Andrew Gordon - the contest and mateship
Ballina Bears Cricket Club | May 07, 2023
Andrew Gordon has played most of his cricket in the country regions of New South Wales.
He did venture into the big smoke of Sydney at the age of 30 for work and played grade cricket for Western Suburbs and is the proud owner of first grade cap 636.
Wherever Andrew has played the teams and clubs have had success which is a measure of his ability and what he brings to the team on and off the field.
Andrew has represented the NSW Imparja Indigenous team and was a key player in the team for over a decade.
He is currently playing in Orange and was a member of the Ballina Bears from 2001 to 2010.
Let’s find out more about Andrew’s journey in the game
What year you were born?
1980
Can you remember you first game of cricket?
I was 9 Years old and used to follow my father to cricket every weekend as he played with a club called Merah North in the Pilliga District Cricket Association based around Wee Waa. The team he was playing for were short and I played number 11 and fielded at fine leg. They gave me a bat at the end of the day to thank me for helping out.
Tell us briefly about your cricketing journey?
I started out playing country grade cricket for Wee Waa before starting junior cricket in Narrabri. I was fortunate enough to play in an all Wee Waa/Burren Junction team of players in the Narrabri Juniors from 10’s through to the age of 16. We were fairly successful junior team winning 5 consecutive competitions.
I played senior men’s grade cricket from the age of 13 for Wee Waa and then played for two clubs, Wilga Namoi’s and RSL, in the Narrabri District competition when I turned 16 through to 19 years of age.
I then moved to Ballina and played with Ballina Bears from 2001-2010. I captain/coach of the club for 3 seasons in the middle of this era and we were fairly successful in developing our juniors coming through winning our first competition in 2008/09. I then moved to Sydney and played with Western Suburbs from 2010-2016.
Again, lucky enough to play 1st Grade cricket for Western Suburbs in all three formats of the game, captained 2nd grade in 2014/15 season and was an Assistant Coach at the club for the remaining two years 0f 2015-2017.
I’ve played the past two seasons with Orange City and won two competitions with a great bunch of young men and currently still playing this year in 1st Grade.
Probably my largest achievement through my time was making multiple North West & Central Northern NSW teams and trialling for NSW Country teams throughout my teenage years and then fortunate enough to be selected for NSW Imparja Cup XI in the Indigenous cricket side in 2004. I played until 2016 and my final year I was an Assistant Coach of the NSW XI National Indigenous Cricket Competition (NICC) Cup side.
Andrew Gordon batting
If you can share with our audience, how would you describe yourself as a cricketer?
All-rounder. I found in my teenage years I wanted to bat in the late order and bowl medium-swing bowling. Similar to my 1st Grade career at Western Suburbs. I found a home batting at 3 for Ballina Bears for a number of years which was also great for my batting but now in Orange back to my speciality of batting in around the middle order.
What was your highest score in senior cricket?
I’ve scored 165 twice. The first was 165 not out for Wee Waa opening the batting. The second time for Ballina Bears batting at 3 against Murwillumbah at Murwillumbah Oval. This was my favourite innings.
What were your best bowling figures in senior cricket?
I think its 7/31 for Ballina Bears in an Innings against Casino Cavaliers at Fripp Oval in Ballina. I finished up taking 10 wickets for the match with 3 wickets in the second innings.
Who have been the best three fast bowlers you have played against?
Pat Cummings – I only got to face him once in a game and it was on a wet deck. Quick and intimidating. Never forget that spell with he and Joshua Lalor in tandem for Penrith. Once was enough to make this list!
Al Nowland from Casino – One of the toughest competitors and would continually swing and seem the ball in all conditions and bowl long spells to complicate things.
Len Blok from Souths Lismore – Wicket taking fast bowler and time and time again never gave an inch with his seem bowling.
Notable mentions – Mitchell Starc and Daniel McLachlan. I didn’t have to play against (thankfully) but in the nets they were not healthy to face at any time or on any deck.
Pat Cummins
Who have been the best three spinners you have played against?
Dane Ugle from Western Australia Indigenous XI - Didn’t turn the ball significantly, but his left-arm off-spin always had my feet in a mess when facing him.
Jordan Waugh from Lennox Head – Another Left-arm off-spinner but had guile and a strong armball. Again, he tied me up a lot and was difficult to attack aggressively.
Manjot Singh from Western Suburbs and Sydney – Thankfully played more with Manjot at Wests but played against him when he moved to Sydney and could see how difficult he was to get away as a Right Arm Off-Spinner. Turned and flighted the ball which made contests tough.
Dane Ugle
Who have been the best 3 batsman you’ve played against?
Brett Crawford from Tintenbar East-Ballina – Aggressive opening batsmen and anything loose went to the boundary. Run scoring machine in the North Coast and could put on big scores quickly.
