Wayne Holt - always play with the right spirit
Hawkesbury Cricket Club | April 28, 2023
Wayne Holt is Hawkesbury Cricket Club first grade player number 19 having made his debut at the age of 21.
For Hawkesbury Wayne scored 1,141 runs at an average of 25.93 including one century and 6 half centuries.
In Wayne’s NSW Premier Grade Cricket career playing for Penrith, Hawkesbury and Campbelltown across Green Shield, Poidevin Gray, First and lower grades Wayne scored 3,601 runs with 4 centuries and 21 half centuries.
Let's find out more about Wayne's cricket journey
What year you were born?
1964
Can you remember you first game of cricket?
It was under 12s (I was 11) in the Southern Districts (now Fairfield Liverpool) competition vs Smithfield RSL at Smithfield. We bowled them out for 12, I got 3 for 4, and then we declared at 2 for 72, I was 12 not out.
Tell us briefly about your cricketing journey?
I played junior cricket in the Southern Districts (now Fairfield Liverpool), Camden and Hawkesbury cricket associations. My family moved to Colo in the Hawkesbury in year 10, so the closest grade club (Premier cricket now) was Penrith. I was a member of the NSW Combined High School First XI in both 1982 and 1983. I played grade cricket for Penrith (2nd, 3rd and 4th grade), and First Grade for Hawkesbury and Campbelltown. I also spent the winter of 1989 playing league cricket in Northampton. I finished playing with 1 season for Baulkham Hills in the Sydney Shires Competition.
In which grade and at what age did you make your debut in grade cricket?
4th grade aged 16. I was also the Green Shield and PG Player of the year at Penrith.
At what age did you make your first-grade debut in grade cricket, and can you remember how you performed in debut?
21. We played Parramatta at Old Kings, I made 9
If you can share with our audience, how would you describe yourself as a cricketer?
I was predominantly a batsman (RH), that could bowl useful offspin, and a good quality outfielder with a strong throwing arm.
What were your strengths as a player?
Ability to score runs quickly (shame T20 wasn’t around in the 1980s). Good fielder with good game awareness.
What was your highest score in senior cricket?
131 vs St George in 3rd grade for Penrith at Cook Park St Marys.
130 vs Manly in 1st Grade at Manly Oval.
141 in the NSW CHS carnival in Lismore 1982
What were your best bowling figures in senior cricket?
In first grade, 4 for 31 off 19 overs vs Balmain at Drummoyne. (3 of the scalps were, Darren Tucker, Craig Haworth and Greg McLay).
In Shires cricket it was 5 for 85 off 35 consecutive overs (with 1 victim being Peter Toohey).
In Premier League cricket in Northampton I took 7 for 44 vs Rushden (I had 7 for 26 until number 11 hit 3 sixes before being caught on the boundary going for a fourth)
Who were the best three fast bowlers you have played against?
Geoff Lawson. He was always at you, with that nagging line and length, but could surprise you with a very rapid, well directed bouncer.
Wayne Holdsworth. He was very quick, with a skiddy slinging action, which I found very difficult to pick up the length.
Andrew Jones. Very aggressive, very quick left arm fast bowler, who did not give you many lose deliveries and a bouncer that followed you.
Geoff Lawson
Who were the best three spinners you have played against?
Trevor Jay. Left arm around the wicket. Always making you play and always attacking the stumps. He was extremely difficult to get away.
Tom Shiner. The best leg spinner never to play first class cricket in the last 40 years. He had so many variations, and a killer “zooter”.
David Freedman. The uniqueness of a left arm “Chinaman” bowler, combined with amount of spin he got with his standard ball and his wrongun, made him a constant challenge.
Tom Shiner
Who were the best 3 batsman you’ve played against?
Rod Bower. Such a powerful striker of the ball. He made 200 for Penrith v Hawkesbury and did not mistime one ball all day.
Mark Waugh. So elegant, and an immaculate timer of the ball. He made batting look so easy, and could score very quickly.
Steve Waugh. A dominator and could play shots nobody else could have imagined. Once he was in, there was little you could do to stop the flow of runs.
Who played the best innings you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?
Steve Waugh. We were playing for the NSW CHS First XI vs the GPS at the Scots College. The wicket was under prepared, and we lost the toss and batted. We lost some early wickets, but Steve absolutely punished the GPS bowlers to end up with 170. Steve and I had a 60-run partnership of which I scored 9, but I had the best seat in the house watching this innings from the bowlers end as balls kept landing in the neighbour’s backyards.
Steve Waugh
Was there any bowler in particular who whatever reason always seemed to cause you a few problems?
Mike Whitney. The inswinger I could manage, it was the ball angling across me that I just could not lay a bat on.
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?
In England, I played 2 games against the Northampton Second XI (all professionals), as they played in our Saturday League. There were several players that went on to have lengthy first-class careers. It was a great test and made me more determined to perform well against them. Luckily in the 2 games I scored 98no and 105no. Unfortunately, the county did not ask me to come back and play for them.
