Stephen Liggins - you can’t get wickets if you are not bowling!

Gordon District Cricket Club | February 01, 2023

A very happy Stephen Liggins after Gordon had just defeated Mosman in an epic 1990-91 first grade grand final.

Steve Liggins was a tall fast bowler who played Sydney Grade Cricket for Gordon District Cricket Club and Northern District Cricket Club.

Steve made his first grade debut at Northern District in 1983/84 before moving down the Pacific Highway to Gordon and being a valuable team member of Gordon’s 1990-91 first grade premiership winning team.

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

What year you were born?

1965

Can you remember you first game of cricket?

I vaguely remember playing as a wicket-keeper batsman for my Primary School Junior Cricket team when I was 8 years old. I think I managed to stop some balls while keeping, and scored about 2 with the bat, which was considered a great success. The following season I played weekend cricket for my suburb’s Under 10s as a slow bowler. So … I went on to become a fast bowler. Go figure!

Tell us briefly about your cricketing journey?

Growing up I played for the St Ives Cricket Club and Hornsby-Ku-ring-gai Representative teams. In the 1980s I joined the Northern District Club and played Green Shield, Poidevin Gray and Grade. During this period, I played NSW Under 16 and Under 19s.

In 1990 I transferred to the Gordon District Cricket Club. Oh, I also played an off-season in London with the Richmond Cricket Club in the Middlesex League in 1986. 

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

I played my first grade game in Fourth Grade for Northern District at the age of 15. We played away against Waverley and I took 2 wickets.

At what age did you make your first grade debut in grade cricket and can you remember how you performed in debut?

I played my first First Grade game for Northern District at the age of 18 against Waverley at Waverly Oval. I batted at 8 and the first ball I faced was from Tony Greig which I pushed uppishly for 2. I later leg glanced Ian Greig for 1, and square cut David Hourn for 3, on my way to scoring 6.

Later in the game I took 1 for 28, with Peter Taylor catching John Boyd for me in the gully.

Like many First Grade debutants, I found myself fielding at short leg.

If you can share with our audience, how would you describe yourself as a cricketer?

I was a fast-bowling all-rounder. In First Grade I was usually the “supporting” fast bowler for the better fast bowler down the other end – really good players like Peter Vilimaa, Richard Stobo, Matthew Nicholson and Richard Dixon. They would regularly get “5 wickets” and I’d chime in with a couple. Batting down the order, I could usually be relied upon to make useful contributions every few games. I also offered spiritual support to teammates!

 

NSW Under 19s 1983-84

Back Row – Jack Wilson (Manager), Justin Kenny, Jason Horn, Stephen Liggins, Richard Stobo, Gavin Robertson, Stephen Funnell, Glenn Tobin, Ted Cotton (Coach)

Front Row – Mark Patterson, Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh, Mark England (Captain), Brad McNamara, David Moore, Mark Waugh

What were your strengths as a player?

Better to ask someone else about that. I think I usually slotted well into teams and was probably a good team player on and off the field. I really liked cricket, and I really liked the people with whom I played cricket.

What was your highest score in senior cricket? For which club and where?

I think my highest First Grade score was 68 for Gordon against Penrith at Killara. When I was 17 I scored 86 in a Second Grade Grand Final for Northern District against a really strong St George side.

Playing cricket for Richmond CC in England, we went on a mid-week tour of the Cotswolds. One afternoon, at an impossibly picturesque ground at (perhaps) Pombleby-on the-Stream (or something like that) I stroked my way to 89 only to have the captain declare on me. That’s the closest I’ve ever got to a century.

What were your best bowling figures in senior cricket? For which club and where?

In First Grade I usually supported a better opening bowling partner, but my best First Grade analysis was 5 for 41 for Gordon v. Manly at Killara.

My best First Grade Game was for Gordon v. Fairfield at Killara when I took 4 wickets in each innings to help lead the team to an outright victory.

When I was 15 and playing Fourth Grade for Northern District, I bowled 29.4 overs straight and took 7 for 69 against Manly at Graham. I don’t think they’d let 15-year-olds bowl that many overs in a row these days. 

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

I played against Andrew Jones a lot. He could get really quick, and his bouncer slid right into you. I’m surprised he did not play more first-class cricket.

I faced three balls as night watchman against a young Brett Lee – two I barely saw, one (to everyone’s surprise, including my own) I absolutely smashed to the backward point fence with the sort of shot a night watchman would not usually be expected to play with two balls left in the day.

I batted against Greg Rowell in a First Grade Grand Final when Greg was at his peak and very quick. As I recall, he bowled me a bouncer which I got under and turned to see the keeper take the ball above his head about 25 metres back. It was the sort of things that really focussed the mind!

Greg Rowell

 

Who were the best three spinners you have played against? 

