Lance Kahler - stay true
South Brisbane District Cricket Club | February 24, 2023
Lance Kahler made his first grade debut for South Brisbane District Cricket Club during the 1995/96 to become the club first grade player number 542.
Lance scored 5,713 runs for the club at an average of 38.09 and was the first grade captain from 2005 to 2007.
At the age of just 20 Lance made his first class debut for Queensland playing two games in 1997/98.
Lance also played first grade cricket in Sydney for Randwick Petersham
What year you were born?
Born in 1977 in Crow’s Nest, a small country town near Toowoomba in Queensland.
Can you remember you first game of cricket?
Yes I can. It was for Easts junior cricket club in Toowoomba. It was under 9s and I would have been 7 years old. It was for my brother’s team; he was 11 months older than me but I wasn’t usually allowed to play at that stage as they said I was too young. But on this particular Saturday, the team was short so I filled in. I think I did ok because they let me play every week for the rest of the season.
Tell us briefly about your cricketing journey?
I grew up on a dairy farm and I had two older brothers, one of which was 7 years old than me. My old man must have thought we had some cricketing ability because he built a practice pitch and net on the farm so we could practice with each other. I think practicing with my older brothers gave me an edge when playing kids my own age. My first Queensland team was the Queensland primary school team. A couple of years later, I won a cricketing scholarship to Kooralbyn International School (more famous for Cathy Freeman, Adam Scott and Jason Day than me). After that I got picked in Queensland Under 17s, then Under 19s and I also made the Australian Under 19 side. In terms of grade sides, I played around three seasons for Wynnum Manly in Brisbane before moving to Souths where I played for 12 seasons until I was 29. I then moved to Sydney for work and played a couple of seasons for Randwick Petersham before retiring in 2010. I also played two seasons of league cricket as an overseas pro in the UK; one season for Middlesbrough in the North Yorkshire South Durham league and a season for Wembley in the Middlesex premier league in London.
South Brisbane First Grade team - 1997. 100 year anniversary
In which grade and at what age did you make your debut in grade cricket?
I made my grade debut as a 14 year old playing third grade for Wynnum Manly.
At what age did you make your first grade debut in grade cricket and can you remember how you performed in debut?
I think I was 17, turning 18. Yes, I remember the game. I was playing for Souths against Norths. At that stage of my career, I was considered a leg spinning all-rounder so I was picked primarily for my bowling. Jeff Thomas and Troy Dixon (who both went on to play for Queensland) opened the batting for Norths and I think they both made hundreds. Troy Dixon smashed me all over (and out of the park); my figures were something like 4 overs, 0 – 40. However, thankfully I batted ok and I made 40 odd batting at 8 or 9.
If you can share with our audience, how would you describe yourself as a cricketer?
As a junior I was a genuine all-rounder, bowling leg spin and batting in the top order. However, as I moved into senior cricket I really lost confidence with my bowling and ended up focusing on my batting. As a batsman, I was a left handed top-order batsmen. I guess I would describe myself as a pretty classic top-order batsman.
What were your strengths as a player?
I was generally very patient, had good shot selection and was able to build an innings, qualities that don’t seem to be so much in vogue these days. I think I was equally capable against pace and spin.
What was your highest score in senior cricket?
202 not out against in a first grade match for Souths v Beenleigh-Logan.
What were your best bowling figures in senior cricket?
I think I got 8 for 90 in a second grade game for Souths against Toombul. They kept hitting half-trackers to the men on the boundary.
You played 2 first class games for Queensland, can you share with us how you found out you’d been selected to play for the Bulls, who did you play and what do you remember about your first class debut?
To be honest, I can’t really recall how I found out I was picked for Queensland. My debut game was against South Australia. I was 20 years old and it was a day night Shield match at the Gabba with a yellow ball. I had never previously played under lights or with a yellow ball (other than in the nets) so that was tough. I didn’t do well, dismissed for 1 in both innings. I remember walking off after getting out in the second innings and someone from the (very small) crowd yelled out something like “that will be the last time you ever play for Queensland!” They weren’t far wrong.
I also remember sitting in the sheds after the game and it was very quiet as we lost badly. I was actually sitting next to Matthew Hayden and he leaned over and said to me: “don’t worry mate, you’ll be ok; the Don got a duck in his first test match”. Well, that was the first and lost time anyone ever compared me to the Don!
How do you look back on your time in first class cricket?
Well, it was very short, only two games one after the other. The second game was against Tassie in Hobart. David Boon was playing for Tassie and Ian Healy was our skipper for that game so that was quite surreal. To be frank, when I got selected to play, I really didn’t have the self-belief that I was good enough to be in the team.
