredibly they proceeded to lose 5 for 0 as Neil Baillie and Rick Porter bowling to complete a memorable win.
There were many other games when grand finals were played over 2 days with two innings per team if needed and a total of 180 overs as well. It is incredible what can happen in a game of Cricket played over 2 days.
Who are the three players from your playing days at the top of the list for a Saturday afternoon barbeque?
Brian Warren, Greg Johnson, Alex Thomas and Matt Foster for his story telling.
What’s the best advice you’ve received?
Always play hard to win but always be fair.
The game is not over until the last ball is bowled or the umpire calls time. That is particularly relevant to 2 day cricket.
Are you still involved in cricket and if so, in what capacity?
Yes, I’m the President of Armidale and District Cricket Association, Vice President Northern Inland Cricket Council and Vice President of Central Northern Cricket Zone.
Over the years at ADCA I have held a number of positions such as Secretary (9 yrs), Selector, President (34 yrs) and general dog’s body helping with ground preparation. Along the way I have had some incredible support people on the Association Committee and we have had a lot of fun.
You’ve made an incredible and lifetime contribution to cricket in Armidale. What are you most proud of?
The facility the Armidale District Cricket Association and Armidale Sports Council have been working on is the Armidale Sports Ground. The ground now has a clubhouse, lights, updated change rooms, a better canteen facility and new indoor training facility. We still have a way to go but we are getting there.
I am also proud that I have been involved in the game for so long and have given back to the game that gave me and my family lots of joy. And I must thank my wife Cheryl who has been with me through the entire journey. Being involved in Sport as an Administrator is just another form of Community Service.
Armidale Sports Ground and the new indoor training facility
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?
Support of grass roots level cricket more and let the kids just play cricket and have fun.
Bring more big games to the bush and especially big name players for the kids. In 1992 the Armdiale District Cricket Association staged the West Indies v NSW Country at the Armidale Sportsground and it was massive. People still talk about it today and regularly ask, when are we going to get another game like that.
Sadly, I in my capacity as President I have to reply, probably never! The real question is, why can’t we, just look at the image below as to the funds raised in 1992.