Sam Irvine from Casino Cavaliers – Elegant and played with so much time. Could’ve been anything this kid at a time when NSW Country batsmen were plentiful. If he got past 20 it was going to be a long day trying to get him out.
Greg Potter from Alstonville – Greg was one of the many batsmen I rarely had any good fortune with as a bowler. Again, someone that could take the game from you but also bat for supremely long periods and was as gritty as he was elegant. Batted at 3 and worthy of that position for his style of play.
Notable mention of Tom Cooper – Played with Easts in Lismore before going on to bigger things. Superstar kid at 16-17 years of age and showed it in the short time he played on the North Coast of NSW.
Sam Irvine
Who played the best innings you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?
Nathan Price against QLD in an Imparja Cup round game. He scored 105 not out against a formidable bowling line-up and we chased just over 190 runs to win a T-20 game. Nathan played some exceptional cricket shots and it was one of the first times I’d seen the QLD bowling attack stuck for answers of where to bowl to him. He had some support but his innings is one of the greatest I’ve personally ever seen.
Notable mention – Jeff Cook and John Duckett partnership for NSW again against QLD. Won us the unwinnable round game from nowhere. Chased another strong total in a 40 over game and to watch two senior players terrorise a bowling attack was worthy of sitting in the 48 degree heat in Alice Springs.
Who was the best wicket keeper you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?
Daniel Smith from Western Suburbs – Had the pleasure of having Daniel Smith and Phil Hughes captain me at Wests. Dan’s keeping was exceptional up at the stumps. His batting was also aggressive but he’d be my first wicket-keeper chosen in any team. His captaincy was exceptional when he had the gloves on as well.
Daniel Smith
Who are the two players you admired most in terms of skills and competitive spirit in the competitions you played?
Shane Jacobs from Ballina Bears – One of my all-time favourite players to play with. We just had the same thoughts on the game and how it was played but his tenacity as an open bowler and aggressive mindset to his bowling to pick apart batting line-ups was second to none. His skill with the ball both swing and seem was admirable. 1st guy picked in any format of my cricket teams.
John Duckett from NSW Imparja Cup – Johnny was inspirational off and on the field for what he has become. His skill was unbelievable with the bat and my 1st ever time batting with him showed when he scored 118 in 18 overs. Exceptional straight hitting batsmen but he bowled medium pace and fielded exceptionally well also. A much loved player all of us respected and enjoyed watching and playing with.
Shane Jacobs
Who was the best captain you had the good fortune to play with? And if you could add a few words to why
I can’t split three players, Shane Jacobs (Ballina Bears), Jeff Cook (NSW, Western Suburbs) and Michael Gordon (Wee Waa). I learned plenty from these guys throughout my cricket and they’ve instilled a lot of wisdom in my own game over a long period of time. I couldn’t split these 3 men at all and if I wanted knowledge, I just listened to them
Who has been your funniest team mate?
Toby Hordern from Ballina Bears – There wasn’t a game where Tob’s and I didn’t have a laugh. Even through the tough early years at the Bears we had some great laughs and then winning a competition together it was worth all the wait. We are great friends and it started when I coached Toby in his early career as well, but some of his sledging, stories and antics on and off the field were always great to hear during a warm-up or post-game with a beer or two.
Can you recall some banter or an exchange on the cricket field that still makes you laugh today?
I can and I was the target of the sledging abuse by my own team mates. I bowled an over at the National Indigenous Cricket Championships (Impara Cup) in Alice Springs in 2008 I think playing against South Australia and was known for my outrageous shirts that I had for social activities after games. The over was relentless. I couldn’t start my run-up at one stage because I laughed at one of my teams mates sledging me from 2nd slip about the clothes I wore the night before. I won’t share the exact comments but it was brutal (in laughter). Comments like “Vinnies have lost their best customer since I’ve been in Alice Springs away from Ballina” etc. I still have these comments uttered on occasion from former team mates about that day.
What was your most embarrassing dismissal in senior cricket?
I don’t have an embarrassing dismissal that stands out. Although, I hated being run out when I was younger and there were some B-B-Q’s along the way with some senior blokes looking after their batting averages.
Who was your childhood hero?
I had 4, Mark Waugh and Ricky Ponting for Australia and Curtly Ambrose for the West Indies. All speak for themselves with their illustrious careers. My own personal hero was my father as I wouldn’t have played the game if it wasn’t for him.
Mark Waugh
What do you enjoy most about playing cricket?
The contest and the comradery during the contest. There is nothing more stimulating then being in a contest and fighting through it with your team mates. Especially if you’ve got the ball in hand or the trying to run down a total with the bat. Those contests stick with you for life and create lasting memories.
What’s been your most memorable moment in cricket?
