Tim Ebbeck - play hard, play fair, be respected

Northern District Cricket Club Sydney | February 07, 2023

Tim Ebbeck was a wicket keeper who made his first grade debut for Northern District Cricket Club in 1979/80 at the age of 19.

For 11 seasons Tim was the first grade wicket keeper and he was as they say about keepers “the drummer in the band” through one of the club’s most successful eras when they won back to back premierships in 1985/86 and 1986/87.

He finished playing at the age of 30 and has carved out a very successful career in business.

Tim has made an enormous contribution to the club both on and off the field so let’s find out about Tim’s journey in the game.

What year you were born?

1960, same year as my old mate Bradley Harold Patterson. We’ve known each other that long that we’ve forgotten our first names – I call him Harold, he calls me Charles. We are not as old as Neil Marks or Steve Whitfield, though. Harpo played Green Shield with Victor Trumper and Whit was a net bowler for Bradman I’m told. They are old.

Can you remember you first game of cricket? How old and do you remember how you went?

I first played when I was about 10 or 11 for St Leo’s College Wahroonga, where I went to school. I was asked to field in the covers (yes, what a bloody disgrace) and actually had no idea where that was. I honestly don’t recall my first game but suspect it wasn’t a stellar performance being a newbie!

Tell us briefly about your cricketing journey? Where you’ve played, clubs you’ve played for?

In my school days St Leo‘s was a Christian Brothers college and had a brilliant sporting pedigree in cricket, Rugby and athletics. I was a soccer goal-keeper and went on to captain the First XI and naturally drifted across into wicket-keeping. I played 4 seasons in the cricket First XI, played for NSW Schoolboys Under 19s with guys like Dave Gilbert, Greg Matthews and Wayne Seabrook, and Green Shield for Northern District.

I started playing grade for NDCC in year 11 at school, finished up in 2nd Grade in my first season and had the fortune of playing under the great Neil Marks. Both “Harpo” and I lived close to Waitara Oval and I was driven to a lot of games by Neil – that was such a foundational time for me as I learned from one of the all-time great cricketers and story-tellers.

He also loved a beer which was one of the bad habits I picked up from him. Very funny man Harpo but also a cricket master.

During that period I also started playing with some amazing people – Ross Turner, Brad Patterson, Randal Green, Peter Vilimaa, Michael Coote, Paul and John Grimble, Steve Day - and we built a formidable talent pool at NDCC.

I played in 3 Poidevin Gray Shield years for NDCC and we won 3 straight PG premierships, as well as a second grade flag. At the time, NDCC had a super strong First Grade team including legends like Kerry McKay, Steve Bernard, Mark Clews, Ross Edwards, and Steve Whitfield, and some young guns like Neil Howlett, Ross Turner, and Peter Taylor. My first 1st grade game was in 1979 against Cumberland with Doug Walters and John Benaud.

The strong younger group at NDCC eventually emerged into the First Grade side in the early 1980s and there is no doubt our success together in PGs and Second Grade lead to our strength as a powerhouse of Sydney Grade Cricket in the 1980s.

We won 2 first grade premierships, produced 2 test players in Peter Taylor and Mark Taylor, numerous shield players, and a legendary era of cricket for the Club.

I retired early in 1990 as I had a young family and a business career to focus on, and perhaps missed some of my best playing years – one thing that I’ll never regret, though, is the mateship we had in the NDCC team – we were best mates playing for each other and the club and the area we represented. We had the attitude we wanted to play hard, play fair, be respected when we were on the field and liked when we were off it and I believe we achieved that. And we had an amazing skipper in Ross Turner who was the best leader of men I’ve ever met in my life.

What other sports do you play?

I played and refereed soccer in the Kuring-gai District up until I left school. My father was a golf devotee and I’ve always loved golf. I used to play at Asquith Golf Club when I lived up that way but nowadays I’m a member at Monash Golf Club near where I live on the Northern Beaches.

At what age did you make your first grade debut?

19

When did you first take up wicket keeping and can you recall what the attraction was?

