Paul Toole - Randwick Petersham Cricket Club Cap No 1

Randwick Petersham Cricket Club | April 14, 2023

Randwick and Petersham Marrickviile Cricket Clubs are two clubs with tremendous and rich history in Sydney Grade Cricket.

During the 2001 off season the two clubs decided to amalgamate and on the 29 September 2001 they played their first game as Randwick Petersham and their inaugural captain was Paul Toole.

Paul was an opening batsman and had been playing for Randwick since 1992 and he was now the very proud recipient of Randwick Petersham cap number 1.

From 1992 to 2006 Paul Toole scored 5,671 runs in first grade at an average of 30 and scored 5 centuries and 34 half centuries.

Let’s find out more about Paul’s journey in the game

What year you were born?

1972

Can you remember you first game of cricket?

Yes, definitely I can remember my first game of cricket. I was playing for the Cathedral Primary School in Bathurst and we were all out for 12 runs. I like most of the team got a duck and I’m pretty sure the sundries might have scored all the runs. My Dad was the coach, which was pretty cool because he usually worked away Wool Classing a lot.

Tell us briefly about your cricketing journey?

Growing up in Bathurst I played for the Rugby Union Cricket Club with so many fantastic mentors.

In Sydney I played for Randwick to become Randwick Petersham and then played for Southern Lakes in the Newcastle competition.

What other sports do you play?

Love all sports, as a young kid I had the opportunity to play many different sports. I played competitive soccer, rugby league and a bit of rugby union. Also I really loved tennis but never actually played in a competition.

In which grade and at what age did you make your debut in grade cricket?

My earliest memory of playing grade cricket was playing in 7th grade in Bathurst at the Show Ground when I was still in primary school. My first year in high school I was selected to play a few games in 1st grade, then a few years later played fulltime 1st grade.

When I was 19 I moved to Sydney and trialled for Randwick and got 100 retired in a trial game. I was disappointed they graded me in 3rds, but I was pretty happy with the 140 not out in my first game, coincidently against Petersham and they had David Chardon and a great friend of mine, Chris Sullivan in their team.

As Randwick had won the club championship the year before and were a super strong club and only getting stronger, I knew I would have to score a truck load of runs to make it to 1st grade.

If you can share with our audience, how would you describe yourself as a cricketer? Batsman, bowler, allrounder, wicket keeper etc

When I was young I used to love Kim Hughes and dance down the wicket and take the bowlers on. But after my first season in Sydney I had to have a second shoulder reconstruction which really restricted my movement and it took me a few years to make changes to my game. I had to work hard to build partnerships with other batsman.

Kim Hughes

What was your highest score in senior cricket?

In Bathurst it was just over 150 not out, in Sydney 128 not out and Newcastle just over 130 not out.

What were your best bowling figures in senior cricket?

That makes me laugh, while playing in Sydney I got 35 wickets and burgled a couple of representative players out. When in Newcastle I got around 120 wickets with my best around 6 for 30 bowling donkey drops with the odd arm ball, specialising in 9, 10 and jack.

You had the honour of being the inaugural First Grade captain when Randwick Petersham amalgamated at the start of the 2001 season. Can you share with us how you went about bringing the two clubs which such rich history together?

Firstly, I was incredibly proud to be the captain of the inaugural first grade team. The work that went into the amalgamation was incredible. The thing that I remember most is how well everyone connected. What really hit home for me was the absolute love that we had from the afternoon tea ladies, Helen Milford, Pat Hughes, Robyn Gardner and Sue Hill made us all feel extremely special and loved along with the patrons we had Pommy Hughes and Phil Tresidder, both incredible humans. Our team Manager, Bobby Barter wrote our Club song and we couldn’t wait to get back in the sheds and sing it loud and proud.

Mike Whitney as our President was absolutely fantastic and honestly in the change rooms it was the best feeling bonding together as a group, we were so proud to walk out together and play cricket and work hard as a team. We all felt like there was no situation we couldn’t handle, we just had absolute faith in each other.

Mike Whitney, Paul Toole, Lyall Gardner

Adam Warren took the most wickets in the Sydney Cricket Association (SCA), Richard Chuee Quee scored the most runs in SCA, winning the best and fairest. Darryl Palmentor took the most dismissals as a keeper and I had my best season getting 860 odd runs, finishing the season with a better batting average than Cheeks. Normally not interested in that stuff, but that made me feel good.

We were minor premiers for a half a week and that was taken from us. There was a protest which we lost and an appeal on the friday night, which we also lost, leaving us with no idea where we were playing the next day, and we sadly lost that game. Due to results of other fixtures, we were eliminated which was brutal, honestly I was so proud of my club that whole season and how we conducted ourselves. One of the best cricket years of my life.

Paul Toole - Randwick Petersham inaugural first grade captain

Who have been the best three fast bowlers you have played against?

