Darren Tucker - from Newcastle to New Balance

Sydney Cricket Club | May 05, 2024

Darren Tucker was a prolific run scorer in Sydney Grade Cricket having made his debut in 1980 at the age of 17.

From 1980 to 1991 Darren scored 5,616 runs at an average of 40.11 and hit 11 centuries and 32 half centuries. He spent many years in the NSW Sheffield Squad and has carved out a very successful business career.

In his first year of first grade Darren had the good fortune to share a partnership of 300 with one of the great legends of Australian cricket.

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

What year you were born? 

Born in Sydney in June 1962

Can you remember you first game of cricket?

I believe I was around 5 or 6 for Wentworthville RSL. I believe Brad Patterson played as well and I did not do much

Tell us briefly about your cricketing journey?

The Tucker family moved around a bit due to Dads work, so I played my junior cricket for Charlestown Cricket Club in Newcastle, Clarence Cricket Club (Hobart) and Baulkham Hills Sporting Club in Sydney. In senior cricket I have played for

• Central Cumberland District Cricket Club (CCDCC) – now Parramatta
• Farnworth Cricket Club (UK)
• Balmain Cricket Club - now Sydney Cricket club
• Camberwell Cricket Club
• Noble Park Cricket Club
• Hong Kong Cricket Club

Darren batting in Hong Kong

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

I was 15 in 5th Grade for Central Cumberland District Cricket Club

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

I was 17 V Uni NSW for CCDCC at Merrylands Oval  I did very well getting a pair of 4s, out in both innings I believe to Mark Ray

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

Batsman who bowled a bit (unless I was captain then I bowled too much!)

What was your highest score in first grade cricket?

160 V Mosman at Mosman Oval. In my first year playing first grade I put on around 300 with Doug Walters. As he was a boyhood idol it made it that much more special

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

I actually don’t remember so they couldn’t have been that good

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

Steve Bernard and Richard Done - together or individually they made it tough. Remember leaving Hurstville one day black and blue

Evan Gordon – one day at Coogee, he made us look silly

Mike Whitney - just always at you physically and verbally

I know I have left a lot of good ones out, so apologies

Darren and his brother Rod in the NSW Shield Squad

Who were the best three spinners you have played against? 

Steve Whitfield and Peter Taylor together were very hard to score against and made life difficult

Michael Pawley - I remember a game very early in my time at CCDCC at Old Kings and Michael used a lot of words that a youngster from the West hadn’t heard before. He taught me how to play every shot and then showed me where to go when I got out. He was so helpful. He was also the first opponent sitting next to me at the end of the day with a beer in hand.

Mark Preddey - I have to say this as he’s my brother in law

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

Rod Bower - I called out Rod because he was so powerful and could just take the game away from you. When he was surrounded by Steve Smith, Gary Crowfoot, Steve and Mark Waugh it was an intimidating batting group, (great blokes as well)

Steve Small - he scored 200 odd against one day at Howell. It was hot and dusty, and Jack just made it a long miserable day

John Dyson - Dyso just always got runs against me no matter where we played him

Same as the bowlers I have left a lot out but would like to make special mention of Mark O’Neil, Greg Geise, Phil Marks, Wayne Seabrook, Peter Clifford, Neil Howlett as these guys always scored a lot of runs around my era

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

I stood at the other end to Ian Davis scoring a lot of runs one year but I think the best innings I ever saw was a young Mark Waugh score 100 against us at Drummoyne. We batted well and were all out for about 160 just after tea and I think we got Steve Waugh for not a lot and then Mark and Steve Smith passed us with time to spare.

Was there ever a time when batting where you remember thinking “this is a step above the norm, I’m really going to have to dig deep to get through this? “

The day at Coogee Oval against Evan Gordon gave me that “Oh Shit” moment

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

As a young bloke at CCDCC we had Alan Turrell and Peter Love, both who I enjoyed playing with and thought were high class

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

I must nominate 2

John Benaud. I was young and he was such a great leader and knew the game so well

Ian Davis. Wiz led well but also led from the front and I only played a couple of years with him, but I really think he taught me a lot about how to bat and how to score runs

John Benaud

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

I’m going to mention 3 and I’ve already mentioned Ian Davis and John Benaud as captains and people that I learnt a lot from.