I took up keeping when I was about 13. For some strange reason I believed there was some similarity between being a soccer goal-keeper (which I did in winter) and being a wicket-keeper. In some respects there are common requirements including concentration, reflexes, agility, and ball sense. As importantly, there is a mindset required in both which is probably based on the fact that there’s only one in each team. I loved the uniqueness. The only problem is didn’t really get to play with other keepers, and given they are all good-looking, charming, whitty fellows, that was disappointing.

Greg Dyer and I were on a company board together at one stage and used to take turns at sledging the other members of the board and management – GD was a little more refined than me!

What did you enjoy most about wicket keeping?

I loved being in the action all the time. I wrote an overview on my LinkedIn profile a few years ago which described how what I learned as a wicket-keeper shaped me in my business career:

“For years I was the wicket keeper in a cricket team , a role that shapes how the team performs. It taught me the virtue of humility, the importance of teamwork and reliability, and the value that comes from instinct.

The wicket keeper is many things: the enforcer who takes the game to the competition, the elite fielder who’s able to convert half-chances into chances, and a safe set of hands who has the experience to be in the right place at the right time.

Like any successful person, a good wicket keeper is consistent day in and day out. He is never off duty mentally or physically.

What I learned behind the stumps shaped my approach to leadership.”

Those were the things I loved about wicket-keeping. Importantly, I loved keeping up to the stumps.

My elder sister was married to the great NSW chinaman David Hourn and I spent many hours in the park across the road from my parent’s place keeping to Cracker in my teens. What that man could do with a ball was just unbelievable.

One of my early first grade games was against a Waverley team that included Tony and Ian Greig, Geoff Boycott, and David Hourn and I had to face Cracker. I kept him out for the first over, indeed hit him for 4 on the last ball of that over. I was on strike when he returned and I was the victim his “zooter” – he never said this but I suspect he went easy on me in the first over!

I had the honour of keeping to some outstanding bowlers but 3 stand out to me: Peter Vilimaa was a superb left arm quick who opened the bowling for NDCC for a long time. He was unusual for a fast bowler in the he was an intellectual but had a huge heart and real skill.

Peter Taylor was clearly a brilliant off-spinner who had bounce, spin and energy. He was difficult to keep to at times because he really got the ball to bite and bounce. His partner in spin at NDCC was the legend, Stephen Whitfield. I’ve never seen a finer finger spinner than Whit. He had finesse, the most amazing arm-ball, and unmatched consistency. He was brilliant. Keeping to PT and Whit in tandem was tremendous fun and a real honour. PT obviously went on to national honours, and Whit played a few shield games for NSW at the end of his career. But Whit started life as a left arm seamer and only turned to spin full time mid-career.

There are a few guys who I played with who should have played a lot of first class cricket – for example Neil Howlett and Randal Green – but I often wonder how far Stephen Whitfield would have gone if he’d been given a chance earlier in his career.

Peter Taylor

Who was the fastest bowler you kept to?

I saw a lot of great fast bowlers in my era – Mark Clews, Steve Bernard, Peter Vilimaa, Michael Coote, Steve Liggins, Darby Coyle at NDs – and Len Pascoe, Dave Gilbert, John Skillbeck, and a young Glenn McGrath amongst many from other clubs.

The fastest I ever kept to was a young tearaway Neil Maxwell. Max never believes me when I tell him this but he was shockingly quick at times. Most of the time Maxy didn’t open the bowling as we had Peter “Esto” Vilimaa (he is the most famous ever Estonian cricketer – indeed the only ever Estonian cricketer) and Michael Coote (the funniest human being ever to have drawn breath) or Steve Liggins (another very smart, intellectual fast bowler who never swore “WTF!”) so Maxy was often second change after Bradley Harold Patterson or one of the spinners had a bowl. But when he came on I honestly went back an extra 5-10 paces - scared the hell out of plenty of batsmen. In my very last game, a wet semi-final against Manly at Manly Oval, Max clobbered Phil Marks on the nose with one that jumped. Poor old Phil left multiple skid marks on the wicket that day.

