The Real Wes Hall

Circa mid-1980’s. 

Event – Midweek grade cricket practice.

Location – Albury Oval, Deagon, a Northern Brisbane outer suburb.

It was there in the old nets at the home of the Sandgate-Redcliffe District Cricket Club that we Gators trained. Right behind the Sandgate Rugby League Club change rooms and beside the Wendy Turnbull mural next to the tennis courts. Wendy is a local sporting legend and former world number 4 seen depicted diving full length in hitting a wide volley. That’s where we practised – in two turf nets with weeds on a length facing the Duke brothers in fading light off 18 yards. No helmets back then, how bloody good? Week in, week out, not real easy but we loved it and it was our club. 

Word had spread that our recruit Wes Hall was coming along to train this afternoon and we awaited his arrival. That is Wes Hall the thinly built Sunshine Coast opening batsman, not Wes Hall the powerfully built West Indian fast bowler! 

Back then Sandgate was pretty much run by the Dixon brothers – Graham, a legspinner and Ken, a right-arm medium pace bowler. Fantastic fellows who loved cricket and loved a good time, they ensured that training was organized, or as organized it could be back in those days. They sorted the teams, ran the raffles, worked on the grounds and pretty much kept the club afloat throughout. The names of Barsby, Kearney and Hohns were synonymous with the club and even to this day still working hard at the club.

Just before 5.00 o’clock, a white ute pulls up beside the nets and out hops Wes lugging his cricket bag over his shoulder. He was a carpenter by trade and came straight from a workday on the Sunny Coast to strap them on and face the music on one of the pristine surfaces awaiting him. During this era, we had had fast bowlers of the ilk of Test quicks Carl Rackemann and John Maguire, Qld quicks Simon Beattie and Keith De Jong amongst an array of excellent club bowlers such as Russell Dennis and Nick Steele. None of these guys was there on Wes’s first day but the weeds were in attendance nevertheless! In he went and he batted with a minimum of fuss I must say. 

From that day Wes played for 4 seasons in Sandgate’s First Grade team as an opening batsman and occasional left-arm tweaker before the travel down the highway from his Maroochydore home became too much and he returned to play for his local club Nambour and represent Queensland Country. He scored 2 First Grade tons in a tough era and gained the respect of opponents during his grade career as both an opening batsman and a person.

He has gone on to become a builder and operates Wes Hall Builders and lives with his wife Mimi and son Clinton at Forest Glen on the Sunshine Coast. He has toured twice with the Wanderers Club and loves his golf when he gets a rare chance to have a hit. 

Wes is one of my best mates so it was easy to interview him for Cricket Brisbane.

Do you remember that first practice session at Deagon mate? 

How could I forget, facing Steve and Billy on the old Deagon nets in the dark! Tough to bat on but it sure toughened us up.

Who were the main characters at the club back then?

Both Graham and Ken Dixon kept the club going and Diedre (Graham’s wife) was always in the canteen working hard each weekend. As above the Duke brothers ( twins ) were a couple of knockabout competitive quicks who kept everyone on our toes and of course the talent of Trevor Barsby who went on to have a great First Class career and who I opened the batting with. There were plenty of others, I just loved the opportunity to play First Grade cricket and be able to mix it with the best Qld cricketers of that era.

What was grade cricket like back in the mid-80s era?

It was tough as you played regularly against Sheffield Shield bowlers like Dirk Tazelaar, Carl Rackemann and John Maguire (who by then had gone to Wests) and given that we then had a fairly inexperienced attack we always had plenty of runs to chase! Blokes like Peter Cantrell (Wynnum-Manly) and Brett Henschell (Valleys) went okay against us.

Any players you recall being standouts from those days?

I think that given the opportunities that modern-day players are handed that a guy like Mal “Rowdy “Freeman (Easts) could have made a good career out of the game. Tremendous batsman he was. Eddie Marriner (Wynnum-Manly, Beenleigh – Logan & Norths) was as quick as anyone going around and Matt Thornhill (Sandgate -Redcliffe allrounder ) was simply a super talent. We had a young batsman - Michael Ready at Sandgate who had an outstanding debut season and won the Brisbane Player of the Year and just vanished after that. He could certainly bat but unfortunately, he just could not go on with it.

And you also played a lot in the country, any players there?

Absolutely. Mick Warden was a fantastic fast bowler. Strong and skilled and he would bowl all day without tiring. No restrictions for him! And also a fellow named Keith Scherer from Bundaberg who was a fine all-round cricketer to name a couple. Probably the best country bat that I saw was Sammy Scuderi from Ingham. He was a class act, back foot drives to behold. As good a bat as I have seen.

How did you rate country cricket – National Championships standard?

I only played the one National carnival for Qld which was held in Townsville after I left Sandgate and it was a very good level of cricket, very tough. I thought it was on par with First Grade district cricket. At least the games versus NSW, ACT and Victoria were.

You had a couple of stints in England too didn’t you Wes?

Yes, I had a couple of seasons in Darfield, Yorkshire. What wonderful times and one that all young cricketers should make sure they experience. 

Any memories of sledging in your grade cricket days?

It was pretty full-on back in the 80s. On the way to one of my hundreds against Colts I was mercilessly sledged by the late, great Peter ”Sting” Charles – calling me everything under the sun – how I could not bat etc, etc, etc After play all forgotten. Then in my final grade game which was a semi-final versus Easts at the Gabba, it was open slather. Lucky there were no stump mics then! 

You got one other hundred, didn’t you?

Yeah against Souths. 

What was the best opposition innings that you witnessed in your time?

Glenn Trimble scored a ton for Souths against us at Fehlberg Park on a wet wicket.

We had Trevor Hohns in our Sandgate attack and he was at his peak then. It was a great innings in tough conditions.

Any funny moments you can recall from your grade days on the field?

Yes, I remember our quick Brendon Buckley bowling to a young Matt Hayden one day against Valleys where Hayden drove him through the covers for four. Bucks was heard to say let’s see if he can hook then. Next ball – Yep, he can hook! 

Towards the end of your Sandgate days, they were just starting to form the nucleus of a dominant Brisbane grade team that went on to win several premierships, weren’t they?

Yes, they certainly were very useful with young blokes like Creevey, Goggin, Fitness and Ryan coming through they had plenty of success over a fair number of seasons. It was great to see the club doing well.

Been a few years now since you have had a hit mate, what are you up to these days?

Well, my building business is going well and I mainly do jobs on the Sunny Coast.

Be good to get more time to play golf but a bit tough to find the time at the moment.

Any chance of seeing you on another Wanderers trip in the future?

Hopefully one of these days mates yes.

Thanks for the chat mate.

No worries.

Give Wes a call if you're looking for a builder