Winning the 2008/09 Grand Final for Ballina Bears with only 8 balls to spare in circumstances that made the game nearly incomprehensible. To win National Championships and other grand finals was a blessing but to do it with some of your best mates is life altering. The team I played in we have a life-long connection now and it showed the way we played that year. We played with nothing to lose and we won and achieved everything we’d trained for. Scoring tons and taking big wicket hauls are great but nothing like winning a championship with some of your best mates.
I played in the National Indigenous Cricket Team in 2005 and that was a great moment for me as well playing against the Queensland Academy of Sport team that included Shane Watson, Aaron Nye, Ashley Noffke, Chris Hartley and James Hopes. Fortunate enough to play in that same team with Daniel Christian and Daniel Payne was a great experience as well.
What did it mean to you personally to represent NSW Imparja team at Australian Indigenous Championships for a number of years?
To me it was such an honour to play the game I loved with my own Indigenous brothers. Not only play for our families and communities but from a cultural perspective it was significant to see steps taken by Cricket Australia to develop and preserve such a great concept in Australia. We have a rich cricketing history for Aboriginal people playing the game but it hasn’t been exposed/marketed enough to the wider community. In the past 5 years there has been plenty of development and hopefully we’ll see another Indigenous cricketer such as Ashley Gardner or Jason Gillespie in the not too distant future wearing a Baggy Green. I was fortunate enough to play on the SCG for the NSW Imparja Cup team and that’s a highlight for me along with holding the Baggy Blue Cap No.17 for NSW Aboriginal Cricket.
NSW Imparja Cup team in 2010/11
When you came to Sydney you played with Western Suburbs and the proud owner of first grade cap 636. What prompted the move to Sydney and how do you look back at your time playing NSW Premier Cricket with Wests?
I moved for work at the time and it was significant as I was turning 30 and was hoping to try my luck at making a 1st Grade team and was fortunate enough to do so. I enjoyed my time thoroughly playing for the Magpies and playing with guys like Daniel Smith, Manjot Singh, Joe Mennie, Brad Razool and the late Phillip Hughes were highlights in my first year at the club. Playing with some other guys predominantly in the top 3 grades such as Nick Pryde, John Di Bartolo, Jason Hughes, Michael Tudehope and Ash Squires was also entertaining most games.
What’s the best win you’ve been involved with?
Hard to go past the Grand Final for the Ballina Bears I mentioned above. However, I did bowl a super over against Fairfield-Liverpool at Rosedale Park, Warwick Farm in a Quarter-Final in 2010-11 season. Phil Hughes was our captain because Daniel Smith was out of the game through injury and we only required 3 runs to win the Super Over game after a gruelling tie in regular overs on a slow pitch. I was lucky enough to pick up Ben Rohrer in both the regular innings and the final ball of the Super Over. We went on to play in the final of the T-20 competition that season but lost to Sydney in a close game.
Who are the three players from your playing days at the top of the list for a Saturday afternoon barbeque?
Shane Jacobs (Ballina Bears), Greg Wellington (Bomaderry) and Ben Riley (Ballina Bears). Loved spending time talking to these guys about the game.
Greg Wellington with Andrew Gordon
What are your hobbies?
Playing the guitar and spending time with my wife and children.
What’s the best advice you’ve received?
It’s best if I quote the best advice I received. “When you bat you will get yourself out 97 times out of 100. The other 3 times you’ll get a diamond duck, the best ball you’ve ever receive and the last one is up to you to make the most of that final opportunity”. Sir Doug Walters said to me at a coaching session at Cricket NSW when I was 23. Sir Doug said this to me after watching me bat for 30 minutes in the session and then tore apart my mental behaviour of batting and broke it down which improved my batting immensely.
What is your current occupation?
Work with NSW Public Service
Let’s give your employer a plug, who do you work for?
Training Services NSW with Department of Education and Training.
Are you still involved in cricket and if so, in what capacity?
Currently still playing 1st grade for Orange City Cricket Club in Central Western NSW. Thoroughly enjoying playing cricket with the club and a great bunch of young cricketers coming through.
Cricket Masala 2006! Dan Christian, Josh Lalor, Jeff Cook, Andrew Gordon, John Duckett and Ryan Donovan
If you were running Cricket NSW what would your 2 priorities to ensure cricket in the state remained strong and successful on and off the field?
My first priority would be to enhance the Aboriginal cricket initiatives in the state by funding Indigenous Cricket officers in each regional and metropolitan area of NSW. This would be to enhance the exposure and participation rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, men and children playing the greatest sport in the world let alone NSW and Australia.
The second would be to provide greater support to rural and remote communities in NSW that are isolated due to travel, distance, financial restraints etc. and give them an opportunity to see the Big Bash Competitions (both women’s and men) and show them that they’re a part of our state and provide them with an experience which could have an impact on their lives. This year has surely given us the knowledge of how much we need to respect the life we have and provide these types of opportunities to rural and remote NSW communities which are also an integral part of the Cricket NSW community.
