My Best Grade team - Trent Ryan 1985 to 2000

Trent Ryan | January 23, 2023

I have always loved playing the game and still do.

Cricket really is a sport for life, and I love the fact it has led to many friendships with past and current team mates, opponents (some of whom were fierce opponents), officials, administrators, and the men in black and white, not so much some selectors!

I debuted in first grade for Sandgate Redcliffe in 1985. Selected as a schoolboy when the competition was battled fiercely, (not sure you could even get reported in those days), by what seemed like players who were all nearly at least 10 years older than me. "Are you still shitting yellow?" seemed to be most opponent’s curiosity of my physical abilities at the time. I played my last game for the Gators in a Premiership win, and in between played first grade for Colts for 2 seasons, and went over to Norths for a season as well.

This is my best XI from the teams I played in during that time, only criteria is no First Class players allowed as it would fill it up, but rather I have picked players that could have, and some no doubt should have played for the State:

1. Kim Evertts – Queensland Colts

Played well for plenty of seasons as well for Souths and Wynnum. Technically sound, great striker of the ball, excellent fielder and all round great teammate. Trained physically hard before it was thought of by most players and equally good against the quicks or spinners.

2. Matt Thornhill - Sandgate Redcliffe RIP

Matt came to Sandgate as our country player for the Metway Cup one day competition and we managed to hang onto Nugget for a few seasons. We were told he was a left arm quick and when I asked him which end he wanted to bowl from in the warm-up of our first game he calmly told me he was a batsman. I said shit mate, you're at the wrong club to get much of go as a batter, given we had Barsby, Ryan, Googins x2, Nash, Fitness, but wow, he could play. Spent his time opening when Barsby was away and 5 or 6 for the rest. Had all the goods, back and front foot, quicks, spinners it didn't matter, and excellent concentration to build a big innings. Handy left arm mediums and the odd over of wrist spin as well.

3. Matt Goggin - Sandgate Redcliffe

Easily the best player I played with that missed higher honours. Over 20 first grade hundreds, top score of 300 not out what more needs to be said. Excellent slips catcher and an uncanny knack of throwing the stumps down at will. Great player in all formats and a destroyer of ordinary bowling. How he never played for Queensland is just beyond me, I am without speech!

4. Michael Ready - Sandgate Redcliffe

Only played a few seasons before work got in the way of his cricket. In his first season of grade cricket he won the First Grade Player of the year and a trip to South Molle Island, seemed like winning lotto in those days. That season he had Trevor Barsby's first grade season aggregate record in his sights only to be selected for Colts for the last round, where he peeled off 85. More than enough to secure the record, but alas missed out. Colts runs didn't count. Underrated bowler and had a slower ball out the back of the hand in 1984, well ahead of his time. Extremely strong leg side player, don't know what Terry Khan was doing with a 7-2 field, it didn't work too well.

5. Dominic Ovendon – Norths (wicket keeper)

Unbelievably good player against all types of bowling. Played Trevor Hohns as easily as anyone in grade cricket. The season I played at Norths we opened the batting and he just seemed to score runs for fun. Keeping was very tidy, good cricket brain and quiet, no nonsense approach to the game. Maybe the lack of chirp was his short coming for higher honours, could have been selected as a batter or keeper.

6. David Nash - Sandgate

There is only one David Nash, I can hear "thank god" echoing around the cricket world in regards to that statement. I don't know what went through David's mind most of the time and shit he was a captain's nightmare to understand or control. But regardless he could bat as well as anyone when he was on planet earth. The 100 he got against Wests with McDermott, Rowell, Rackemann, Thompson and Co was as good an innings as I have seen in grade cricket. His off field endeavours were amazing to say the least.

7. Darren Hines - Colts

Also played with Darren in Qld junior and under 19 teams. Travelled in from Fernvale to play for Colts and he stayed around to play for Valleys as well. Farmer was a true all rounder, kept wicket in Qld under 15's and 4 years later he is a fast bowling all rounder in the State 19's. Was a solid contributor in our Colts season together with the ball, and peeled off a 100 against a powerful Wests attack in great style, excellent field in all positions, and great competitor with a huge heart.

8. Brendan Buckley - Sandgate Redcliffe

Just scrapes in as Bucks did get picked in a Shield 12, but did not get a game. The year he got picked it was just fast bowling at its brutal best. It was my first season as skipper at Sandgate and in 19 games of cricket the highest opening stand against us was 29. Bucks bowled serious heat with uncanny bounce from just short of a length. We had Toombul 5-5 at tea in one game, and unfortunately it stopped the carnage. Cliffo said at stumps they would not have got 20 if tea didn't get in the way. To add to his skill set Brendan scored an unbelievable 100 in a one day final at the Gabba against Wests when we were only chasing 150, balls clearing the dog track at will.

9. Mark Chamberlain - Sandgate,

Dingo was a wonderful off-spinner and took a remarkable 7-19 in his first grade debut. Did not get to bowl as much as he should have if he was at another club given we had Trevor Hohns, myself and Mark Garland during this time as well. Also bowling at Deagon was no picnic at the time as it was a road most weeks. Bowled with good drift, spun the ball well and nothing seemed to worry Mark either. Great short leg fielder and handy batter.

10. Brett Mortimer – Sandgate

Quality fast bowler with well over 200 first grade poles to his name. Morto would never let you down and was a fierce competitor with a never give up attitude. Best bouncer going around for quite a while, and used it effectively and dangerously, as many a batsman would testify. Brett's greatest attribute was that the flatter the wicket the better he went, he loved the extra challenge and I think his cricket prospered by having to beat a number of other quality quicks we had at the time to even get a game in first grade. Got me out in my first game for Norths so had to get picked on that alone.

11. Peter Charles - Colts (Captain) RIP

Sting was great to play with and bloody annoying to play against. The 2 years he was Captain-Coach at Colts were two of my happiest playing cricket. In one season we ran second, lost to Wests in a semi we should have won, and the next year we ran last. Both we as much fun as each other, not sure if that is a good or bad thing. Sting was a good left arm bowler and under rated number 11 batter. His love for the game, and the thrill of the challenge is what stood him apart, that and he was unbelievable company away from the field who just loved a great time no matter where you were.