The fastest I ever saw was Dave Gilbert on a Pratten Park green top with an orange ball. Brad Patterson told the story in his recent article but seriously Dave was fast. I’d played some schoolboy rep cricket with Dave in the Combined Catholic Colleges and actually have a photo of me taking him over the stumps. He wasn’t that fast in those days, trust me! When Dave was playing with Wests, I once told Greg Dyer that he should follow my lead and take him over the pegs. GD was not impressed!

What was your favourite catch behind the stumps?

I honestly don’t remember that many individual catches. I remember taking one in my first season off a Kerry “Mouse” McKay outswinger in front of first slip and low. Mouse wasn’t a man who wasted words but I do remember him saying “Shit, you’ve improved!” when I took that one. Coming from an all-time great that was a compliment!

Another one I very clearly remember was a straight nick off the keeper from Campbelltown in the 1986/87 final. We had won the premiership the year before, were minor premiers, survived a very tense semi-final against a star-studded Wests team the week before, and had been rolled for around 150 in our first innings in the final with our full strength side including the two Taylors.

Campbelltown was 1 for 57 at stumps and had the game in the bag. I have never seen a group of people come back with such fight and spirit as we did the following day. We were not going to give up. Indeed, my old mate “Harold” Patterson said as we were leaving the change rooms to take the field on the morning of the second day “If you don’t believe we will win this game, don’t leave the changing room.” Poignant moment. We fought brilliantly. Whit and PT bowled with unbelievable control and precision - there was a banner on the fence which read “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, if Whit won’t get you, PT must.”

The pressure we managed to exert in the field on the Campbelltown guys was enormous and the wickets started to tumble. When it looked like we had the game in the bag, there was an outstanding 8th wicket partnership between the Campbelltown keeper and one of the bowlers and they almost turned the game around. But ever reliable Esto bowled a beautiful ball to the keeper and gave me the simplest of chances. It wasn’t the hardest catch I ever took but one that I will always remember as it put an end to a courageous partnership, and set Esto up to bowl the last man standing and give us back to back premierships.

Northern Districts 1986/87 First Grade Premiers

Who were the best spinners you kept to?

Stephen Whitfield and Peter Taylor. In tandem, and individually. Brilliant. Unmatched. Dominated. But very different people. PT was intense, confident, a natural talent, someone who was good at everything he did. Whit was a man who had worked very hard to become the very best – and emotional at times. Amazing people.

I also had some really top-notch spinners over the years. One favourite of mine was Paul Grimble. Grimbo was a fast leggie. He bowled big spinning wristies and had a good wrong’un.

I actually believe that cricketers can be over-coached and Grimbo was always being told by “those who knew better” that he needed to flight the ball because that’s what leggies did. I reckon that was rubbish. Paul was a unique and aggressive leggie and his best bowling was when he was quick through the air and a bit flatter. He was a wicket-taker and ended playing a lot of first grade cricket at Sydney Uni. Awesome to keep to and Andrew Shaw at Uni had a great time keeping to Grimbo.

What was your favourite stumping?

My favourite was one down the leg side of Steve Whitfield against Manly. The batsman had been looking pretty solid and Whit had been bowling his wonderful line on off stump with the occasional arm ball. We had a mid-over chat and agreed a quicker one on leg stump would be a good change up and it worked a treat. As a keeper, nothing really beats a smooth leg side stumping.

Who were your top 2 bowlers you enjoyed keeping to?

Stephen Whitfield and Peter Taylor. In tandem, and individually. Brilliant. Unmatched.

And Peter Vilimaa. Esto was a game changer. In the 1985/86 grand final he took 7 for against a highly fancied St George outfit. Despite the fact he was an intellectual, which I really do not think is a good trait for fast bowlers, he had a huge heart and real skill

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

There were some outstanding wicketkeepers around in my day. Steve Rixon, Greg Dyer, Phil Emery, Alan Campbell, Dave Moore to name a few.

