My Best Grade team - Peter Clifford 1979 to 1992
Peter Clifford | January 25, 2023
I played Grade Cricket for Randwick Cricket Club in Sydney from 1979 to 1985 before moving to Brisbane and playing for Toombul Cricket Club from 1986 to 1992.
Here is my Best Grade team from players I played with. In batting order
1. Alan Turner (Captain)- Randwick, NSW and Australia
Tough man, led by example and a wonderful mentor and leader. Even at the end of his career played some amazing innings. Aggressive captain and was always 2 hours ahead of play.
2. John Dyson – Randwick, NSW and Australia
He would bat all day for Randwick getting hundreds at will and often referred to Grade as his” centre wicket”. Witty, funny and great team man.
John Dyson
3. Ron Crippen – Randwick and NSW
Normally an opener but is it 3 in my team as the two openers played Test Cricket for Australia. Intimidating bat, great short leg, was fearless and took on all quicks.
4. Peter Skuse - Toombul
Unusual bat but his record in grade cricket speaks for itself, Peter Burge winner for Player of the Year in Brisbane Grade Cricket. He always looked for runs, always looked ‘UGLY” batting but scored a mountain of runs.
Took over a 100 first grade wickets, had good hands, great team man and competitor. He should have played Shield cricket but probably missed out due to the fact he wasn’t “pretty enough “with bat in hand.
5. Peter Clifford – Randwick, Toombul, NSW and Queensland
I would slide in here and happily bat 5 with my superstar mates and have a ball.
6. Gary Bensley – Randwick and NSW
Powerful left handed bat and bowled medium pace and could tie up an end all day. Sydney’s best all-rounder for a number of years and had the stats to back it up. Could take a match off a team in a session as was his power. Looked like an accountant batted like wood chopper.
Gary Bensley
7. Alan Campbell (Wicket keeper) – Randwick
Left handed keeper and was amazing behind the stumps. He ran the fielding and encouraged the quicks when they were tiring. Never short of a word especially when he thought the batsmen needed to be told he was “going to cop a few”.
He made everyone feel part of the team and I owe him a lot.
8. Evan Gordon (Flash Gordon”) – Randwick and NSW
Really quick South African who didn’t get driven a lot! Quietly spoken and shy but on his day he was scary. I honestly saw him bounce John Benaud at Coogee Oval where the ball went over keepers head and one bounce into the sight board. I was at short leg and JB said ‘I’m too old for this shit”. He could also bat and made grade runs and always in annoying partnerships.
He is now a DR funny enough.
9. Trevor Jay - Randwick
Left arm spinner, super accurate, and always up for a chat. He would keep it tight from one end so Whitney and Gordon could run in with short spells the other. He was a great team man and always so reliable. His grade record is amazing.
He really didn’t enjoy batting that much and luckily he didn’t have too much.
10. Harry Frei – Toombul and Queensland
Left arm master of swing. He hated it when he wasn’t bowling and on his day in QLD humidity no batsmen could play him. Late in swingers, the slider across, Yorkers and a really good bouncer. Best, consistent sledger I played with, no one had immunity. “”Like serving caviar to a rat” he used to say at a batsmen who played and missed. He even sledged his own players and the opposition during a warm up! He was a guy I loved playing with.
Harry Frei
11. Mike Whitney - Randwick, NSW and Australia
I loved playing with Whit, he only knew one way to play. Loyal clubman, Dad and person is he. On his day he was as quick as anyone and in his early days swung it a mile at good heat. He was the glue for Randwick and held us together. Couldn’t bat that much but he really enjoyed it. Still to this day, 40 years on, he is still a mate.
12th man - Scott Williams (wild thing) – Toombul and Quuensland
Great club man, swing bowler and useful bat. You should ask him about his club dismissal on 99, I’m sure you will get a reply. He’s the man you want when you needed someone to “turn the game” I relied on him in big games and he didn’t let me down.
Coach - Chic Leeder, Toombul
In good times and bad he remains the same. A quiet word to a player when they played poor or a word of praise when they did well. Drinks, and food are always abundant. He knows more about the game than he lets on and in this team he would excel with his wit, charm and a love of life. If you couldn’t work with Chic, you are not coachable!
Manager - Lyle Gardner, Randwick
He had a vision to bring country players to Randwick. He wanted to make sure they were not only good players but good people. Lyall helped the country players fit in and surrounded them with great players. This worked a treat and Randwick prospered. He still loves the club and personally I owe him everything for my start.
Notable admissions - Bob McGhee (Toombul), Trevor Bennett (Toombul), Brett Patman (Toombul), Andrew Pilgrim (Toombul) -all good players and exceptional people.
Best ground: Coogee Oval in Sydney –great wicket and sea breeze.
Worst Ground: Howell Oval in Sydney -super flat and so hot, hopefully changed over the years
Best type of bat - Slazenger V 12
Best protective gear - Gabba foam like pads
Best afternoon tea - Pratten Park, home of Western Suburbs in Sydney
Best Umpire - Peter Parker by a mile!
Comments about Grade/Premier Cricket
I may lose a few mates over this but you know it comes with good intention.
The fielding and fitness has improved but players techniques and match awareness has declined.
I believe for all the money poured into State Development, (Pathways) in Grade cricket has gone backwards.
To justify the money spent kids who get identified at 15 will still be picked in age development teams even if they don’t perform at the expense of kids who are performing. What other sport would do that!
Then young players who leave the system because they are too old (19 or 20) fail –they were doomed to fail because they never had to perform.
The state development pathways needs an overhaul – instead of holding back young players let them play grade cricket against the older guys and if they perform then pick them. They’ll be better players for the experience in confidence, resilience and awareness.
In my time, Shield and Australian players played Grade Cricket. I admit I used to see if a Test match was on so I didn’t have to play Lawson, Pascoe or Thomson and bloody happy when they didn’t. But if they did and I scored runs it was a massive confidence boost I could take into the next game. It was a great basis to learn about the game.
Unfortunately grade cricket teams with a number of first class players and state squad members will not win first grade cricket competitions as state coaches, physios, strength and conditioning managers rule the players out.
Cricket has always been a game for players to compete and enjoy. They’ve been the risks of injuries since cricket and every other sports first began. Why Grade Cricket Clubs get emails stating a player is restricted to 5 only overs in the day or cant bowl or play at all is beyond me and many I speak to across the game.
We can and need to do better
Futures League
It's nice to see fair dinkum 2nd XI teams picked in QLD – well done. Other states, take note, if you keep putting out kids with potential QLD will flog you! Well Done Qld
Sheffield Shield Cricket
When Sheffield Shield cricket is strong, so is Australian cricket. Any administrator who fiddles with Shield Cricket should be sacked. One tried to and what a mess it became.
