Mark Van Epen – my best captain

The best captain I played under was Keith Stimson at Balmain.

He was captain of the 3rd grade team at around 50 years of age. He played many years of first grade as a successful left hand bat and captained the 1st grade team for a number of seasons leading them to the 1st grade premiership in 1967/68. His oozed experience on the field and in the dressing shed.

He was always calm and read the game well, knowing when to attack, when to defend and when to try something different. He had the respect of the players through example and knew how to get the best out of his players.

Keith’s two best leadership qualities were reading the situation of the game and man management.

One specific example of his leadership was in a game against Uni of NSW in which we had 6 overs to get 55 runs to win outright. I wasn’t confident we could do it, but Keith was always positive and looking for a way to win.

I was an opening batsman and Keith batted 6. Keith said, “Mark you and I are opening, and we are going to get these runs”. After 5 and half overs we got the runs at 0-56, I was 5 not out and Keith was 51 not out.

Keith was a life member of the Balmain District Cricket Club and the new Sydney Cricket Club. He passed away in 2018, aged 92.

I played against Keith Stimson in the early 70's at Pratten Park. He was Captain of the Balmain 2nd Grade side at the time and we were batting on a very placid pitch in 100 degree heat. It was a swelter. Balmain did not field well in the first hour of play and when Jack Kelleard took out the icy cold cordial after the first hour of play, Keith ordered that no Balmain player was to have a drink due to the slack fielding. As I remember things didn't improve for Balmain that day but it showed how tough the old bugger was and it is someting that has stuck with me to this day. Neil Davidson

Mark van Epen was a fine captain in his own right. His astute reading of a game enabled Balmain to win the second grade premiership in 1981/82.

Mark van Epen
Early in the 1981/82 season I was playing for Central Cumberland District Cricket Club 2nd Grade against Balmain at Drummoyne Oval. We scored just over 300 on the first day and had Balmain in deep trouble at 8 for 90 on a dampish wicket at lunch on the second day. During the lunch break, the Balmain captain, Mark van Epen approached our captain, Johnny Aitken, and said he would declare if we forfeited our second innings and we could play for outright points. J. A. put this offer to a team vote. I was the only person who argued against it, saying the wicket had dried out, they had a strong batting side and we were giving them two sessions to score just over 200 runs. So we forfeited our second innings and Balmain ended up getting the runs with only a couple of wickets down. I was the only recognised bowler who did not bowl in the second innings. This upset me greatly because even though I argued against the declaration, I would not consider doing anything but my very best for the team.
We ended up Minor Premiers and played Balmain, who had scraped into the semis because of that outright victory against us, in the final at Old Kings Oval. Cumberland won the toss and sent Balmain in on a damp wicket. I was brought to bowl my left arm orthodox deliveries fairly early and took a couple of quick wickets. When playing for Balmain a couple of seasons later, Mark van Epen told me that he regarded me as our team's most dangerous bowler and instructed his batsmen to attack me. He reasoned that if they hit a few boundaries off me that I would be taken off. That is exactly what happened. I was not brought back on to bowl until more than 70 runs had been added. I took 7 for 44 and we ended up losing by 65 runs.
Mark van Epen had outfoxed our captain twice in the season to win his team a premiership.