Justin Poole - make the bowler bowl to you
Wynnum Manly District Cricket Club | April 02, 2024
Justin Poole is the type of player that made Australian cricket great in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Did he play for Australia? No.
Did he have the potential to do so? Perhaps, some of his teammates certainly believe so.
Did he play Sheffield Shield cricket? No. Was he good enough? A double hundred in a strong 2nd XI competition would suggest that he was.
During this time Australia had a high quality, competitive grade cricket competition where Shield and Test players were required and wanted to play. There was a genuine 2nd XI competition filled with players who were on the verge of 1st class cricket through weight of performances and subsequently an intense Sheffield Shield dominated by world class players clearly of Test standard but unable to break into the test side.
It is no surprise that during this period, a well lead Australian side dominated world cricket. For some reason this successful system has been tinkered with and the Australian side has lost its invincibility.
I didn't see Justin's 2nd XI double century but it’s safe to assume it would have been in a match of the standard of 1st class cricket in many other countries.
A powerful batsman, particularly off the back foot, he had the ability to take the game away from the opposition in a short period. Teammate Adam Dale recalls a highly skilled and talented cricketer, a batsman who was adept anywhere in the order, excellent fielder and handy bowler. A very good team man who could dominate a game and did so over many seasons and a key player when Wynnum Manly District Cricket Club won the 1995/96 first grade premiership.
At the completion of the 2023-24 season Justin is the leading run scorer in the rich history of Wynnum Manly District Cricket club with 11,707 runs. Justin has scored 7,603 runs in first grade.
In February 2024 Justin was the captain of the Australian Over 40s cricket team in the inaugural Over 40s World cup in South Africa. Australia defeated England to finish 3rd in the World Cup.
Adam Dale
"He may not have reached the heights that he aspired to as a young representative player but Justin Poole forged a significant career, travelled the world playing the game, earned the respect of his teammates and opponents and played his part in the success of Australian cricket."
Executive Performance Partners is a proud sponsor of Wynnum Manly District Cricket club
What year you were born?
1976
Can you remember you first game of cricket?
My first official game was for Sunnybank Saints Cricket Club in under 10’s. Have absolutely no recollection of how I went.
You must have had some competitive matches growing up in the family home?
Yes, my younger brother Ryan, who ended up playing approximately 200 First Grade games was always a good test. We fought like cats and dogs about who would be Australia or the opposition. In the 80’s it was either West Indies or England. But we were fortunate enough to have a tennis court so the wicket was always good!
Justin Poole flanked by brothers Kristian and Ryan. The boys father David is in the background sporting the yellow cap with his hands folded in front of him
Tell us briefly about your cricketing journey?
Sunnybank Saints and then Macgregor as a junior. Then at 14 I went to Wynnum for Under 18’s. I did two stints in England, Leighton Buzzard in the Cherwell League straight out of High School and then Whitsable in the Kent League in the early Noughties.
Who were your contemporaries in your Queensland and Australian under 19 teams?
I got to play with some great cricketers through that period. But the big boys were Simon Katich, Brett Lee, Brad Haddin, Andrew Symonds. The first class list was extensive.
In which grade and at what age did you make your debut in grade cricket?
I played Third Grade for Wynnum when I was 15. Don’t remember how I went but it was against Easts at Bottomley Park. Greg Ritchie was playing for Easts in 1sts on the other ground.
At what age did you make your first grade debut in grade cricket and can you remember how you performed in debut?
At Wynnum against Wests on a wet wicket, Greg Rowell, Carl Rackemann, Dirk Tazelaar, I think I got 13. It was around 92/93. I’m sure you would have been giving it to me just to make me feel at home
If you can share with our audience, how would you describe yourself as a cricketer?
Batsman who thought I could bowl and was underutilised ??
What was your highest score in senior cricket?
I scored a 200 against Tasmania in Launceston in 1996
Photo of the Queensland Academy of Sport Cricket team that toured New Zealand in November 1995
The team - Peter Skuse (Captain), Stephen Bell, Lee Carsledine, Jerry Cassell, Kane Kersnovske, Brian May, Rendle O’Connell, Heath Pedrola, Justin Poole, Brad Ruddell, Paul Spence, Jason Stein
David Gilbert (Coach), Richard Harvey (Manager)
What were your best bowling figures in senior cricket?
I got a few 3 fa’s in first grade but I finally got a 5 fa in 3rd Grade after retiring from firsts. I was bowling very straight off spin at this stage
Who are the best three fast bowlers you have played against?
All of them.
Bowlers I struggled with and made me look like a fool quite often:
Chris Swan- I could never seem to pick up his lengths. Not quick but sharp enough with great control. He had it on string.
Brett Mortimer – Always at you with good control. Had some zip up his sleeve when he wanted
Brendan Creevey – Great Competitor and contrary to many reports also a good guy (off the field) Another Sandgate player like Morto. They had a great team in the 90’s and Noughties
Those days in the Club Cricket Shield and Test cricketers always made the effort to play club cricket whenever they could. So the challenge of scoring runs against first class bowlers was a great factor in club cricket back then
I was lucky enough to play club cricket with Adam Dale (and Stuart Law for a few years when he saw the light and moved to Wynnum) and I never recall them not playing club cricket if they could.