Cover of the Northampton County League Handbook following the 1989 season. I am on the cover on the left after scoring 725 runs at 65.90 and taking 29 wickets in 16 games. There are other stories connected to how I wound up playing cricket in England, as my wife and I were backpacking around Europe at the time, with no plans to play cricket. As it turns out, 1989 was a wonderful year in England with the Ashes domination and Steve Waugh scoring hundreds for fun. It was a good time to be an Aussie cricketer in England.
Who was the best wicket keeper you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?
David Moore. In schoolboy and under 19 cricket, he was the best by a long way, and ended up with a long first grade career and played first class cricket for NSW.
Who are the two players you admired most in terms of skills and competitive spirit in the competitions you played?
Steve Small. A very competitive cricketer, with an abundance of skill to go with it. He trained hard, but also loved the teams he played for.
Steve Waugh. Always focussed and determined. Took fitness and preparation very seriously, and always looked to improve on his abundant natural talent.
Who was the best captain you had the good fortune to play with?
Mark England. A great thinker and tactician. As an allrounder, he was not afraid to take on the responsibilities of batting or bowling in difficult situations, and he would always be open to ideas from his fellow players.
Who has been your funniest team mate?
Michael Wholohan. The Penrith 2nd grade dressing room was fantastic, full of fun, laughter, and competitive spirit. (Continues to this day)
Can you recall some banter or an exchange on the cricket field that still makes you laugh today?
Playing for Hawkesbury v Penrith (1st grade 1986/87), Rod Bower had smacked us around all day, and was on 200, and looking to move past the current club record score of 202. At this stage we had been fielding for 4 sessions and were cooked, so the captain brought on Barry Coad to bowl his useful left arm wrist spin. The field was spread far and wide, then Barry bowling his third delivery had Rod coming down the wicket and hitting a hard on drive in the air to deep long on. Rod had hit it hard, and quite straight, so the fielder had to run quite a distance to his left to get anywhere near it. As the ball got closer to the fence (in the air still), the fielder thought they were closer than they thought, so they should put in and then gave it a big soccer goalie dive. To everyone’s amazement, the ball lodged in the right inverted hand of the fielder, one inch off the ground, and Rod was caught for 200.
As Rod walked past the fielder, he was heard to say, “how the #@%$ did you catch that?”, to which the fielder said “#@%$ed if I know”.
Rod and I have never spoken about it since.
Rod Bower
Who was your childhood hero?
Don Bradman
Who are the three sports people in the world you’d most like to meet?
Craig Foster
Sir Ian Botham
Ange Postecoglou
What was your favourite ground to play at?
Howell Oval, Penrith
What there a particular team you especially looked forward to playing against?
The University of NSW. My brother played for them, so it was like the old test matches we used to have in the backyard.
What’s been your most memorable moment in cricket?
I have a couple, being selected for the NSW Combined High First XI in 1982. This team was full of future NSW and Australian crickets. Steve Waugh, Mark Waugh, David Freedman, Justin Kenny, David Moore, Andrew Jones, Mark England.
Scoring a first grade hundred (130no) against Manly in 1987, with a bowling attack that contained Phil Marks (NSW), Kerry McKay (NSW) and Gavin Fletcher (Aust U19)
The list of highest scores in CHS carnival history. Adam Gilchrist at the top of the list, and Justin Kenny at number 6
What’s the best win you’ve been involved with?
Playing for Penrith 2nd grade in 1982-83, we needed to win the final game outright to make the semi finals. Batting fourth, we needed 166 in 30 overs. I came in at the fall of the 3rd wicket, needing 107 in quick time. Batting with an English player from Essex, we got the runs in 73 minutes. Unfortunately, the semi final was washed out, and we did not progress.
Who are the three players from your playing days at the top of the list for a Saturday afternoon barbeque?
Michael Wholohan (Penrith)
Bruce Earle (Hawkesbury)
Steve Waugh
What are your hobbies?
Playing guitar
Soccer Referee (Nepean FA and Football NSW)
Family and Friends
What’s the best advice you’ve received?
Always look to improve, and always play with the right spirit.
What is your occupation?
I am the Senior Credit Risk Manager at Helia Insurance (Mortgage Insurance)
Are you still involved in cricket and if so, in what capacity?
Not currently, but I was in season 2021/2022, as an assistant coach with Michael Wholohan at Hawkesbury. I am currently an interested observer of Premier Cricket across the country.
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?
1. Wind back the reliance on Pathways, and reward outstanding Premier Cricket performance. But, if Pathways is going to continue to be the way into first class cricket, performance in youth cricket needs to be backed up by performance in Premier cricket. Having players play first class cricket as a batsman, without scoring 100s in Premier 1st, against players that have scored 20 plus, 1st grade centuries is not the way to 1, win the Sheffield Shield, or 2, produce players to go onto further representative honours.
2. Potentially reduce the number of teams within Premier Cricket clubs to improve quality in all grades.
Holty definitely underselling his fielding. He and P Burkhart the two best I played with