I only batted against these two guys in the nets at Northern District, but Steve Whitfield and and Peter Taylor stand out. Steve, in particular, was an absolute stand-out. He was easily the bowler I found hardest to face – I just had now idea of how to play him. I’d miss some of his deliveries by perhaps half a foot. Peter Taylor was also very good and became the famous “Peter Who”.

Watching those two bowl together was incredible, particularly with Ross Turner as captain.

The third, Stuart McGill, although I can’t actually recall facing him, which is probably why I didn’t mention him first.

Steve Whitfield

Who were the best 3 batsman you’ve played against?

Three of my peers – Steve and Mark Waugh and Mark Taylor.

Steve was an incredible competitor – very focussed and batted well with his batting partners.

Bowling at Mark Waugh could be embarrassing – he seemed to have so much time. As I recall, once in a schoolboys game at Waitara I bowled a short-of-a-length ball to Mark, he went on the back foot and hit me over my head for 6!

Mark Taylor, I mainly played with and occasionally against – he had a really solid technique, and could certainly push the score along. I watched him score a century off Wayne Daniel, Greg Rowell and John Skilbeck at Mosman – such good bowlers, and Mark absolutely dominated. 

Mark Taylor

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

I would say either Mark Taylor’s century v. Mosman noted above; or Adam Gilchrist’s 50 in a low scoring First Grade final that we won against Mosman; or Steve Small’s century in a session against Gordon at Killara.

In the innings by Steve Small, Richard Stobo and I were working on the theory that Steve was weak on the hip and in the ribs. I think I’d mentioned to Richard that I thought he was weak there based on my bowling to him a few seasons earlier. After we’d peppered him for a few overs and had each gone for about 40 runs off four overs, we were kindly removed from the attack.

Was there any bowler in particular who for whatever reason always seemed to cause you a few problems?

 As I mentioned earlier, I was all at sea against Steve Whitfield.

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? 

Facing very fast bowlers certainly did this – I’ve mentioned Andrew Jones, Greg Rowell and Brett Lee.

I also remember Steve Nikitaras and Geoff Barron could be really quick. Batting against Geoff once I think I reduced my usual expansive back lift to about 1 inch to stop myself from getting yorked. Even doing that I struggled to keep him out.

Facing Greig, Greig and Hourn from Waverley at Waverley; and Dwyer, Jones and Radcliffe from Wests at Pratten Park was challenging.  

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

Can I mention four? I played with three who I thought were sensational – Phil Emery and Adam Gilchrist at Gordon; and Tim Ebbeck at Northern District.

 

Phil Emery

I also have to mention Bronco Djura from Petersham. I played with and against Bronco as a schoolboy. I thought he was an absolutely extraordinary keeper-batsman. He decided to focus on Rugby League when he was about 19, but I think if he’d stuck with cricket he would have kept for Australia from the late 1980s to the late 1990s. We may never have heard of Ian Healy – one of the best keepers ever. I really wish we’d seen what Bronco might have gone on to do.

 

Bronco D'Jura

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

I really admired Steve Waugh. We played with and against each other a lot when younger. I really liked his competitive spirit. He was great to play with. I batted with him a few times and really enjoyed the experience. I experienced first-hand how good he was at batting with people down the order. I also loved playing against him – if you did well against him, you knew you’d really earned it. Obviously, he usually come out on top – but not always.

Steve Waugh

I thought Tim Ebbeck, the keeper at Northern District, was excellent at keeping the entire team focussed when in the field. He could really lift the team and keep everyone on their toes. He was also extremely funny off the field, and a good bloke, too!

Tim Ebbeck wicket keeper

I would also like to give honorary mentions to Ross Toohey and Neil Maxwell. Two really good all-rounders who played hard, and whose company I really enjoyed. 

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

I think perhaps Ross Turner at Northern District. He was great at tactics, great at handling his bowlers and great at managing players. I suspect most people who played with Ross would probably say the same. 

 

Ross Turner

That said, I have to mention Phil Emery, Steve Day and Michael Cant. Phil always gave me confidence as a bowler, Steve was a great tactician, and Michael handled an incredibly diverse group of players at Gordon and led us to a First Grade Premiership in 1990–91 … happy days! 

Who has been your funniest team mate?

I’d go for a dead-heat between Tim Ebbeck, Ross Toohey and Craig McGregor.

Tim was dangerously funny with a very “unique” form of humour – anything from his Joe Cocker impersonations to his games of “moral cricket”.

I loved listing to Ross make his “incisive” assessments of people and situations. Once when we were around 20 he was annoying me at a game so I responded by wrestling him to the ground and sitting on him. My mother was there at the time, had missed some of the lead-up, saw what was happening, and shouted out something like: ‘Stephen! Stephen! You get off that poor little boy. Get off him at once.’ This was in front of my teammates … it was utterly humiliating.

Craig McGregor at Gordon could have done stand-up comedy. He was responsible for two of the funniest things I’ve ever witnessed, but I’d better not let the cat out of the bag by explaining what they were.

