Tom Decent - loved the heat of the battle
Hawkesbury Cricket Club | April 10, 2023
Tom Decent made his first grade debut for Hawkesbury Cricket Club during the 2010/11 season as a 17 year old wicket keeping batsman.
In the season prior to making his first grade debut Tom had the good fortune of playing in the NSW Under 17 team with future Australian Test players Pat Cummins and Kurtis Patterson.
Tom retired from cricket at the age of 23 to concentrate on a journalism career where you can now find him on the other side of the boundary writing about cricket and other sports.
Let’s find out more about Tom's journey in the game
What year were you born?
Born in 1993. 28 years old.
Can you remember your first game of cricket?
I was eight years old playing for Wilberforce Cricket Club in the Hawkesbury region. Hit a pull shot for a couple of runs then bowled next ball.
Tell us briefly about your cricketing journey?
Played all my club cricket for Wilberforce (juniors and some senior park cricket with my old man), junior reps U10s to U16s for Hawkesbury. School stuff for Colo High School, Sydney West and NSW schoolboys. Grade cricket for Hawkesbury and then a season at Sydney University when I moved into Glebe to be closer to work before an early ‘retirement’ at 23 due to weekend work commitments that got in the way during my only season at Uni.
In which grade and at what age did you make your debut in grade cricket?
I was 13 years old and 13th man for Hawkesbury’s Green Shield (under-16s) team. Someone asked if I wanted to have a keep in Metro Cup (effectively 6th grade) on the back field at Bensons Lane one day and I couldn’t have said yes quicker. There were a few older quicks from 2s and 3s coming back from injury, so keeping a mile back (or so I thought) was an enjoyable experience.
As for proper grade, I debuted as a 15-year-old in 5th grade against Mosman and managed to make a ton at Balmoral Oval.
At what age did you make your first grade debut in grade cricket and can you remember how you performed in debut?
I’d just turned 17 and told I’d be the Hawks’ keeper for the 2010-11 season. The likes of Steve O’Keefe, Pete Forrest and Scott Henry had just left the club, but former NSW spinner Anthony Kershler was a big presence in the team, as was left-arm quick Shane Mott and all-rounder Jay Dyball. Scored 16 batting at No.8 and pouched a nick in the second over off Motty to get into the action.
I’m proud to have chalked up 90 first grade matches, even if I was a bit of a battler.
Tom Decent keeping in first grade
If you can share with our audience, how would you describe yourself as a cricketer?
I was a taller-than-normal wicketkeeper who batted a bit with a fast bowler’s mindset. Loved the heat of the battle. What I would have done to bowl quick.
What were your strengths as a player?
I had little to no respect for spinners, so would always run at them and try and bomb them out of the attack. I tried to hit most balls through mid-wicket off my pads against the quicks. Hated the short ball. Would like to think my glove work up the stumps was tidy.
You played in the NSW Under 17s cricket team at the National Championships with future Test cricketers Pat Cummins and Kurtis Patterson, what do you remember about the carnival and the experience?
Bloody hot. We had a good team but didn’t win it like we’d hoped. We were 16/17 year-olds away from home having the time of our lives in Adelaide. Our assistant coach Ben Sawyer made it loads of fun. We played a T20 against a South Australia team with Travis Head in it and won the match in a Super Over at the Adelaide Oval. It was a Big Bash curtain raiser in front of what felt like a full house. Because it went longer than normal, I remember Andrew Symonds standing on the boundary not being happy that his team’s warm-up was delayed.
Pat bowled ridiculously fast that tournament. In a game against Victoria, the bloke next to me at first slip, Nick Bertus, was standing on the 30-metre circle.
We won our first four games and dusted Queensland which was satisfying and I got 40-odd red ink. I remember Alex Ross scoring a great hundred for ACT. Then mum came to watch the back half of the carnival and I couldn’t get a run. A pair in the same day against the Vics still haunts me. Seb Gotch played an unbelievable second innings knock, hitting Cummins over cover for six.
Kurtis was a brilliant captain and we also had future NRL star Nathan Brown in our ranks.
Tom Decent batting for NSW Under 17
Who was the best spinner you had the good fortune to keep to?
