Stockton & Northern Districts Cricket Club Team of the 90s

Stockton and Northern Districts Cricket Club | April 22, 2023

In 2020 the Stockton & Northern Districts Cricket Club approached club stalwart and Life Member Ron Hancock to name his team of the decade for the last five decades along with a team of the last 50 years (1970-2019).

Ron has been heavily involved with Stockton & Northern Districts Cricket Club for over 50 years.

Here, Ron selects his team Stockton & Northern Districts Cricket Club Team of the 90s.

Paul Robertson - Captain

Paul rose through the ranks to become one of the clubs finest leaders both on and off the field. Not only an outstanding captain but also a pillar of strength as a top order batsman for many years.

• Captained the 1994-95 premiership winning team
• Club Life Member

Martin Pugh

Martin was a Stockton junior who was fiercely proud of the honour of playing for his home town. He was an extremely strong back foot player who embraced a challenge against all opponents in a first grade career spanning from the 80s to the early 2000s. A middle order player as a youngster, Marty became an accomplished opening batsman in the second half of his career consistently peeling off hundreds over a long career. Martin was also a high quality fielder and is regarded amongst the top handful of fielders to have played for the club.

• Club Life Member

Rodney Mace

Rod was an opening batsman whose aggressive nature was ahead of his time and set many victories up from the first ball. Rockets signature shot was the sweep, which he employed more so against the quickies as opposed to the spinners. It was not uncommon to see the new Kookaburra swept for six in the opening over of an innings. Rocket scored multiple hundreds for the club.

• Represented Newcastle

Tony Fort

Tony was a classical batsman who had a rich pedigree in the game having played at representative levels throughout the entirity of his career. Tony used his long reach to be a dominant front foot player, with his driving of the ball a feature of his game.

• Represented Newcastle and NSW Country

Paul Dyson

Paul was a dominating batsman with a penchant for scoring big quickly. A player with all the shots with cuts and pulls square of the wicket particular strengths. A brilliant fielder displaying sharp reflexes and responsible for many run outs.

• Represented Newcastle and NSW Country

John Allanson

It would be debatable if there was a more naturally gifted batsman to play for the club. Many would say that if John had chosen cricket over Rugby League (where he played at NRL level) he could he reached greater heights in cricket. John was a sweet timer of the cricket ball which combined with his power saw many attacks suffer. Once in form it was not uncommon for John to peel off big scores over many consecutive games. A sharp slips fielder also.

• Represented Newcastle
• Club Life Member

Geoff Cooke

Geoff was an aggressive all rounder who demanded watching whether he was batting or bowling. A typical fire brand fast bowler, he exhibited good pace and was an exponent of a well directed bouncer which sent fear into many an opposing batsman. A hard hitting middle order player who could hit a long ball and change the course of a game quickly.

• Represented Newcastle and NSW Country

Simon Dillon

Simon was a natural all rounder who displayed classic technique when batting and possessed a natural flowing action with his fast bowling. With bat in hand he was a strong driver and puller of the ball who was very easy to watch. He possessed very good pace with the ball and hurried up all batsmen that faced him. Simon's classic action gave him the great weapon of outswing which combined with the pace made him difficult to deal with.

• Represented Newcastle

Ian Johnston

Ian was a hard working all rounder who made consistent and high quality contributions. A very disciplined batsman, Ian typified the value of playing straight and as a taller batsman was difficult to remove with his preference to play off the front foot. His bowling however was of the highest quality and whilst even he would agree he was medium pace at best, his accuracy and ability to move the ball was valuable on the often batting friendly Lynn Oval pitch.

Tony Linstrom

Tony was a talented spin bowling all rounder. He scored valuable runs for the club, usually when they were most needed whilst primarily in the side as a bowler. Like many before and after him bowling spin at Lynn Oval was sometimes a thankless task but never a more consistent and reliable tweaker there was.

• Club Life Member
• Represented Newcastle

Richard Tait (wk)

Richard showed more than most the effect that high quality wicketkeepers can have on a game. His ability to stand up to the stumps to the seamers was uncanny and disrupted the rhythm of many a batsman. A leg side stumping specialist, he has a cricket brain matched by few and was renowned for his ability to influence the course of games was invaluable.

Tony Caponecchia

Tony was the perfect foil for the pure quickies at the other end. "Magoo" as he is affectionately known, was the classical lion hearted workhorse seamer who often was given the thankless task of bowling in to the wind. Tony was well known by umpires not only for the size 16 boots but also for never dying wondering about a potential appeal.

• Club Life Member