Scanning The Roar’s cricket comments is a riveting pastime. A symposium of passion, some points are well made, some less so. Some posts push the barrow of certain players, often curiously.
Man-crushes are as prevalent as vendettas. The spirit of Voltaire looms in such forums because we understand that all contributors care deeply about the gentleman’s game. I may not agree with everything Geoff Lemon has to say, but I scramble to his insights.
The gold standard of a cricket lover is the advancement of inane statistics. “He’s the first Namibian-born mollydooker to take a wicket with the first ball of his third over”.
But I’d suggest you’re also a cricket geek if you’ve ever played the following game, which I bet you have. It’s the one where you and your cricket-loving mates try to recall dependable Sheffield Shield players of a bygone era.
And it’s an important game, because these men deserve to be remembered.
As the Prime Minister oddly revived imperial honours, Cricinfo writer Jarrod Kimber joked on the Twittersphere that we should anoint Graeme Vimpani and John Davison. My immediate reaction was a familiar one – “Graeme Vimpani! I remember that bloke!”
And then it starts. “What about Joe Scuderi?!” Try closing those floodgates. New South Welshman, without fail, bring up Richard Chee-Quee and Greg Mail.
We know of David Saker, England bowling coach, as the “former Victorian and Tasmanian quick”.
The correlation between our national performance and our domestic standards is plain to see. During our golden era, players with consecutive 1,000 run seasons could barely get a look-in.
In recent years, the standard of both has tapered off. We are products of our environment, and our domestiques are Australian cricket’s ultimate conservationists.
As Aussie cricket fans, we boasted about the strength of our first-class competition. We rightly proclaimed that if Jamie Siddons was a Kiwi, or a Pom, he would have played a mountain of Test cricket, and done so successfully.
The Sheffield Shield final was always about the Michael Hogans, Jason Behrendorffs and Peter Nevills of this world.
Notwithstanding the contributions of Steve Smith, Moises Henriques and Josh Hazelwood, the sacred arena of international cricket will contribute faithfully to their highlights reel. For the rest, this was their summit.
For all the talk about its adverse impact on technique and long-form standards, I bow to the Big Bash for re-connecting us with non-internationals. The likes of Ben Dunk, Chris Lynn and Cameron Gannon are gaining unprecedented eminence in the Australian cricketing scene. And rightly so.
Even plodding Sheffield Shield players are much better than we could ever dream of being. There’s a reason they are on one side of the fence and us on the other. So take a moment to acknowledge their contribution to the very fabric of our cricketing being.
Honorary descendants of Lord Sheffield: Laurie Harper, Dene Hills, Mark Lavender et al. We remember you. We honour you. We thank you.
You may now arise, Sir Dirk Tazelaar.
Javicab
Guest
How about a few great wicketkeepers for Queensland. John McLean, Ray Phillips and Chris Hartley. Long serving, super skilful and great team players. Long live the Sheffield shield.
pope paul v11
Guest
Some mighty boys there. Who played test cricket with the least amount of runs or wickets ( not including countries without established FC ) ?
ChrisB
Guest
At least 3 left arm spinners in my time would beg to differ , 2 the David's Hourn and Freedman, and a current finger spinner.
JGK
Roar Guru
We really should do a version of this thread with League Players of the 80s and 90s....
Johnno
Guest
Keep going Julian get to 300, were only getting started.
Julian King
Roar Guru
Exhausted. Thank you everyone for your contributions. Over 200 posts. Outstanding fun. Some great names and an extraordinary depth of knowledge, passion and recall on display. Well done.
JGK
Roar Guru
Ferguson? The list of most FC runs for non-Test players if you are interested (from Charles Davis' blog): 1 A Jones 36,012 2 JG Langridge 34,378 3 GL Berry 30,225 4 KG Suttle 30,225 5 PA Perrin 29,709 6 BF Davison 27,453 7 J Seymour 27,237 8 KS McEwan 26,628 9 DE Davies 26,564 10 CEB Rice 26,331 11 MJ di Venuto 25,200 12 DM Young 24,555 13 MR Hallam 24,488
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Far out! Diva outSiddoned Siddons. I though he and Ponting were going to conquer the world together. Better throw in Klinger, Voges and that SAer who's scores a few now and then but who's name escapes me.
AlexThanopoulos
Roar Rookie
The fact that Gilly was almost chosen to start his Test career as a batsmen says it all. He really should have played a lot more tests than he did. Waited far too long in the shadows.
Johnno
Guest
Paul Jackson another classic shield player we haven't heard of in a while. Add to the list Craig Howard, and Brad Hogg, and Adrian Tucker. But the difference is all the other keepers were as good wicket keepers and batters as Heals, unlike Warne who was better.
Johnno
Guest
Beefy Botham was arrogant and egotsical, and was very bitter later in career. Anyone who knows cricket, knows how slow beffy botham as bowling in his career at the end of it, Anderson could easily handle and most keepers could stand up to someone of Botham's pace that he was bowling by then when at QLD. Beefy just didn't like it that he was exposed as his best were behind him. QLD should of stuck by Anderson, he was playing by the truth.
JGK
Roar Guru
DiVa is the highest FC runscorer for Australians who never played a Test and in fact 11th all time on anyone who never played a Test.
JGK
Roar Guru
And to be fair Johnno, this is a bit like saying Warney ruined or undermined the careers of Paul Jackson, Bryce McGain and Peter McIntyre.
JGK
Roar Guru
Pretty sure Dyer and Zoehrer at least were their own worst enemies, rather than Heals. And Anderson too given his standing up to the stumps to Botham ended up giving Heals his chance.
Johnno
Guest
Ian Healy ruined or undermined the careers of so many wicket-keepers. NSW Greg Dyer Craig Glassock Phil Emery Adam Gilchrist. Gilly went on to have a good test career but that should of been much longer, but Healy dragged on, and sadly Gilchrist only played test cricket at 28, when really he should of been playing test cricket at 24 or 25 QLD Peter Anderson Wade Sedcombe Victoria Micheal Dimitina Darren Berry Tasmania Mark Atkinson South Australia Tim Neielsen Western Australia Tim Zoehrer So about 12 wicket keepers, Ian Healy's career impacted on massively on not playing for Australia or reaching it's full potential.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Using no tests as a guildeline Michael Di Venuto was a great contributor to Shield, touch of Siddons bad luck. Troy Cooley. Big Cossie.
AlexThanopoulos
Roar Rookie
Tim Neilson - sorry for going on about keepers...
Johnno
Guest
Wow, after all this, I say what have we all been doing in the 90's. Stuff Test cricket, the sheffield shield is where all the big crowds should of been. Sheffield shield, was more fun than test cricket in the 90's and maybe a higher standard. Take Australia out, and South Africa there was not much else. India only got good in the late 90's 1998.
Julian King
Roar Guru
Nah. Australian schoolboy.
Ghost Crayfish
Guest
Ah, Matthew Mott, what a legend. He played some very gritty innings for QLD at times... I have vague memories of watching Shane George get smacked (by Trevor Barsby) all around the 'Gabba during that glorious 94/95 Shield final. I think he got a run for Australia A around then as well, alongside another supreme mid 90s also ran, Greg Rowell.