Anthony Kershler was outstanding and his arm-ball was the best I can remember, but for mystery, hard to go past Arjun Nair who pulled out a doosra at pre-season one year and it took me a month to start picking it.
Anthony Kershler
Who was the best fast bowler you kept to?
Spent many arvos gloving them to Shane Mott, who should have played more domestic cricket. In terms of big names, hard to go past Cummins. Knew what you were going to get every time.
Was there any one bowler who you really enjoyed keeping to?
Anyone tall who got good bounce and carry. Scott Heaney, Harry Conway and Andrew Tye (on loan while on BBL duty) spring to mind. Short skiddy bowlers, no thanks.
Harry Conway
Can you recall a catch or stumping that still fills you with pride and puts a smile on your face?
Stumping Kurtis Patterson down the leg side in a Green Shield game. Diving full stretch to remove Jordan Silk when he was playing for Penrith. I once dropped a sitter that Pete Forrest nicked behind but first slip (Sean Clarence I believe) came from nowhere to catch the rebound. Thank god.
What was your highest score in senior cricket?
In first grade it was 115 not out off 108 rocks as an 18-year-old at Chatswood Oval. We chased down about 280 in a one-day game..
Tom Decent celebrates his century against Mosman in a Poidevin Gray game - he went on to score 165.
What were your best bowling figures in senior cricket?
I managed a couple of five-fas playing parkies for Wilbo. Apparently I bowled three overs in Sydney first grade but I have zero memory of that. Took one wicket in Poidevin Gray Shield (under-21s).
However, career highlight was taking a hat-trick in a Sportsbet Media cricket day where Mark Waugh was the middle wicket. My military medium ball was so wide that Waugh used one hand to try and get bat on it but was caught at backward point. Junior protested - rightly so - but was sent packing.
Who were the best three fast bowlers you have played against? And if you could add a few words as to why?
As far as big names go, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc when they came back into Premier Cricket but was lucky to not face them. Same for Brett Lee, who turned up to play for Mosman in a T20 but said the run-ups were too wet. You’ve never seen 11 more excited blokes in our sheds.
Josh Lalor was a handful and swung the ball a lot. Danny McLaughlin at full tilt was absolutely rapid and probably the scariest I faced (can't publish some of the things he said on a cricket field). Cummins absolute cream of the crop.
Pat Cummins
Who were the best three spinners you have played against?
Anthony Clark was bloody hard to get away, Adam Zampa had great variation as a youngster - I'd love to see him bring back the flipper - and I thought Nathan Brain was a fantastic leggie who always asked questions.
Who were the best 3 batsmen you’ve played against? And if you could add a few words as to why
Steve Smith - for obvious reasons - but he only managed 8 that day at Owen Earle, bumped out and caught at fine leg. Sydney University’s Greg Mail was the king of Sydney grade cricket. Sutherland duo Phil Jaques and Nic Maddinson hard to split. A formidable opening pair. If we're talking strictly late cuts, Dale McKay.
Greg Mail
Who played the best innings you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?
Ben Dunk hit the most ludicrous 90 off about 30 balls at Bensons Lane in a T20. His bat had springs in it.
Was there any bowler or batsman in particular who for whatever reason always seemed to cause you a few problems?
Left-armer Jarrad Burke was hard to get away. Sean Abbott was never nice to face. Monty Panesar was a good challenge at Coogee Oval when he played for Randy-Petes.
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?
As a 17-year-old facing Aaron Bird, the former NSW fast bowler who got banned from domestic cricket for chucking, in First Grade. We were three for shit, I came out at five. Copped a bumper first ball and was told that for the remaining seven overs of his spell (one-dayer) I wouldn’t get one in my half. This proved to be correct. I could barely see them whiz past but somehow we chased down Bankstown’s low total.
Aaron Bird
Who was the best wicket keeper you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?
This is really tough. A little known bloke from Gordon named Iain Beverley had silky smooth hands. Not sure why I remember that. Pete Nevill. James Alsopp. David Dawson. Tim Cummins. Way too hard this one.
Who are the two players you admired most in terms of skills and competitive spirit in the competitions you played?