 

Can you recall some banter or an exchange on the cricket field that still makes you laugh today?

Dean Waugh (brother of Steve, Mark and Danny) was a very good batsman. I can’t remember whether I was there at the time or heard about it later, but one day Richard Stobo was all over him. Perhaps he beat Dean time after time. Eventually, at the peak of frustration, he looked at Dean and said: ‘You must be adopted.’

Another … I was once bowling against Chris Madden of Balmain. I was absolutely on top. He could hardly get bat on ball. So, he decided to sledge me!! “Wait a second,” I thought, “YOU are sledging ME?!?!? I’m on top, if anything it should be the other way around!” It totally threw me, he suddenly got the upper hand, I think went on to score a 50, and I learned a valuable lesson.   

What was your most embarrassing dismissal in senior cricket?

It was a crucial game for Gordon against Parramatta. We needed to win stay in the race for the First Grade semi-finals. I went in at about number eight with the game in the balance. A spinner was bowling. I was going through a stage where I would compulsively sweep spinners before I’d got my eye in. I’d often get runs, but I’d often get out. Before going in I think Michael Cant (our captain) said: ‘Don’t sweep until your eye is in.’ I thought: ‘Don’t sweep until your eye is in.’ I think it was maybe the first ball I faced. I swept and was bowled. I’ve never felt like such an absolute idiot!

Who was your childhood hero?

Doug Walters, Rick McCosker, Dennis Lillee and Imran Khan.

Who are the three sports people in the world you’d most like to meet?

The athlete Eric Liddell of Chariots of Fire fame. He was a top-class athlete who won the 400 metres at the 1924 Paris Olympics. He was also a very committed Christian. He was something of a role model for me.

 

Eric Liddell

Imran Khan – an amazing all-rounder who has lived a very interesting and diverse life. If he was prepared to talk, I’d be fascinated by he’d have to say.

I wish I’d met Dennis Lillee when I was 19 and had the chance for him to coach me. Perhaps now he could tell me what I should have done!

Who’s your favourite cricket commentator?

I loved the ABC commentary team when they had Jim Maxwell doing the cricket commentary and Kerry O’Keeffe and Peter Roebuck providing the colour. Kerry and Peter were both so engaging … for different reasons.

What was your favourite ground to play at?

I think Drummoyne Oval – picturesque, I had some great games there, and Balmain used to provide incredible afternoon teas!

Was there a particular team you especially looked forward to playing against?

I always enjoyed being part of a Gordon v Northern District local derby … whichever team I was playing for. Also, Bankstown was always a good game – they had great players and were always very competitive.

What’s been your most memorable moment in cricket?

Either being picked in the NSW Under 16 cricket team and having my cap presented to me at the SCG, or winning the First Grade Premiership with Gordon.

Mark O'Neill, Mark Dankert, Richard Stobo, Phil Emery, Stephen Liggins, Stephen Day, Adam Gilchrist

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

I’d have to go for a combination – winning the First Grade Semi-Final against Balmain when we’d scored only about 160 in the first innings, and then winning the First Grade Grand Final the following weekend against Mosman when we only scored about 150 in the first innings. Two weekends of more sustained tension, you could not imagine!

Who are the three players from your playing days at the top of the list for a Saturday afternoon barbeque?

There are so many players I’d love to have a barbeques with that I’d probably not want to mention just three. That said, I’ve had some great barbeques at Michael Cant’s place – great host, great invitees and a great house. Michael was always one to get the most from situations. Once after a nice meal he got us all to act as free labour by suddenly announcing that our entertainment for the afternoon was moving a whole lot of large rocks around his backyard!

 

Michael Cant

What are your hobbies?

These days I jog and do Masters Athletics (shot put, discus, javelin, etc). I was playing soccer up until a few years back – my fitness and skill level was still OK, but every second or third game I was off to the physio. In terms of non-sport, I love writing (I’ve written a few books and articles), reading, movies, travelling (when I can), and especially catching up with friends (which is, of course, far more than a hobby). Best of all is spending time with my family.  

What’s the best advice you’ve received?

Follow Jesus.

In terms of cricket, I think it was John Grimble of Sydney University who told me to make sure you bowl well enough NOT to get taken off – you can’t get wickets if you are not bowling!

What is your occupation?

I am an Anglican Minister and work at Anglican Churches Springwood in the Blue Mountains just outside of Sydney. During lockdown you can catch our services on our YouTube channel or on Facebook.

 

Are you still involved in cricket and if so, in what capacity?

Sadly, no. Neither of my kids have taken it up. I certainly try to keep in touch with old cricketing friends, and I enjoy watching and reading about the game.

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?

I would employ Ross Turner (ex-Northern District) and Mark O’Neill (ex-Gordon) and ask them to sort it out. Both men are very different, but, in their unique ways, I felt both spoke a lot of sense (Mark sometimes mixing it with total nonsense). They would be a great combination.