I always studied them carefully when we played. I loved watching their technique and the role they played on the field. I’ve always believed the keeper’s role is leading the fielding effort and being the motivator, cheer leader and enforcer. That was my approach but wasn’t one that all keepers took on.

What was your most memorable moment as a wicket keeper?

I had many. My favourite moments were ones of pure joy when my feet were moving, my hands were soft, my talk was positive, and my mates were working hard and together.

My favourite story was in the 1986/87 grand final against Campbelltown and we were turning the game around with our bowling and fielding. English Test cricketer Derek Pringle came to the crease and Steve Whitfield was bowling. Earlier that season, Whit had twice got Derek out caught behind with his wonderful arm ball. I waited for Derek to settle down and take guard and then stood up and said to Whit “Whit, he’s here, remember THE ball?” Whit looked down the wicket and nodded.

As Whit was just about to start his approach I stood up again and said “Whit, remember precisely where that ball needs to go?” Whit acknowledged me again.

That wonderful umpire, Dick French, put his arm out and said “Timmy, that’s enough.” I smiled at Dick with that charming smile most people never acknowledged and went back in my stance. Whit pitched the ball precisely on off stump and the arm ball took the edge. Derek was 3 golden ducks from a Whitfield arm ball caught Ebbeck in the one season. Brilliant.

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

We had a very good batting side at NDs – Neil Howlett, Ian Moore (that elegant Queenslander who came down to Sydney, won 2 premierships, pinched a beautiful Sydney girl and married her then went back to Brisbane), Angus Farncomb, Mark Taylor, Randal Green, Brad Patterson, Ross Turner, Peter Taylor, Neil Maxwell. The bowlers and I didn’t bat too often.

Peter Vilimaa, Michael Coote and I invented our own game of cricket called “Moral Cricket”. We played it on the worst piece of turf we could find at the ground we were playing and the objective was for the bowlers to score marks on the batsman’s body. A golden moral was a hit in the private parts. A great bruise on the leg was a king moral. The batsmen could be given out for showing any form of aggression. How smart was I to start a new game where hurt to the batsman was the goal with my 2 fast bowlers? I once lasted 32 balls in moral cricket. Mark Taylor and Ian Moore were out in the middle at the time and had to be constantly reminded to take guard as they were mesmerised by the Moral Cricket innings I was building.

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

Len Pascoe, Dave Gilbert, Geoff Lawson.

Len was an enigma. We played against him one day on a green-top. It was Mark Taylor’s first 1st grade game. Tubby famously hit him for 6 to win the game outright. However, in our first innings, we were chasing their meagre 70 odd but were 9 for 60 when Steve Whitfield joined me. Whit and I put on 80 for the last week and I was facing Lenny. He bowled me a few bouncers but they went high so not a problem. I had no helmet in those days but wasn’t overly worried. He then pitched one up and I played a classic forward defence which hit the middle of my bat and screamed back past Lenny for 4. I though “great shot!” Lenny was furious. I called for a helmet. He was a classic angry fast bowler.

Henry was tall and always impactful. I was secretary of NDCC in the mid-1980s and was urging Hornsby Council to improve the sight screens at Waitara Oval. I met the head of Parks at the ground one Friday and urged him to improve the sight screens. He was ambivalent. I invited him to the ground to watch us play UNSW the following day.

I sat with him watching Henry bowl to Neil Howlett. Howley was always elegant and in control but Henry was testing him. And fast. After a couple of overs, the council gentleman turned to me and said “About those screens - how wide, how high?” Thanks Hen!

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

David Hourn. Tom Shiner. Greg Matthews.

Cracker was a legend of NSW cricket and was of Warne-like ability before Warne was thought of. If only he could have batted and fielded but he had really bad eyesight and really bad knees. I have one of his old bats at home. Not a single mark on the face of the bat! (David will appreciate the humour in that comment, I hope!) At the end of his career he was bowling off 2 steps and still taking wickets. 

Tommy was an unusual leggie but really zipped the ball with his big last stride and was a really powerful wicket taker – also a great bloke.

