About Me

Stephen Leathley

Business Owner

Newcastle, NSW, Australia

Have a shirt that says "World's Okayest Cricketer", maybe that is a bit flattering, but I like it, and find it funny. I was about 8 when I thought I was going to be Dennis Lillee, but for some reason I didn't quite get there. Instead I have had to settle for a life of playing park cricket and now veterans, which I have rather enjoyed for the last 45+ years.
Professionally I am a Town Planning Consultant based out of The Vintage in the Hunter Valley. If you ever visit, please look me up for advice on where to eat, what golf courses to play and where the best places are to try wine.

Favourite players: Alan Border Dennis Lillee Punter

Favourite grounds: SCG

All-time cricket hero: Warnie

Favourite bat: GM

Most memorable moment in cricket:

What’s the best cricket advice you’ve ever received:

Contact Me

My Activity

question

Q: Just finished another great cricket experience playing for NSW in the Div 2 side in the national championships in Christchurch NZ. A few ‘toight’ games beating Qld, then SA on one of the coldest ever days any of us have played cricket. Then Greg Hall and I put on 70 odd in 8 overs as a 10th wicket stand to steal a thrilling semi final against the host NZ to book a spot in yesterdays final against the other NSW team. As the pictures below illustrate……. of course the Cinderella story continued and we won Great team effort, great bunch of guys superbly led by my great mate Mark Tranter
Thanks for the memory’s guys
For those wanting to know how I went personally, well, ‘I got a few’

Picture - Luke Stoodley, Mark Tranter, Greg Hall, Stephen Leathley

question

Q: I played a game for the SCG XI at the SCG a few years ago against the Honk Kong Cricket Club and they had this opening bowler who played County cricket and apparently bowled 140km/hr. Stuart Clark was captaining us that game and got out LBW to him on the last ball of one of his overs, then he skittled our next batsman first ball of his next over.

So, I found myself trudging out onto the SCG to face the hat trick ball. Russell Grimson was at the other end and said to me ‘play forward, he will pitch it up’. Well, Russell was right, it was pitched up, but it was through me before I got a chance to get forward, quickest ball I have ever faced by far, wrapping my back pad on the knee roll. Arthur Watson was umpiring and gave me not out. Not sure what part of middle stump it would have been missing. Maybe Arthur is a bit if a sadist and just wanted to watch me face the rest of that over, which I did, somehow. I actually really enjoyed the challenge.

answered

Q: What is the most surreal moment you've experienced in cricket?

A: Playing a game for the SCGXI at the Hindu Gymkhana cricket ground in Mumbai. Stifling heat and humidity, not a blade of grass on the outfield, a literal dust bowl where we had to bury our heads in our shirts every 10 minutes as dust squalls blew through the ground. The kids were 10 deep along the boundary and I was running along it high-fiving them. Finished covered in red dust. Greatest cricket game ever coming down to the last ball.