Brett Lee at Mosman Oval. One ball hit the shoulder of my bat over the slips and granted it’s not the biggest ground but the ball hit the fence on the half volley. Hearing a new ball literally make noises as it flies past your ears is an attention call.

Steve Nikitaras was so random, like an early Mitchell Johnson model.

Wayne Holdsworth early days was an absolute athlete. I could name heaps of others but, these three were quick.

Who has been the best three spinners you have played against? 

I always loved playing against Adrian Tucker, he is a fantastic bowler and we have had some great battles. Greg Matthews on a Waverly dust bowl was traumatic and I loved the challenge facing Stuart McGill as the ball dropped in the air so much.

But blokes like Kieran Knight and Paul Thomas, left arm finger spinners got me out all the time, and a special mention to Tim O’Neil in Newcastle, along with David Freedman was a class bowler and a gentleman, he always made an effort to speak to me.

Who has been the best 3 batsman you’ve played against?

I played an Under 17s carnival in Dubbo and watched Adam Gilchrist and I knew from that moment he should be playing for Australia, the most talented batsman I’ve ever seen.

In my second game in 1st grade in Sydney, Michael Slater got 80 odd out of not much more than 130. He had the quickest feet, it took a Peter March in swinging yorker to lay him on his tummy and out, what a delivery.

We had a really good Randwick team, and Mark Waugh got 130 odd and he was never looked like he was in trouble. He was doing it easy and I’m pretty sure he hit one up in the air to go and watch the horse races.

In saying that I also love watching blokes like, Greg Hayne, Greg Mail, Rod Davison and Paul Maraziotis who could just churn out massive runs every season.

Who played the best innings you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?

Super tough question as I have seen so many great ones. But I can definitely recall my first game of first grade when Richard Chee Quee smashed 160 against Sutherland and in my third game he got about the same score and he must have hit 20 sixers, no joke – absolutely blew me away.

Richard Chee Quee

Who was the best wicket keeper you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?

Great question as I was blessed to play with two great wicket keepers. Andrew Millican was the best captain I played under and one of the funniest blokes I have ever played with. Also Daryl Parmenter, I’ve seen him take some of the best leg-side stumpings of quick bowlers ever, just a natural.

Who are the two players you admired most in terms of skills and competitive spirit in the competitions you played?

This is the hardest question as I have played against so many competitive blokes it is ridiculous. Neil Maxwell was next level competitive and loved it, really enjoyed competing against him.

Blokes like, Shawn Bradstreet, Scott Thompson, Grant Lambert, Brad McNamara and Kenny Hall were as a tough as leather and lovely blokes. It is weird that most competitive blokes tend to be all-rounders.

Who was the best captain you had the good fortune to play with?

At Randwick I was fortunate enough to play under some very experienced captains. They all had a deep influence on my style of captaincy with man management and tactics. Peter Devlin was one of the most competitive men I have ever met in my life and he could make a game out of any situation, and some of the funniest games I have ever played in.

Greg Doyle always explained what your role was and always made it easy for you to go out and just do your job.

Andrew Millican always knew what was going on, what was happening in the game, what had to done and had a great sense of humour.

Who has been your funniest teammate?

Seriously, so tough as I could literally name 30 or more blokes. Steve Zantides, Todd Greenburg, Greg Doyle, Andrew Millican, Adam Warren and Mark Sundin (when I first went to Randwick, I was warned not to associate with him).

Every team I have played in, humour was the massive part of the fabric. Literally have so many funny stories and great memories and would need a few beers to get through half the funny stories.

Who was your childhood hero?

Easy, Kevin Hastings, Viv Richards, Kim Hughes, Brad Clyde and Brad Fittler.

This is weird but I was Wayne Rooney’s PE Teacher for 8 months when he was 15. I would rather have faced Brett Lee at full speed than have him kick a soccer ball at close range. It was a near death experience.

Paul batting for Toronto Workers

What was your favourite ground to play at?

The first time driving down to my new home ground, Coogee Oval, my eyes just lit up. I couldn’t have imagined a better place to play cricket.

What do you enjoy most about playing cricket?

I absolutely love the camaraderie of playing team sports and the competitiveness of playing against the opposition.

What has been your most memorable moment in cricket?

The friendship and camaraderie is why I play team sports. But helping turn Southern Lakes around in Newcastle to win 4 club championships was is a memorable moment in my career.

This is a match we didn’t win, but it is memorable for me. It was a game against Penrith and I got 80 odd out of 120 or so. With state players coming in and out of the side all the time, it was a significant innings for me.

What’s the best win you’ve been involved with?

In an under 21s tour of New Zealand, I was the stand in captain in a 3 day game. We were chasing 300 plus in the second innings and got 150 and hit the winning runs.

We won 1st Grade One Day Grand Final and I was lucky enough to top score in a low scoring match.