The brief ODI career of Glenn Trimble

I recall reading a cricket book years ago where a bunch of celebrities picked their all-time ODI XIs. Andrew Denton listed his, putting as his 12th man Glenn Trimble “because then maybe he’d feel a lot better about being Glenn Trimble”.

That was a funny line at the time, though the time has passed, because probably only a few randoms (i.e. the people who read this site) remember who Glenn Trimble is.

But back in the late ’80s and ’90s Trimble’s fame lingered on in a sort of cult/camp comedy way, as one of the least successful Australian players of all time.

Every generation has these, of course – players who make a debut so bad that it passes into legend. In the ’70s and ’80s it was John Watkins, in the late ’80s Chris Matthews, in the noughties Mick Lewis and Bryce McCain. You say the name to a cricket fan and they cackle meanly.

We didn’t laugh so meanly in Queensland, where Trimble was a favourite son – and son of a favourite son, being the offspring of legendary open batter Sam Trimble, he of 10,282 first class runs at 42 and nil Tests. (At one stage only Bradman had scored more Shield runs than Trimble).

Trimble Snr was a beloved figure amongst Southerners-won’t-pick-us conspiracy theorists north of the Tweed, understandably stuck behind Bob Simpson, Bill Lawry, Keith Stackpole and Ian Redpath (he had his worst season, in 1967-68 just as Simmo retired) – then, less understandably, ignored for slabs of the early 70s despite Australia’s chronic lack of openers in the Chappelli era.

We tried Ken Eastwood, Ashley Woodcock, Wally Edwards and Bruce Francis but not Trimble, only because he was old.

Trimble Jnr was born in 1963 and was a school prodigy, being selected in the Australia under 19 team in 1982 and playing three “Tests” against the touring Pakistan U-19 team, scoring 232 runs over at 46. His teammates included Mike Valetta, Craig McDermott and Bronco D’jura.

He made his first class debut in 1982-83 and became a cult favourite. He was young and exciting, and not many Queensland batters fell into that category. There was Robbie Kerr but he was openers who had to be dull in those pre-Slater days, and Greg Ritchie always felt middle-aged.

He became a regular in the 1983-84 season, specialising in the useful half-century rather than a daddy hundred, as a first class batting average of 33 would indicate, but he was a handy contributor to a very strong Queensland side that had to play out of its skin to blow three Sheffield Shield finals in a row.

“Dad was a top player, a consolidation player,” reflected Trimble in the mid-’80s. “I’m a more free, easy-going sort of player. I tend to play a lot more rash strokes than he eve did.”

“Glenn Trimble could dismantle attacks,” recalled Phil Mooney, who played against him in grade cricket. “I can recall having to cross Oxley Road to collect balls on more than a handful of occasions.”

Ken Healy said Trimble was one of his funniest and most talented teammates. “Glenn Trimble was always on. I saw him do things that no one else could do both on the field and off the field.”

Trimble’s career shifted up a gear during the 1985-86 summer. Australian cricket, already in a rebuilding stage, had lost 16 players to South Africa. Spots were available in the national side.

In a game against the touring New Zealand side, captain Allan Border asked Trimble to have a bowl. Until that date he had only bowled one first class over in his career and was only an occasional bowler for his South Brisbane club.

Trimble took 2–0 in his first over.

Reports said that “Trimble was mobbed by his teammates who did nothing to conceal their shock and amusement at his success.” He took four wickets for the game and made 49 and 26 with the bat. “I always knew that I could bowl but no one else did,” he declared.

Trimble took 2–63 against South Australia, then took five wickets against Tasmania. He scored 75 and 41 and took two wickets against Victoria, then made made 87 and took five wickets against South Australia.

This was impressive stuff and it was hard for the selectors to reject the romance of it all – the son of a legend, young player, big hitter and now handy bowler… the future! In January 1986 Trimble was selected in the Australian one-day team as a replacement for David Hookes against the touring New Zealand side.

“I was elated, I really didn’t expect it and laughed off a suggestion I was even close,” Trimble said at the time.

“But Dad rang from his sports centre at the Gabba and then raced in with a grin all over his face – it was all over mine too. I suppose I can now start to think that some success and more hard work could get me to New Zealand in February or India later in the year. I certainly hope to be used in an all round capacity as I’d like to have a bowl for Australia.”

Trimble made his ODI debut at Perth’s WACA Ground to bolster the batting, replacing David Gilbert in the 11 (Gilbert was made 12th man). “His hard hitting style could stiffen the middle order,” wrote the Sydney Morning Herald hopefully.

(Photo by Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The game started badly for Trimble when he dropped a catch in the gully off Steve Waugh’s bowling. Then he was given the ball when New Zealand was 4-61. His first delivery was a beam ball which Jeff Crowe fended off for two runs. The second, another full toss, was dropped by keeper Wayne Phillips and was ruled a no ball.

The third ball was a full toss which was hit for four. Some of the crowd started to boo Trimble. “I’m not quite sure what’s happening,” said Tony Greig. “I feel a little sorry for him, he’s obviously feeling a little tense. For some reason he keeps bowling these huge full tosses.”

Trimble bowled four overs in all, conceding 32 runs, being dropped again, a complete sitter. “For some reason whenever Glenn Trimble comes to the bowling crease the quality of the cricket becomes almost farcical,” said the New Zealand commentator.

He then batted at 8 and was not out on 0, facing three balls, surviving an appeal to LBW off the bowling of Richard Hadlee. Australia won the match by three wickets. The Herald reported that Trimble’s “potential cannot be judged fairly on the basis of this first nerve-affected performance.” But it would remain his most famous cricket feat.

You can watch highlights below.

Trimble was made 12th man for Australia’s next match against India, but recalled for the following match against New Zealand in Adelaide, repxlacing fellow Queenslander Greg Ritchie.

Trimble batted at No.4, scoring a boundary off the first delivery, before being caught off the bowling of Richard Hadlee on the following ball. He did not bowl. New Zealand won the match by 206 runs!

Trimble was then dropped, replaced by Dean Jones.

To his great credit, he recovered by taking 5-50 against Tasmania and he ended the summer with 605 runs at 37.81 and 29 wickets at 26.17. This included 112 in the Sheffield Shield final which Queensland came so close to winning.

The Australian Test selectors, Lawrie Sawle, Greg Chappell, Dick Guy and Jim Higgs, gave Trimble a 12-week Esso scholarship in England over the 1986 winter along with Mark Waugh, Keith Bradshaw and Denis Hickey.

Trimble was still very much in “the conversation” as 1986-87 summer began. However he did not bowl in early McDonalds Cup games because of a muscle spasm in his back and he had a recurring sciatic nerve problem which meant he had to stop bowling.

So, while he made 562 runs at 37.46 that season he barely bowled, taking 0-63. Indeed Trimble only took one more first class wicket for the rest of his carer – and his batting results weren’t strong enough to get in the side on that alone.

Trimble had a decent 1987-88 (660 first class runs at 36.66 including a century in a session in one game), playing in another unsuccessful Shield final that summer (his fourth). He was dropped from the Queensland side in 1988-89, got back in the team, and was dropped for good in 1989-90.

What do we make of the career of Glenn Trimble? Good state player – if Queensland had gotten over the line in any of those Shield finals he’d be regarded as a legend. If injury hadn’t have stopped him bowling, he would’ve gotten another chance at international level.

Is it better to have played two forgettable ODI games or none? You’d have to ask him. But I never laughed at you, Glenn!