The 3rd one is Bob Anderson from CCDCC. I played a lot of lower grade cricket with Bobby when I was young and the way he competed and taught the younger guys coming through was amazing. He really was a mentor on and off the field. He did let me down on one occasion very early when we went to play in the Bathurst 6s I believe. I will just say I slept the whole weekend in the back of Mark Sargent’s Sigma

You played 2 one day games for NSW, averaged over 40 in Sydney Grade cricket, how do you look back at your time in the NSW Shield squad and did you ever think about going interstate?

The answer is no. I only ever wanted to play for the Blues and going to another state did not really appeal to me. I always look back on my time playing grade cricket with great memories of the opposition, my team mates and how hard we played on the field and how much fun we had off it.

I do not have any regrets other then never really knowing if i would have been good enough to play first class cricket. I mentioned the boys above in the best players I played against and I would always wake up on a Sunday after a good Saturday and think I might be a chance and normally 2 or 3 of them had scored more runs or influenced a game more. It was a great era to be involved in

Steve Smith - 200 at Lords proudly displaying his New Balance gear

Who has been your funniest teammate?

Steve Stewart, my funniest team mate and still my best mate

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

Stewie was running the down the hill at Drummoyne and came up to me after and over “ Geez Tuck there coming out well today. “

At the same time the umpire (not sure who it was), “Hey Tuck get Stewie off or change ends, he has to stop chucking them.” The story has grown legs today but it was funny at the time

What was your most embarrassing dismissal in senior cricket?

There is either too many that none stand out or I can’t remember.

You retired at the relative young age of 29, was that mainly to pursue a career in Business?

Yes, I relocated to Melbourne with Susan and at the time we had a young daughter Lucy

You are now Vice President of New Balance, international sports footwear and apparel brand and have been with the business for over 25 years. Can you share your top 3 international sporting events or moments you’ve got to experience through your professional career at New Balance?

New Balance has been a great company to work for and has enabled me to spend a lot of time at a lot of great sporting events

1. I have been to 4 Olympic Games, just never competed in any!!

2. For my son Max’s 21st Birthday we did a baseball trip to the US and went to Fenway Park, Yankee Stadium, Wrigley Field, Anaheim. Max was involved in painting the diamond and the ceremonial pitch at Fenway.

3. Lords. Through New Balances Sponsorship of the ECB I have been lucky enough to be a regular visitor to Lords 

What advice would you give a young aspiring sports person who dreams of being a sports professional in 2020?

1. Plan A. There is no such thing as luck, you must want it and be prepared to work harder than the next athlete

2. Have a Plan B and look at studying or making sure there is a backup. Not everyone makes it

Who was your childhood hero? 

Doug Walters

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

• Kawhi Leonard
• Roger Federer
• Daniel Riccardo

Who is your favourite cricket commentator?

Jonathan Agnew

What was your favourite ground to play at?

Drummoyne Oval

What do you enjoy most about playing cricket?

The camaraderie and the friendships I have will last forever. It has also been a big part of my professional career and shown me a lot of the world

What’s been your most memorable moment in cricket?

It is more recent and involves launching the New Balance Cricket brand. With the help of a couple of people (Gary Crowfoot in particular) we have been able to build a nice sized cricket brand within a US based company that doesn’t really understand cricket.

To be at Lords when Steve Smith scored 200 with all his new balance gear was special and playing on Lords with my son Max for the Hong Kong Cricket Club was another strong memory.

Max and Darren

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

Probably a 4 day 2nd XI game when we scored 700 and we got the last wicket after 5.30 pm on the day 4. Always beat the Vic’s in those days

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

Steve Stewart, Rodney Tucker, Neil MacLaurin, this would be a reunion of types so the list could then grow

What are your hobbies?

Golf, Cars, Family (Susan, Lucy, Max and Sally)

What is the best advice you have received?

I have received lots of advice, but I think the most influential person would be my dad. We are very similar people and he (and Mum) gave us great values but built in a strong competitiveness that comes out through my sister Jodi and Budgie (Rod Tucker). His attitude towards work, play and leadership have been instrumental in the way I have lived my life

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

I believe I played in a great era where there was a balance between elite and club sport. I feel the good players got exposure to the next level through performance not just talent. So, my focuses would be:

Grassroots participation and re-examine how pathways builds more exposure into results against better players then just on talent

Leadership and succession to ensure the Blues continue to be the dominant state we should be