Campbelltown’s Maiden First Grade Premiership and the “Fabulous Five”

Campbelltown Camden District Cricket Club | February 10, 2023

By Paul Bourke - First Grade Captain 1986/87

The 1986/7 season was Campbelltown’s second in Sydney Grade Cricket. It was also the season that proved to be one the most successful in the Club’s 36 year history. The club finished fourth in the Club Championship, Runners up in Fourth Grade, Runners up in First Grade, Premiers in First Grade Limited Overs Competition and NSW Limited Overs Champions. There were many outstanding performances but the “Fabulous Five” were incredible. All clubs at different times will have a special group of bowlers and this group set a very high standard for the years that followed at Campbelltown.

Who Were the Fabulous Five?

They were the First Grade bowling attack that were unique and brilliant as a group. The players were:

John Sullivan (Minto). A big hearted, aggressive opening bowler who had a long and successful career with Petersham before moving out to Campbelltown. Career 283 First Grade wickets.

Tom Shiner (Ingleburn). One of the best leg spinners (arguably the best) in grade cricket during the 80s and early 90s. He loved competing and had a full range of weapons at his disposal. His flipper was a huge wicket taker. Very economical and constantly challenged the batsmen. He also took 14 catches for the season. Career 436 First Grade wickets plus many more in the ACT. He is the only player inducted into the Campbelltown’s Cricket Club Hall of Fame.

Barry Thebridge (Bradbury). His off spinners often generated bounce and prodigious turn. In his late 30s after many years of success at Bankstown and Penrith, Barry was also an outstanding slips fieldsman. His huge hands were a big asset in taking 11 catches and ripping the ball. Career 346 First Grade wickets.

Mark England (Bradbury). Returning to Campbelltown after playing in Adelaide his all-round skills made him a key contributor throughout the season. He bowled predominantly left arm finger spin but also offered useful medium pace swing and cutters as required. Good in the field and capable with the bat at number 6.

Derek Pringle (Essex, England). In so many ways he was the glue that enabled such a successful season. A high quality seam/swing bowler he was dangerous with the ball but also could strangle the batting with great accuracy and subtle changes in pace. Derek was an outstanding first slipper (19 catches still the First Grade record) and his batting (number 7 but often rotated up the order) won a number of games that under normal circumstances looked highly unlikely. Derek’s career included representing England in Tests (30) and ODIs (144) including 3/22 and 16 not out in World Cup Final 1992.

In summary the bowling attack consisted of two quicks with different strengths and three spinners all of whom were different in style. Four of them either lived in Campbelltown or played their junior cricket there. Pringle did not arrive until Round 3 so we just played 4 bowlers in the first two matches.

Why Were They Considered So Special?

Statistics don’t always reflect reality but the following would be very difficult to challenge.

The Two Day Competition (Belvidere Cup)

These bowlers delivered all bar 6 overs in this competition. Brett Williams bowled 6 overs (0/16) with 4 bowled during Pringle’s absence. The team played 16 matches winning 11 (two outright), 3 draws (two heavily affected by rain) and 2 losses (Round 3 vs Manly by 45 runs and Final vs Northern District by 33 runs).

Team Statistics Belvidere Cup

Batting: 3438 runs 114 wickets lost at an average of 30.16

Bowling: 177 wickets for 3505 runs at an average of 19.80

Bowling Statistics

Tom Shiner 54 wickets (at 15.74 per wicket) economy rate 2.02 per over from 420.4 overs

Mark England 41 wickets (21.27) economy rate 2.51 from 387.4 overs

John Sullivan 28 wickets (24.86) economy rate 3.01 from 231 overs

Derek Pringle 24 wickets (14.7) economy rate 1.43 from 246.5 overs

Barry Thebridge 20 wickets (29.0) economy rate 2.32 from 249.5 overs

Note: these were our only wicket takers for the season as all other dismissals (10) were run outs.

Each bowler had some real standout performances but the real strength was they applied consistent pressure on all batting lineups. Batsmen were relentlessly challenged. Only one batsman scored a century against them. That was a brilliant 126 by Wayne Seabrook in Parramatta’s total of 202. The next highest score by his team mates was 16.

Tom Shiner 13 wickets in one day vs Sutherland, 5 wicket hauls vs Gordon and Randwick and a brilliant 19 over spell in the Final returning 3/33 from 19 overs

Mark England 4 wickets vs North Sydney and Mosman then 3/11 in the Final

John Sullivan 5/28 vs UNSW and 4/22 vs Nth Sydney

Derek Pringle 6/28 vs Hawkesbury and 4/43 vs Manly

Barry Thebridge 5/37 vs Fairfield and an outstanding 4/37 vs Nth Sydney in the Semi-Final.

Tom Shiner bowling

From a team perspective highlights included:

Dismissing Gordon for 89 and 151 at Chatswood Oval to claim an eight wicket outright win. This was Campbelltown’s maiden outright win in First Grade.

17 wickets in one day at Glenn McGrath Oval vs Sutherland to win outright.

Dismissing competition leaders Nth Sydney in Round 10 for 93 on a flat Raby wicket after they chose to bat (we declared at 0/222 from 59 overs which is still the First Grade opening partnership record for the club. Graham Tink 106 and Peter O’Reilly 104)

Dismissing fifth placed UNSW for 81 after they chose to bat at Raby (replied with 157)

Bowling Nth Sydney out for 183 from 104 overs in the semi-final (won by 8 wickets)

Dismissing Northern Districts for their lowest season total (167) in the Final at Mark Taylor Oval after they chose to bat. Unfortunately we fell 33 runs short in that match but that does not detract from another great bowling effort.

