Brendan Wilson - show respect, earn respect
Glenorchy Cricket Club | February 17, 2023
Brendan Wilson made his first-grade debut in 1984 playing in 233 first grade games. 203 for the Glenorchy Cricket Club and 30 for the New Town Bucks Cricket Club up until 1999.
Brendan is the proud owner of Glenorchy first grade playing number 212.
He scored 7,352 runs at 33 with 12 centuries and 39 half centuries. Brendan is a member of the Glenorchy Cricket Club Team of the Century as one of the opening batsmen and still holds the first-grade 1st and 3rd wicket club partnership records and is a member of the TCA/Cricket Tasmania 1985 – 95’ Team of the Decade captained by Roger Woolley.
Brendan was runner up by 1 vote in the First Grade Emmerson Rodwell Player of the Year Award in 1995 behind his former opening partner Martin Kelly who was playing for Lindisfarne at the time.
Coincidently, Brendan and Martin to this day hold the Glenorchy CC opening partnership club record of 195 v North Hobart established in a semi-final in 1991.
Playing for Baxenden CC in the Ribblesdale League, Lancashire England in the 1989 season as the overseas amateur, Brendan scored 849 runs at 49.94. A club record that still stands today surpassing the record of former Derbyshire and Tasmanian first-class player Peter Bowler.
Let’s find out more about Brendan’s journey in the game.
Brendan Wilson - the day he retired in 1999
What year you were born?
1964
Can you remember your first game of cricket?
Primary school about 8 or 9 years of age. We didn’t have a school competition and the Dads organised some games. Thought I was a fast bowler but scored some runs and took a full stretch catch at square leg that I still remember today for some reason. That’s where the passion for the game started.
Tell us briefly about your cricketing journey?
Started as a junior at North Hobart CC and was fortunate enough to play as an ‘opening bowler’ for the Tassie U16s in the national carnival in Rockhampton Qld against the likes of Ian Healy and Simon O’Donnell. Had a break from cricket while playing District footy and returned to cricket as a late grade cricket debutant in 83’ with the hometown Glenorchy CC as a bowler and succumbed to injury.
As a last resort I tried to seriously hold a cricket bat at the ripe old age of 20! Somehow found a vacant spot at the top of the first-grade batting order at Glenorchy CC. 17 years later, after a lot of hard work, throw downs and plenty of ducking and weaving I managed to score a few first-grade runs, play 3 years of League cricket in Lancashire England and later with the New Town Bucks CC. Made some great friendships and memories along the way.
In which grade and at what age did you make your debut in grade cricket?
3rd grade at the ripe old age of 18 as an opening bowler!
At what age did you make your first-grade debut in grade cricket, and can you remember how you performed in debut?
At the age of 20 and mid-season in 1984 as an opening batsman against almighty Clarence CC. They scored a lot and a game to forget for memory! However, it put some fire in the belly and I was thereafter fortunate enough to be involved in a great Glenorchy v Clarence rivalry for many years.
If you can share with our audience, how would you describe yourself as a cricketer?
An opening batsman with a job to do for the team in the early years. Toughed it out against the good quicks going around at the time and loved the challenge of learning the craft and developing as a player.
What were your strengths as a player?
Enjoyed the challenge of opening the batting and spending time at the wicket. Probably mentally strong and would rarely miss an opportunity to hit the short ball.
Apparently hit the most fours in the history of the Glenorchy Cricket Club at 539, just ahead of first-class player and club legend Luke Butterworth.
Tasmania Premier Cricket Team of the Decade 1986/87 - 1995/96
What was your highest score in senior cricket?
157 not out for Glenorchy CCC v Clarence CC at our Eady St oval in Glenorchy. The wicket was that flat, Mark Ridgway even pulled the pin on the game the second week due to injury!
What were your best bowling figures in senior cricket?
4 for 45 v North Hobart bowling a few offies for Glenorchy CC in first grade. Think the North boys were caught off guard and got a bit excited! Managed to snare Dan Marsh, John Saint and north opener Stuart Cobern. Never to bowl again!
Who were the best three fast bowlers you have played against?
David (Syd) Lawrence from England was frighteningly sharp. Add his arms and legs everywhere delivery stride action making it even more difficult to pick up the ball on release.
Dave Gilbert just for his raw pace and being very quick off the deck.
Gerard Denton as one of the most underrated local lads from Kingborough CC. Gerard ended up playing plenty of first-class cricket for Tassie along with Australia A clocking well into the 140s.
Gerard Denton
Who were the best three spinners you have played against?
The late Ian Folley from Lancashire England. When bowling his left arm off spinners well, he could dip and drop the ball on you like no other.
Ian ‘Snowy’ Bevan a Clarence and Tassie legend, right arm off spinner with great control and variation. Should have been given more opportunity at first class level.
Peter Sleep while playing League cricket in England was the best leggie due to the amount of spin he placed on the ball.
Who were the best 3 batsman you’ve played against?
We had some great local talent in Tassie. Roger Woolley and Keith Bradshaw were amazing accumulators early on, great shot makers later in their innings and could place the ball extremely well.
Only played against Danny Buckingham twice, just had sheer talent and could absolutely smack it.