At that time, the Queensland batting was very strong with players like Hayden, Jimmy Maher, Martin Love and Andrew Symonds all regulars. From memory, I was picked for those two games because a couple of regulars were unavailable through injury and selection for Australia. I’m pretty sure they were also the last two games of the season, or certainly towards the end of the season.
When the next season rolled around, I was back in the Queensland Second XI which was no surprise and no drama as far as I was concerned. As I said earlier, I was only 20 when I played those two shield games. By the time I was 23 - 24 years old, I was a much better player and had more self-belief but I never got another opportunity at Shield level.
Who were the best three fast bowlers you have played with or against?
I actually played against plenty of quicks who played for Australia over the years, but of the ones I played against (or with) most, I’d probably have to say Adam Dale, Andy Bichel and Ashley Noffke.
Adam Dale was just a fantastic bowler; swung it both ways at pretty much at will and just never bowled a bad ball. And he really loved a chat.
I played a lot of grade cricket with Andy Bichel. When Bic was at his best, he bowled rapid outswingers which is always going to be a good combination. But more than that, Bic would bowl for you all day at full pace, no matter how tough the conditions and whether he was playing for Australia, Queensland on a dustbowl at Fehlberg Park for Souths.
Ash Noffke was another quality Queensland bowler. He was tall and hit the deck hard and always seemed to hit the seam. Another guy who also didn’t give you many freebies so you could never relax against him.
Andy Bichel
Who were the best three spinners you have played with or against?
Nathan Hauritz – I played a fair bit a fair bit of grade cricket against Nathan in Brisbane but also played a couple of seasons of grade cricket with him in Sydney. He wasn’t a massive turner of the ball but had a great control and really subtle changes of flight and pace which were very effective.
I played some league cricket in England against an Indian leg-spinner called Sairaj Bahutule; I remember thinking he was the best spinner I played against at that stage of my career. He had all the tricks and good control. He played a couple of Tests for India and a handful of ODIs a few seasons after I played against him.
The third would have to be Jon Dooley. This is probably the first (and last time) Dools will ever make a top three best spinners’ list, but to this day he swears he dismissed me twice in the one day in my debut season in first grade. I guess I must have played for the spin! To be honest, I don’t remember it but Dools is a good man so I’m happy to give the old fella a wrap.
Nathan Hauritz
Who were the best 3 batsman you’ve played with or against?
Again, I played with and against plenty of guys that have played a lot of Test cricket for Australia; but in terms of guys I have played with or against more than once or twice, I’d have to say Martin Love, Jimmy Maher and Simon Katich.
Martin Love – he was just a class player, his records speaks for itself and he was very unlucky not to play a stack of Test cricket. Seemed to score a hundred every time we played University and we never looked like getting him out (other than in our one and only first grade grand final when Andy Bichel knocked him over with an absolute peach!).
Jimmy Maher – another quality player who just loved batting and scoring runs.
Simon Katich – I was lucky enough to play a couple of seasons with “the Kat” in Sydney. Just a class player (and great bloke) and another guy who was very unlucky not to play more cricket for Australia. I always like to say… bring back the Kat.
Simon Katich
Who played the best innings you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?
Simon Katich – it was a semi-final in Sydney for the Randy Petes against St George. I opened the batting with a young Usman Khawaja. I think we were chasing around 330. I scratched around for an hour before getting out for a dozen or so and then Kat came in a scored a run a ball 150 not out to get us home. I don’t think he mishit a shot; it was glorious batting. Usman also scored a great ton that day and I’d say that was the best partnership I ever saw in grade cricket.
Was there any bowler in particular who whatever reason always seemed to cause you a few problems?
Well I have already mentioned Adam Dale, but I also remember finding Brett Boardman from University in Brisbane a tricky customer. He could swing it at decent pace and he was someone I don’t recall scoring a lot of runs against.
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?
Probably my first game Shield game really. When I went out to bat in the second innings, it was the evening session under lights. Just the bounce and pace of the wicket under lights at the Gabba was not something you experienced in grade cricket.
Who was the best wicket keeper you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?
Again, I played with and against a lot of the great Queensland keepers in recent decades such as Ian Healy, Wade Seccombe and Chris Hartley. But I am going to say Brad Ruddell who I played with at Souths for many years. Brad was a silky gloveman standing back to the quicks or up to the spinners. And he was also a very talented batsman or could bat anywhere in the order. I have no doubt he could have handled first class cricket if the opportunity had come along.
Brad Ruddell
Who are the two players you admired most in terms of skills and competitive spirit in the competitions you played?