Mo was a highly competitive cricketer. We played against each other from the days at school and he was always competitive and in the game. One of my proudest moments was holding him out for the last hour of the semi-final in 1986/87 against Wests to enable us to progress to final and win the premiership.

David Hourn

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

John Dyson – played some awesome innings against us and was far more aggressive than his Test reputation suggested. Hit Pete Taylor for one of the largest 6s I ever saw at Sydney Uni Oval over his head and over the grandstand. Style.

Mark Waugh – classy batsman and played some beautiful innings against us, though I feel we also won our share of those battles. One large century of 150-odd stood out to me. Hit Pete Taylor back over his head onto the tennis courts at Waitara Oval. Class.

Les Johns, Jack Small, Mark O’Neill - all excellent batsmen who played notable innings against us at our prime. Class acts. None hit Pete Taylor for a 6 back over his head.

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

My mate Bradley Harold Patterson. 1985/86 grand final against St George at Bankstown. Saints were favourites, Esto bowled them out on day one but it rained on the Sunday and was overcast and rainy on the Monday. Patto held the innings together scoring 80-odd. We need 6 to win and it was getting very dark and about to pour.

Dick French told Brad that the next over would almost certainly be the last over. Patto scored a couple then cut one behind point. Murray Bennet was at 3rd man and the ball rocketed into the fence about 2 metres to his right and he didn’t see it. Bloody beauty – we won!.

As Patto was coming from the field, the heavens opened. One of the most famous finals and one of the most courageous innings. Brad held almost junior record in the Hornsby Kuring-gai area when we were growing up playing against each other. But that day he became a legend.

Northern District 1985/86 First Grade Premiers

Who was the best captain you had the good fortune to play with? And if you could add a few words to why

Ross Turner. Period.

The greatest leader of men I’ve ever seen in my life – in sport or in business. Rossco, or Skimper as we still call him, had that unique ability to have a personal relationship with every member of the team as individuals. He would push Steve Whitfield with tough words. He would speak quietly with Randal Green. He would just tap me on the shoulder as he walked past. He knew what motivated each person. And forged that into a happy and successful fighting unit. We were tough on the field – respected, I hope. And fun off the field – we would always have great dinners with our opponents and some famous nights with a number of clubs, especially UNSW.

A quiet and thoughtful person, an elegant left handed batsman, an amazing fieldsman, the best captain of all time. So inspirational. As an aside, the most disorganised human being I’ve ever met. Apparently, he’s still trying to pack his kit bag from the 1987 grand final.

Ross Turner

Who has been your funniest team mate?

Michael Coote and Bradley Patterson.

Cooteus (the “us” bit was added in acknowledgement of the great ND’s fast Bowler Steve “Brute or Brutus” Bernard) was a brilliant sportsman having also played first grade rugby for Wests. Just an amazing witt, non-step stories, and the funniest one-liners. I laugh thinking about Cooteus.

Patto and I had a routine where we would often sing Monty Python songs. Patto remembered every word of every song or script. He recently recorded a modern COVID version of the Medical Song which I cannot release as it politically incorrect, suffice it to say that it is very funny indeed. Go to ebbeck.com.au and download a copy.

Who was your childhood hero?

Rodney William Marsh. Epitomized everything that I believed was needed in a wicket keeper. Tough. Great feet. Lead from behind the pegs. Scrupulously fair. Hard man, great keeper.

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

I can’t with all decency answer that question after having read Brad Patterson’s article. It would have to be Bradley “Harold” Patterson, Ian “Aussie Run Machine” Moore, and Michael J Coote, right? Except I’d add a nice single malt to the mix.

Who’s your favourite cricket commentator?

Interesting. I drove Alan McGilvray home from a NSWCA AGM one night with Neil Marks. Alan invited us in for a quiet beer. We left about 2am and had consumed 1 beer. The stories were amazing and voice so legendary.

I do miss Mark Taylor on TV as I believe he’s right up there with the greatest cricket minds we have ever had. He was also a very average first slipper until he had to learn to catch when standing next to me as a keeper…

Northern District Club legend and wonderful storyteller Neil Marks

What was your favourite ground to play at?

