Graham Spring - a wonderful all-round cricketer
Michael McMahon | March 18, 2023
Graham Spring debuted for North Sydney against Sutherland in 1979/80 and holds North Sydney 1st Grade Cap No 469. Over the next dozen years, Graham Spring was to become one of Sydney Grade Cricket’s finest all-rounders. He finished with 5,809 1st Grade runs and 260 1st Grade wickets.
Graham was a superb, elegant right-handed batsman, wonderful right-arm seam bowler and exquisite slip fieldsman. On the 3rd of December 1982, at the age of 21, Graham Spring was selected in the NSW Sheffield Shield team to play against South Australia at the SCG. He batted at Number 6 and bowled first change behind the Test pacemen, Len Pascoe and Mike Whitney. As testament to the strength of this NSW XI, which went on to win the inaugural Sheffield Shield Final that season, the other 10 members of this team all played Test Cricket for Australia.
This match would be a baptism of fire for the young Graham Spring and the NSW team. The SA team contained the legendary West Indian Test fast bowler Joel Garner and a fired-up Rodney Hogg, who at this time, was hell-bent on regaining his spot in the Australian Test team. Joel Garner and Rodney Hogg routed NSW in both innings and NSW suffered a comprehensive defeat. This was to be Graham Spring’s only 1st Class match.
To best describe Graham Spring as a cricketer, his batting was pure class, a tall upright, beautiful stroke maker. His bowling, at its peak, was very similar to Stuart Clark. He hit the pitch hard, always hit the seam and got excellent bounce from his tall frame. As testament to his accuracy, in a McDonald’s Cup One Day match for NSW against SA in 1982, he opened the bowling with six consecutive maiden overs to the South Australian openers Wayne Phillips and Ian McLean. His bowling stats in this particular match were 10 overs, 6 maidens, 0 wickets for 14 runs. As regards his slips catching, it was simply top drawer. Graham was and is a most humble and modest man, who many believe had as much talent as any of the pre-eminent players in NSW during the 1980’s.
Trevor Chappell
Graham Spring was without doubt an extremely talented all round cricketer; I count myself lucky to have played in the same North Sydney line up as him. Springy excelled in all areas of the game, a deceptive fast medium bowler, a very useful high order bat, a more than useful fielder in any position, but quite an extraordinary catcher in the slips.
I will never forget his 50 over game debut for NSW against South Australia at the SCG. Opening the bowling Springy bowled 6 maidens on the trot; getting deceptive pace and good bounce, nipping the ball back into the right handers, the SACA batsmen had no answer.
Springy had limited opportunities at first class level; he certainly had all the attributes for that level.
Generally a quiet guy on and off the field; late on a Saturday night you didn’t want to receive a Spring bear hug.
Greg Bush
Graham Spring was an extremely gifted all round cricketer. He batted with style and power, was an accurate medium fast bowler and an excellent slips fielder. His talent enabled him to make the game look effortless at most times.
In consecutive weeks in 1982-83 Springy played two of the finest innings I saw in first grade- a brilliant 89 run out against ND’s on a damp Waitara wicket followed by a destructive 180 against Sutherland in a majestic display. This led to a call up to the NSW Shield team against South Australia where he was confronted by Rodney Hogg and Joel Garner. Unfortunately low scores in that game curtailed future opportunities at Shield level whereas a “softer “initiation” may well have seen him flourish.
Springy was a great team mate on and off the field. He was popular with team mates and opposition alike and win or lose he enthusiastically participated in post- game refreshments at Percys.
Andrew Jones
Graham Spring was the true definition of a genuine all-rounder for most of us growing up and playing 1st Grade cricket throughout the 80’s and 90’s. “Springy” was a tall fast medium bowler with an over the top and high wristy action and hit the deck hard with good carry which made things difficult for most batsmen. He also batted in the top half of the order and spent most of his time at number 5 and was devastating to watch when he got going and as could hit the ball as far as most during this era .It wasn’t uncommon to see a few balls go over the walls of North Sydney oval down onto the express way below or straight over the stands into the park while Springy was batting. His slips catching was second to none and could only be compared to Mark Waugh and Mark Taylor with the ease and timing he displayed.
“Springy” was a highly respected cricketer during his career and his talents were recognised by the fickle NSW selectors in the early 80’s as he was selected for a hand full of games. He was a laconic type of character who got on well with most in the cricket community and loved sharing the company of his beloved fellow Bears teammates over a few lemon squashes at the infamous “Percy’s” bar across the road at the North Sydney hotel. There were times when North Sydney oval was washed out on the Saturday without a ball being bowled where opposition teams at their peril, would head across the road for a few of the sponsors product and never saw the light of day again until the Sunday.
What a talent and a character to match.
Martin Van Rhoon
I probably knew Springy better than most. From the many ‘Test Matches’ we played on his parents driveway growing up (most of which he won), to starting our grade cricket careers, playing 1st grade (Premier Cricket) together and then against each other.
I also had the privilege to play with and against many great players, a number of which played on the world stage and some who could have. Graham was certainly in this category … there were few I came across with as much talent. When we talk about genuine all-rounders, Springy had a full ‘Kit bag’; a sharpish seamer who cut the ball around with great control and a surprisingly quick bouncer. There were very few batters he failed to trouble and this was evidenced by his one day appearances for NSW, in which top class batters struggled to get him away.
As a front line bat, there were not many that timed the ball better, as those who witnessed the numerous Premier Cricket hundreds he scored, would attest to. His team mates at North Sydney will also tell you he was one of the best slippers at any level of the game.
Graham’s bowling career was cut short by injury and why he didn’t play more first class cricket than the handful of games he played, is open to debate. But one thing that is not in debate, is, he was one of the best going around in the 80,s and 90,s in Sydney Premier Cricket.
Wayne Mulherin
Springy was always the competitor. A very talented player with both bat and ball. Graham always figured in you assessment of the opposition, played the game tough but in the right spirit. Bowling to Graham, it was always a willing contest with any poor delivery finding the boundary.
Springy was always the first to share a drink or two after the game.
Andrew Kelleher
Springy made batting look easy and he was a much underrated seam bowler, and an amazing slip fielder as well. One of the nicest guys in cricket and always encouraged his mates. Fantastic cricketer and great guy
Neil Evans
Graham Spring played one of the best knocks I’ve ever seen making 165 against St George at Hurstville. Not only did he barely miss the middle of the bat all day, he did it on about 1 hours sleep. Of course, he’s always talked about as an all-round player who should have gone right to the very top, but having batted so much with him, he was “The Natural”
Bevan White, Graham Spring, Darren Taylor, Neil Evans