Skill – too many to mention. But in terms of competitive spirit, two guys I played with at Souths come to mind; Dale Turner and Matthew Lunn. Both super competitive and gave their absolute best with bat, ball and in the field every time they played. And they hated losing.
Dale Turner
Who was the best captain you had the good fortune to play with?
I’ll say Brad Ruddell. For most of my first grade career at Souths, Brad was my skipper. When I look back, the thing that really stands out for me with Brad as a captain was how selfless he was; he always put the team’s interests ahead of his own, probably to his own detriment at times. He was also someone who led by example and his preparation for each game was second to none.
Who has been your funniest team mate?
One guy who comes to mind is Gavin “Fatty” Fitness. Whilst I played a lot of grade cricket against Fatty, I also played a fair few Queensland Second X1 games with him; he was a funny man and off the field.
Can you recall some banter or an exchange on the cricket field that still makes you laugh today?
I remember there was always of plenty of good banter when we played Sandgate. I remember one day at Souths I was batting with my good mate Matthew Lunn and we had a pretty good partnership going. There was a lot a banter from the Sandgate boys questioning our sexuality which I don’t think you’d get away with these days but which I found quite amusing and still do.
What was your most embarrassing dismissal in senior cricket?
Probably the first innings of my one and only first grade grand final. I was going along quite nicely and then hit a wide half-tracker straight to point. Both embarrassing and very disappointing.
Who was your childhood hero?
Alan Border for sure.
Allan Border
Who are the three sports people in the world you’d most like to meet?
I’ll give you one; Adam Scott. I’m a bit of golf fanatic these days and as we went to the same school (although he started there the year after I left) I’ve always followed his career closely so I’d love to meet him and play 18 with him one day.
Who’s your favourite cricket commentator?
These days, I’d say Ricky Ponting is very good. Very insightful and seems to be able to predict the play better than most.
What was your favourite ground to play at?
I’d have to say Souths home ground, the mighty Fehlberg Park, but only because I played many years there and scored plenty of runs there. And I just loved the sound of the dogs barking at the old RSPCA shelter across the road! But truly, Coogee Oval in Sydney was hard to beat. That was my home ground when I played for Randwick Petersham for a couple of seasons in Sydney. The oval is right next to Coogee beach so not a bad place to spend a Saturday afternoon in summer even if you didn’t score any runs.
Randwick Petersham First Grade team 2007-08
Was there a particular team you especially looked forward to playing against?
I’d say Sandgate Redcliffe. They were the benchmark first grade team in Brisbane for the bulk of my career. They had grade legends like Brendan Creevey, Gav Fitness, Jerry Cassell, Matthew Goggin, Brett Mortimer, Matthew Anderson et al.. They were super competitive and tough on the field but good blokes off the field and I managed to have some success against them so I always enjoyed playing (and scoring runs) against them.
What’s been your most memorable moment in cricket?
Winning the first grade premiership with Souths in 2000/2001 would be number one. From a personal point of view, I scored a century in each innings for the Queensland Second XI team against the Tassie Second XI one year so that’s a nice memory also.
What’s the best win you’ve been involved with?
Winning the first grade premiership with Souths in 2000/2001. That was only grade grand final I ever played, we were a close knit team and we really wanted to win. We played University and they had the likes of Martin Love, Michael Kasprowicz, Geoff Foley and Wade Seccombe so to win that game and the premiership was very satisfying.
Who are the three players from your playing days at the top of the list for a Saturday afternoon barbeque?
Ashley Holznagel, Matthew Lunn and Brad Ruddell.
What are your hobbies?
Golf. And sampling good food and wine as often as possible.
What’s the best advice you’ve received?
Too many cooks spoil the broth. I’m not sure anyone ever gave me that advice, but I think it’s something for any young player to think about. When I came into the Queensland youth system, I had a lot of different coaches telling me different things with my bowling and, in hindsight, so many different voices was not helpful.
What is your occupation?
I am a forensic accountant and director for a firm called Vincents. Ironically, in a way I have cricket to thank for my career; former Wests first grade captain Jon Dooley is one of the founding partners of the firm and he gave me my start with the firm.
Are you still involved in cricket and if so, in what capacity?
During the last three summers, I played a handful of games for Auburn in Sydney in Sydney’s Masters Over 40s comp, which has been good fun and more competitive than I expected. Not sure if I’ll play on though this season (if in fact there is a season given the lockdown) as golf is my sporting passion these days.
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?
As I haven’t been involved in a grade cricket for many years, I really don’t feel qualified to comment. But I guess investing in grass roots and junior cricket as well as trying to keep experienced players in the grade cricket for as long as possible would have to be two top priorities for any state cricket association.