Limited Overs Competition

Barry Thebridge did not play in the first three matches and naturally the remaining four dominated our attack and the opposition batsmen. Close results against Fairfield (win) and Penrith (loss) were followed by a big win in the Quarter Final over Waverley. Thebridge came into the team for the Semi –Final against Penrith. Campbelltown were dismissed for 226 (Peter O’Reilly 99) from 49.3 overs on a good Howell Oval wicket and bowled to a very powerful batting lineup that included Brian Wood, Trevor Bayliss, Rod Bower, Steve Small and Ken Hall. They only managed 117 from 34.3 overs. The bowling figures tell the story. Sullivan 6.3 overs 2/23, Pringle 6 overs 3/17, England 10 overs 4/23 and Shiner 10 0vers 1/36. Thebridge was only needed to bowl 2 overs due to the brilliance of Sullivan, Pringle, Shiner and England.

Semi Final

Limited Overs Final vs Northern Districts at Mark Taylor Oval

The hosts won the toss and batted but Campbelltown put in a first rate bowling effort that was backed up by some outstanding fielding. Thebridge finished with 3/24 from his 10 overs and they were all big wickets. Mark Taylor, Peter Taylor and Brad Patterson. The other bowlers did a great job as a unit as they restricted Northern Districts to 7/180 from their 50 overs. All bowling 10 overs the figures were Sullivan 1/50, Pringle 2/30, England 1/42 and Shiner 0/25. Campbelltown chased down the total to win by 3 wickets and 3 balls to spare with Thebridge hitting the winning runs.

Derek Pringle bowling to Mark Taylor

NSW Limited Overs Final vs Newcastle at Raby Oval

Winning the toss and bowling our group again put in a strong effort. However, our fielding which was usually a strength put in a pretty average effort. Catches went down and run outs missed. This resulted in Newcastle being well placed at 3/150 with 10 overs to go. David Laming took an important catch at long on off Thebridge to end a 56 run partnership. This meant a new batsman at the crease and not two set batters. The bowling group and fielders really lifted and instead of chasing 230 plus the score finished at 4/202. Again just the five bowlers were used and figures read as follows from their 10 overs. Sullivan 1/48, Pringle 1/36, England 0/24, Shiner 1/26 and Thebridge 1/54. The target was chased down comfortably with a win by 6 wickets and 11 balls to spare.

The Fabulous Five bowled every single ball in the final three games and were instrumental in Campbelltown winning its maiden First Grade Premiership and becoming NSW Limited Overs Champions. What an achievement for a club in its second season of Sydney Grade Cricket?

Team Statistics Limited Overs Competition

Batting: 1238 runs 49 wickets lost at an average of 25.26. Run rate was 4.12 runs per over

Bowling: 46 wickets for 1073 runs at an average of 23.32. Economy rate was 3.57 runs per over

Individual Bowling Statistics Limited Overs Competition

John Sullivan 5 wickets at 48.6 (economy runs per over 4.37)

Derek Pringle 13 wickets at 14.15 (econ 3.4)

Mark England 8 wickets at 25.63 (econ 3.41)

Barry Thebridge 4 wickets at 22.25 (econ 4.04)

Tom Shiner 9 wickets at 20.0 (econ 3.0)

Note: 4 wickets were taken by other bowlers prior to Thebridge coming into the team and there were 3 run outs. The other bowlers (Trevor Dowle 3 wickets, Brett Williams 1 wicket plus Geoff Solomons, Craig Peck and Peter O’Reilly) combined statistics were 4 wickets at 32 (econ 4.12). In all matches in First Grade (Belvidere Cup and Limited Overs) 220 wickets were taken by the bowlers. Of these 216 belong to the Fabulous Five. Furthermore, they took every wicket when all five played.

Bowlers Honours Combined Belvidere Cup and Limited overs

(NSW Premier Cricket does not recognise the statistics from the NSW Final as they state it was not part of their competition). This is a surprising outcome as the Second Annual Report 1986/7 of the Sydney Cricket Association contains a two page summary of the Tooheys Grade Limited Overs Competition (pages 16/17). It includes a summary of the Newcastle match and states “Campbelltown thus becoming both Metropolitan and State Limited Overs Premiers for 1986/7” and “congratulations to the Campbelltown Club and their players”. As a result the Campbelltown Clubs statistics differ from NSW Premier Cricket statistics due to this decision. Furthermore the name of the competition has been retrospectively rebranded as the Benson and Hedges Cup during 1985/6, 1986/7 and 1987/8.

Campbelltown were runners up in the quickest over rate in Belvidere Cup with an average 3.56 minutes per over.

Tom Shiner: Highest competition wicket taker with aggregate 62 wickets at 16.22 plus 1/26 vs Newcastle (63 wickets).

Derek Pringle: Lowest competition bowling average 36 wickets at 13.91 plus 1/36 vs Newcastle

John Sullivan: Awarded Club Player of the Year for Campbelltown

The performances of Thebridge and England are equally as important because they were an integral part of the bowling partnerships (10 possible combinations) that made up the Fabulous Five. In summary, what a special bowling unit this was. Unfortunately this was the only season they were together. Sullivan and Thebridge retired while as expected Pringle did not return. He had been in Australia as a backup to the touring England squad. The following seasons just reinforced how special the bowling group of 1986/7 were. They were indeed the “Fabulous Five”