Steve "Worm" Sullivan - The Debut
Randwick Petersham Cricket Club | August 03, 2023
A memorable occasion in any cricketer’s career is his 1st Grade debut. In a recent discussion with Randwick Petersham Cricket historian Lyall Gardner, former Petersham-Marrickville player Steve Sullivan, was asked for a few details about his 1st Grade debut. Steve, or “Worm” as he is affectionately known, had been a very successful lower-grade player and was 23 at the time.
The match was the last day’s play of the 1982-83 season. Both Petersham-Marrickville and Randwick were defeated in the 1st Grade semi-final and in accordance with the rules at that time, were to play-off for third place in a one-day match at Coogee Oval. Graeme “Heaps” Hughes couldn’t play so it was decided it was time for Steve Sullivan to make his 1s Grade debut under the astute captaincy of Brian “Riles” Riley.
In his own words, here’s how Steve recalled his experience:
My day started like this. Knock at the front door. Our father Noel Patrick Sullivan (affectionately known as "son" to all his boys) answers the door. "Yes Sir can I help you" "Ahhhhhr is Steve dere mate -- you must be the old man dere - Brian Riley is my name how do ya do dere". Introductions finished I collect my old Green Shield "coffin" and walked to Riles’ Silver Skyline. Wow! What a flash vehicle it was too. Off we go over Sydenham down Gardeners Rd all the way to Coogee. All the time Riles just reinforcing that "you'll go alright dere, no worries dere, don't let these coats get to ya".
Arrive at Coogee, get out of the vehicle and none other than Richard H McCord fresh from his bus travels walks into the ground. We exchange greetings and then none other than the great Alan Turner one of my favs to watch walked in, his glossy flash Benson N Hedges bag nothing compared to my Green Shield coffin and greets R H McCord by name. I couldn’t believe it -a trump like Alan Turner greeting one of ours with such a warm and friendly welcome. Wow! Is this what 1st Grade is about......??
It didn’t take long to realise that Randwick CC had a near Australian side let alone a First-Grade side. “Heaps” grew instantly in my estimation. I'll have a crack at naming that Randwick side: Alan Campbell (‘keeper)/ Alan Turner/ Gary Bensley / Peter Clifford / David Knox/ Mike Whitney / Evan Gordon / Trevor Jay / Peter Devlin…… Struggling with the rest but fair to say a cracking good side.
Well, we bat first and I batted down the order and came in with about 5 or 6 overs left. No lid (couldn’t afford one). Out I go. The bloke bowling is M R Whitney. In he comes. Never seen a bloke run so far so fast. And that hair! Bloody hell! It was a big mop of a thing and as he approached… clearly the biggest human I'd seen running into bowl… I thought his shoulders were that big that he was gunna clean up the umpire (none other than Arthur Watson from memory). My thoughts were “get forward Worm, get forward”. And forward I went. A beautiful looking defensive shot but missed the ball outside off and what seemed like two days later I heard the ball slap into Alan Campbell's gloves! Being brave amongst the calls of "well bowled Whit… come on knock ‘em over" I marked centre and looked back–struth how far back were these blokes! “Heaps”- what have you done you mongrel I thought!
Next ball, the last of the over, Dave Chardon at the other end says “get forward young Sully”. So again I did. This time… snick! Beautiful! I hit the critter and a sneaky single off M R Whitney down past deep gully. Up the other end "over" is called. M R Whitney retrieves his cap from the ump and makes his way down to fine leg. By this stage I was crappin’ myself. Whitney retorts "Young Sully, eh? You far**ng Sully! I lose it. "Turn it up Whit– my brother said you were a good bloke". Well in what must be another first he burst out laughing and didn’t stop laughing until he got to fine leg. Welcome to 1st Grade Worm!
Up the other end Chard was giving me great encouragement. I ended up with 36 inclusive of a slog back down the ground (away from the Rugby Club) for six of a Trevor Jay “fully”. He called me a slogger but Chard said “well played young man”......
Well, remember that era "How do you feel” M R Whitney commercials? Well, one last “first”. With six required to win, A Turner on strike and D Chardon bowling with B Riley instructions "down the off-side Chard don't bowl on his pads”. In comes Chard last pill they need six to win. Riles’ instructions went astray and a very stylish A Turner gracefully lifts the ball out towards the square leg boundary. The ball is bound for… you guessed it… none other than ME!!... Running some five or six …..could have been 20 metres…..not sure now… to my left hand to the B Riley cries of "wrap it up there wrap it up" I executed the catch that would have gone over the fence for sure had I not been there. Hooray! We win 132 to 7-127!
Back in the shed after the celebrations I am sitting down listening to all the goings-on and the first bloke into our room ----M R Whitney. "Well played there young fa**** g Sully. They should do commercials with you in them not me" True! Also very true is the 8 or 9 middies I had at the Rugby Club to end up v drunk and rather ill out the door of the B Riley mobile on the way home! Worm…. welcome to 1st Grade!
