How did you first fall in love with cricket, and what keeps you passionate about the game?
Cricket was a staple of my childhood, some of my earliest memories included cricket being on the TV at home. Working on the farm or travelling in the car in the summer always saw ABC Grandstand playing, where I first became accustomed to the likes of Jim Maxwell and Kerry O’Keefe. All I wanted to do was play cricket and started playing Kanga Cricket in Barraba from age 8. From there I was fortunate enough to continue playing in various junior and adult competitions throughout school and afterwards. Cricket has always been a constant in life when things change. When moving to new towns, I always found a home playing club cricket wherever that may be. The friendships I have made through cricket keeps me coming back each year.
Which episode of the Cricket Library Podcast has been your favourite and why?
I enjoyed listening to Matt sit down with Richard Chee Quee. RCQ was an iconic cult figure of the Australia Cricket and in my opinion symbolises a time when domestic cricket was a product that captured everyone’s attention. A simpler time when one’s “franchise” was their home state, and a love of the game motivated more than money could. RCQ’s development through grade cricket in the early-mid 90’s and the opportunities which followed showed that how one could come from very humble beginnings to much brighter things. Listening to RCQ talk about owning his heritage was inspiring. Having also had the privilege to watch 6 and Out live after a test win in Adelaide and seeing RCQ pump up the crowd was one of my fondest memories too.
If you could interview any cricketer (past or present), who would it be and what would you ask them?
Richie Benaud – A man who revolutionised cricket journalism, commentary, and broadcasting. I would love to ask him about the inner mechanics of Australian Cricket tours in the 1950’s & 1960’s and his story about entering broadcasting post-cricket.
What does cricket mean to you, and how has it influenced your life?
As stated above, cricket was always a sense of community. In school, great memories were had on cricket tours away. In adult life, it has been a great way to meet new people and find a new community in new towns I’ve moved to. Some of my greatest friends have come through playing cricket. The first time I went overseas was to play cricket socially in England. The environment and communities in English cricket clubs are fascinating, and it was special to be welcomed by different clubs as we toured. Now playing a part in cricket administration with my current club – North Broken hill, I am hoping others who come along can enjoy a similar experience to me and find a strong community in a new town as I did.
Why would you recommend the Cricket Library Podcast to other cricket fans?
It allows one to listen to how cricket has shaped others lives in their own words. It’s a great form of storytelling directly from the guest. Matt asks intriguing questions which in turn delivers intriguing answers. The listener can learn as if they are directly alongside the guest.
Which cricket match or moment will you never forget, and why?
I was lucky enough to be sitting at Lords when the infamous Bairstow runout took place during the 2023 Ashes. That moment was a watershed moment in the series and has impacted the game forever more, shaping discussions around fairness and legality in Cricket. To be in England in the days and weeks after was an incredible experience to witness the passion of both fans.
Which three people would you invite to your dream cricket net session and where would you have it?
· Shane Warne
· Ricky Ponting
· Mike Hussey
Venue: Adelaide Oval
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