I loved Mosman, North Sydney and Rushcutters Bay back in the day. But I played most at Waitara and, back in the day before the home units, it was beautiful. Alan Davidson would tell stories of when he played for NDs at Waitara and beautiful old blue gums and the huge camphor laurels around the park. I guess your home ground always has more memories.

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

Gordon and UNSW were always great teams to play. The cricket was always good but we always had amazing dinners with the guys afterwards and the spirit was always great. Those days of beers and dinners with opposing teams were so important. Cricket is a game where the network is so important to your life after cricket, and the lessons to be learned from talking with people are invaluable.

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

So many great players. I believe that attitude is the most important ingredient provided there is a good level of pure skill. Guys like Mike Whitney and Greg Matthews were just constantly fierce competitors who were always at you.

Mike Whitney

What do you enjoy most about playing cricket?

Cricket is like life itself. It’s a journey. It’s about ups and downs. It’s about skill and mindset. And its about people and team work.

What has been your most memorable moment in cricket?

The 1986/87 grand final win against Campelltown.

What other sports do you play?

Golf. Used tom play squash, soccer and run a lot but knees and hips not up to that anymore!

Who is your favourite sports movie or documentary?

The book by John Bertrand “Born to win” and the documentary that goes with it about how Australia 2 and her mazing crew won the America’s Cup. Inspiring. Teamwork. Great PR, and a bloody good boat. Great way to beat the yanks!

What’s the one thing about you most people don’t know about?

I do the most amazing Joe Cocker impersonation. Mark Taylor came back from the 1989 Ashes Tour telling a story about a Joe Cocker impersonator they saw at a pub. David Boon said to him that the guy was good but not a patch to the NSW keeper he had played against in 1978 in the schoolboy’s championship who was awesome. Thanks Boony – I remember that night well!

What are your hobbies?

Used to do a lot of boating. I had flybridge cruisers and they were all called “Caught Behind”.

Nowadays I ride motorcycles for relaxation. I have a Can-am Spyder which my wife is comfortable being on – I don’t call it Caught Behind as my wife is on the back.

I also have 2 beautiful children, Ben and Elise, and now a grandson. Can’t wait to teach little Lachie how to distract batsmen.

What’s the best advice you’ve received?

I’ve received heaps of advice. Let’s face it, you don’t learn when you’re talking. Neil Marks was a mentor back in my early days at NDCC. Harpo was a brilliant batsman and a deeply experienced cricketer. He grabbed me on the field one day and asked me what I though the bowlers were thinking about my keeping. I told him. He told me they weren’t thinking about my keeping, they were worried about their own performance. His point was really important - focus on doing your job really well and don’t focus on what other people might be thinking. I’ve never forgotten that.

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

I spent many years in administration during my playing years and was a delegate to the NSWCA. I had a long break after I retired but have been actively engaged with the club over recent years in mentoring young leaders, and last year in the successful project to save Waitara Oval as the home of the Club.

For many years I was chairman of Neil Maxwell and Shane Lee’s company so had a lot of engagement with cricket during those days.

If you were running Cricket NSW what would your 2 priorities to ensure cricket in NSW remained strong and successful on and off the field?

I do believe that all sports need to have strong grass roots programs.

Whilst pathway programs are very useful, they should not replace grass-roots cricket. Grade cricket is the strength of cricket in NSW and Australia and it should not become a secondary program – it should still be the core program. I know times have changed. I’ve run very large businesses and see the change in the workforce and in society. However, the strength of cricket is in core program which is grade cricket and it should be supplemented, not replaced. A core measure of success is the number of days of grade cricket contracted and pathway players actually play each year.

Cricket needs to get away from the centralist mentality. Get parts of the administration out of the HO and into the grade clubs. Have centres of excellence for coaching, umpiring, keeping, bowling north and south and west. Sydney is way too big to think the SCG or even Homebush is easy to access. It will also help support the grade system which must be core.