Chris Swan
Who are the best three spinners you have played against?
Stuart MacGill – I really struggled with his drift
Paul Jackson – Great Control turned it enough
Matthew “Jackpot” Anderson – Good Left arm spinner good flight drift and control.
Who are the best 3 batsman you’ve played against?
Richie Richardson – Was just awesome. One day game in Toowoomba in 1995 I believe he got 90 odd run out but just hit the ball so cleanly
Martin Love- Everything looked like it was in slow motion. I loved watching him bat even when he was scoring runs against us
Stuart Law – I used to think when he was going so well the bat was actually part of his arms
Martin Love
Who played the best innings you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?
Matthew Hayward scored 200 for QLD Colts against NSW Colts at the Gabba around 1999 or 2000. Andrew Symonds got 150 at the other end and he made him look a class below.
NSW had a great attack including Stuart Clark, Brett Lee and Don Nash. We beat them in 2.5 days and ended playing a one day game on the 4th day and we smashed them again. Good times beating NSW
Was there any batsman in particular that stirred the emotions and competitive spirit where you really wanted their wicket?
Gavin Fitness - Always in for a fight. I remember days when we were playing Sandgate and we spoke about not getting him angry or into a contest but Scott Prestwidge or Adam Dale couldn’t help themselves… and then he was just on.
Who was the best wicket keeper you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?
I was lucky enough to play a couple of games with Wade Seccombe. I think he was the best keeper in Australia for 10 years and I’m including Ian Healy and Adam Gilchrist in the list of other keepers. Also have to mention Ian Duncan and my brother Ryan
Wade Seccombe
Who was the best captain you had the good fortune to play with?
Simon Katich – He was captain towards the end of our time at the cricket academy. He was calm and measured and everyone respected him immensely
Who has been your funniest team mate?
Matthew Hayward – he made any day of cricket a little bit more entertaining
Can you recall some banter or an exchange on the cricket field that still makes you laugh today?
The stuff that still makes me laugh can’t be repeated in a public forum.
You played professionally in Malaysia. What are your recollections?
Hot, humid and a lot of rain. I was there for 6 or 7 weeks and I think we only played 3 games as it just kept raining. The idea was to get 1 Australian player into each of their “State Teams” to help develop them prior to cricket being a demonstration sport in the 1996 Commonwealth Games. Malaysia hosted those games which meant they automatically qualified as the host nation. Malaysia doesn’t have a great depth of cricket history. We were treated like royalty and had a great time, the only issue was the weather. There were a few Queenslanders, Jeff Thomas, Chris Holding, Brad Ruddell plus Brad Wigney from Victoria and a few other guys I can’t remember (it was 26 years ago)
Justin Poole - captain of the Australian Over 40s cricket team
What was your most embarrassing dismissal in senior cricket?
Nothing majorly embarrassing other than an arm’s length of crap and stupid shots
Who was your childhood hero?
Allan Border. Hands down. Even tried to turn myself into a left hander when I was about 7. I did end up playing a couple Qld vs Qld Country games with AB on a QLD tour up in Cairns in 95. To be in the same dressing room as my idol was surreal. AB plays in a Charity Golf Day quite regularly that I also play. Still to this day I get nervous around him.
He also gave me a massive spray at training one day in the Gabba nets. They were a bit juicy and we were given new balls. His words whilst pointing his bat at me walking out of the nets were along the lines of “Who the fuck are you and what are you trying to prove sunshine” with a few more expletives thrown in for good measure. David Gilbert who was looking after the 2nd XI at that stage came up patted me on the back and said well done.
Allan Border
Who’s your favourite cricket commentator?
Kerry O’Keefe from entertainment side of things but Ricky Ponting has jumped to the top of the queue relative to the actual “Cricket” part of commentary
What was your favourite ground to play at?
Adelaide Oval.
What there a particular team you especially looked forward to playing against?
NSW. It was bred into us from U/17 to hate them!!! That’s because they were generally always the best. In grade cricket is was always Sandgate
What do you enjoy most about playing cricket?
Team mates and the banter
What’s been your most memorable moment in cricket?
There have been a lot but probably the 1995/96 Premiership with the Mighty Wynnum Manly Sea Eagles
What’s the best win you’ve been involved with?
In the early 90’s University of Queensland batted an hour into the second day to set us 400, Adam Dale hit a four in the last over to win it.
What are your hobbies?
Family and Work. Though I have just started playing a bit of cricket again for Wynnum and looking forward to making that a more regular activity next year.
What’s the best advice you’ve received?
Make them bowl to you!
Are you still involved in cricket and if so, in what capacity?
Yes I still play for Wynnum Manly and over 40’s cricket
If you were running Cricket QLD what would be your 2 priorities to ensure cricket in the state remained strong and successful on and off the field?
Get the State Cricketers to play more grade cricket and don’t rely on the pathway programs too much for your future sides. There are some great players in Club Cricket who don’t hit their straps until they are in their late 20’s but they never seem to get a look in. Nathan Rabnott and Andrew Gode are the obvious ones that come to mind