It's bloody hard to think of people on the spot. Same for the answers above. Shane Mott I have all the respect in the world for. What a competitor.
We always had fierce battles against Parramatta - so going to nominate those lads. The likes of Nick Bertus, Scott Copperfield and all the Parra lads who dusted us in a PGs final one year. Trent Crittenden's catch to get me out was as good as it gets.
Shane Mott
Who was the best captain you had the good fortune to play with?
Kurtis Patterson, has a sensational cricket brain, or one of the all-time great men, Jay Dyball.
Who has been your funniest team mate?
Michael Goeke. Anyone who knows Goeke knows why. Conway close second.
Can you recall some banter or an exchange on the cricket field that still makes you laugh today?
We had PGs and 1st grade T20 matches back-to-back one day at Coogee Oval. I sledged some of Randwick-Petersham’s under-21s player’s big time. They gave it back to me, and rightfully so. One of the under-21 boys was carrying the drinks for first grade in the next match. As I was walking out into the middle to bat in 1s, he walked me out and gave it to me. When he ran back off the field, he told me he’d told Scott Coyte, the feisty NSW fast bowler, was going to knock my head off.
Unsurprisingly, I was bowled for a golden duck. I then had to cop it from the same bloke running another drink onto the field 90 seconds later. Coyte took another pole and ended up with a hat-trick.
What was your most embarrassing dismissal in senior cricket?
Against Wests (I think) in second grade. We’d already passed their total for victory but kept batting because I was on about 80 and our skipper wanted me to get a ton. They’d been shit blokes all day, so we wanted to keep them in the hot sun. Wests had six slips, a gully, and a catching cover. The worst bowler in the team was given an over as a piss take. I smoked a catch straight to the only bloke in front of the wicket. They didn't appeal. They just laughed.
Who was your childhood hero?
Adam Gilchrist. Presented our NSWPSSA team with baggy blues at the SCG in 2006. Still remember what his hand felt like.
Adam Gilchrist
Who are the three sports people in the world you’d most like to meet?
Tiger Woods, Ronnie O’Sullivan and Michael Jordan
Tiger Woods
Who’s your favourite cricket commentator?
Kerry O’Keeffe or Ricky Ponting
What was your favourite ground to play at?
Coogee Oval, Sydney Uni No.1 or Bradman Oval. Bensons Lane an honourable mention for the memories.
Was there a particular team you especially looked forward to playing against?
Randwick-Petersham or Manly away. Two minute walk from the beach. Better than the flies at Bensons Lane.
What’s been your most memorable moment in cricket?
Days spent batting with dad (who used a GN Scoop). NSW U17s selection. A maiden first grade ton. Playing with blokes who worked harder than me and have made careers out of the sport. Bloody happy for all of them.
What’s the best win you’ve been involved with?
Hard to go past a third grade premiership with Sydney Uni in 2015/16 - my final game of proper cricket. I’d missed games throughout the year for work and begged the boss to let me play after missing the semi-final. Got dropped on about 15 and made a hundred as we beat Eastern Suburbs comfortably. Great circuit #students
Sydney University 3rd Grade Premiers 2015-16
Who are the three players from your playing days at the top of the list for a Saturday afternoon barbeque?
In keeping with the theme from a few other of these yarns - one of Shane Mott, Dale McKay or Ben Trevor-Jones need to organise this BBQ catch-up we keep talking about.
What are your hobbies?
Watching sport, beach, reading the paper, golf, tennis, squash, beers.
Tom Decent with his good mate Nick Bertus when they played NSW Under 17s
What’s your occupation?
I write about cricket and rugby for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. A little bit of radio/TV stuff. Lucky enough to watch sport for a living and write about it. When I realised I wasn't going to be a pro, thought journalism would be the next best thing.
Are you still involved in cricket and if so, in what capacity
Aside from writing and chatting about it, not in an official capacity. I’d like to get back to Bensons Lane more. I get down Sydney Uni No.1 every so often and find myself in a fines meeting.
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?
- Stream as much grade cricket as possible
- Don't retire kids. Let the good ones learn how to bat a long time when they're young. When I was in U10s, you could get a hundred in club cricket. The next year they brought in a 20-run retirement rule. Silly.