And one for the road and sheer power. Mick Taylor from Victoria when playing in Tasmania nearly killed me one day when I chose to stand at short cover for one ball. Lucky I was a short leg fieldsman and was taught to duck, otherwise I would not be here today! Back out to a standard cover position next ball!
Roger Woolley
Who played the best innings you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?
Probably Jamie Cox scoring well over 100 at his peak at the University Cricket Ground. Just sheer class, control and had every shot in the book. Very tough to bowl at and set a field. Gave you a reality check as far as a sense of what is required to play at first class level!
Jamie Cox
Was there any bowler in particular who for whatever reason always caused you a few problems?
Ian Bevan from Clarence with his variety of right arm off spinners – change of pace, arm ball, flight, could turn it and was consistently accurate. Always bowled to his well-set field.
Who were the most competitive teams and archrivals?
The onfield battles with Clarence CC were daunting in my younger days with an onfield competitive atmosphere that at times was right up there.
Lost 3 first grade Grand Finals, one to Clarence on a green top and the first year of the new Bellerive wicket. Lost the toss with Greg Campbell being interviewed by the media as we were walking out to open the batting. Greg had just been selected for Australia to tour England in 89’ and proceeded to duly clean us up with his then very late out swing that did not seem to eventuate in England!
He also forgot our tickets to the first day of the Leeds Test in Headingly that year – given we were Glenorchy players, I guess! Greg did come to the party with tickets the next day!
North Hobart CC were relentless with their game plan and winning culture set up by the Di Venuto’s.
Who was the best wicket keeper you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?
Mark Atkinson.
Who are the two players you admired most in terms of skills and competitive spirit in the competitions you played?
Keith Bradshaw. Keith retired early from first class cricket and would have most likely played for his country in perhaps the ODI format at least. Keith was the same age as me but had played cricket all the way through. I was amazed at how he had developed and the passion he had for cricket and his local club, the New Town Bucks.
Andrew Dykes from Clarence was finally one of the local first graders to be given a deserved crack at first class level as a batsman. Top cricketer and smart Captain with an excellent record and should have played a lot more for Tasmania.
Keith Bradshaw
Who was the best captain you had the good fortune to play with?
Tony Wade. Loved the game, the club and knew his own and the opposition players.
Who has been your funniest team mate or club mate?
A great friend of ours at the Glenorchy CC, Deano Coleman.
What was your most embarrassing dismissal in senior cricket?
Early on in the career, we batted twice in a two-day game. Lost. Two duck eggs left a sour taste and it never happened again.
Who was your childhood hero?
Dennis Lillee. Loved all the fast bowlers of that era – Thomson, Pascoe, Walker, Gilmour.
Who are the three sports people in the world you’d most like to meet?
Roger Federer.
Ricky Ponting. Congrats to Ricky for what he has done for Tasmania, his country and cricket in general.
Simon O’Donnell so I can apologise to him for being too embarrassed to chat and say thank you in England in 89’ when he was engaged to present me with an award from the Baxenden CC!
Roger Federer
What was your favourite ground to play at?
TCA ground v North Hobart. Always a good wicket and only had to pierce the infield to hit the boundary.
Was there a particular team you especially looked forward to playing against?
North Hobart as a top team. Their tight bowling and tactics, patience and field placements made it challenging and often managed to do OK for some reason.
What’s been your most memorable moment/time in cricket?
The unexpected experience of playing league cricket in Lancashire England for the first time. Memorable for many reasons including the challenge of performance expectations, the totally different playing conditions and the great people of northern England. Many friendships made that still stand today.
What’s the best win you’ve been involved with?
Glenorchy CC won a one-day Kookaburra Cup final in the far North West of Tas in Wynyard, over 250ks away, and against some good players including Shaun Young. Travelled up and back in the one day. The bus trip home was well over 5 hours!! Great fun and some sorry sights!
Who are the three players from your playing days at the top of the list for a Saturday afternoon barbeque?
30 or so years on! Tony Wade (former captain and coach), Greg Butterworth, Dean Cooper and Martin Kelly.
What are your hobbies?
Family, Friends and giving back where I can. Score too many 100s playing golf!
What’s the best advice you’ve received?
Show respect and earn respect to and from your club, team members, opposition teams and players.
What is your occupation and who do you work for?
Giving back through working for Not for Profits and volunteering on a couple of local community health and wellbeing committees and boards.
Are you still involved in cricket and if so, in what capacity?
Volunteered a year or so back as a committee member and GM contributing many hours per week for 15 months to help out my former Glenorchy Cricket Club. How grade cricket has and continues to change! Grade cricket clubs have gone from 3 men’s grade teams to multiple boys, girls, women’s and men’s teams in all sorts of formats with clubs still being run and managed primarily by volunteers.
The clubs need more help these days to survive and grow, for the health of the state’s first class cricket and for the effective flow through of local talent to the national cricket teams.
If you were running a state cricket association what would your 2 priorities be to ensure cricket in the state remained strong and successful on and off the field?
Resource the unintentional administration/club management chasm between Cricket Tasmania and the grade clubs. The clubs now have a minimum of 15 and by choice up to 30 teams to run and manage.
Make clubs more community orientated while maintaining the aspirational aspect of playing for your state and country through the excellent Cricket Tas development pathways.
