My Best Grade team - Chris Sabburg 2008 to 2020

I debuted in Brisbane First Grade Cricket in 2008/2009. I have played with many, many talented grade cricketers and also Queensland and Australian players. I was extremely lucky to play in a golden era for Toombul District Cricket Club from 2008/09-2014/15 where we played many semi and grand finals and winning a couple premierships in two day and white ball cricket. I then moved clubs for a change of scenery after losing the love for the game a bit. I moved across town to Western Suburbs District Cricket Club, where I had family. I had three very successful and happy years at Wests from 2015/16-2017/18 winning a two day premiership in 16/17.

In 2018 I drove over to Perth to chance my hand for a last crack for higher honours and I am currently playing for the University of Western Australia Cricket Club.

Selection Criteria – players selected have played less than 25 First Class, List A and T20 games.

So my team in batting order:

1. Scott Milini – Toombul

Scooter was a character to say the least. When he, Matt Kerr, Jason Voros and Gavin Fitness all came down the Bruce to Toombul it was the first year I played in the Brisbane comp. His relationship with these other blokes was solid as a rock (not without the odd barney) but I think his experience of winning a premiership with these guys at the Scorchers was one that helped Toombul’s dominant era. A very elegant stroke maker and strong all around the ground saw Scooter open the batting for us in the early years of my career and scored solid runs in tough situations. A great bloke and a proper laugh on the beers after games.

2. Glen Batticciotto – Toombul

A great mate of mine and we still talk weekly about batting and still have a battle between who scores more runs every weekend. The past few years, I knew when I got a call from Batty on a Sunday or Monday that he got big runs on the weekend. And when I say big runs, Batty knew how to get big runs. So relaxed at the crease and nothing fazed him. A quiet confidence in his ability but loved letting people know, but that was just Glen. I’m sure no one in grade cricket disliked the man. Big hitting and a beautiful technique, Glen could adapt to every situation the game threw at him. His cover drive is on par with Michael Hussey’s. I haven’t even written about his bowling ability yet. Swung the ball both ways at good pace and got more bounce than expected. A heavy ball. An amazing spell in the 2012/13 Grade final (6/75) which won us the game and just shows his all-round capabilities. Great teammate, and could have played much more first class cricket. Left hander to open with Milini the right hander.

3. Sam Truloff - Wests

Sam; in the three years I spent at Wests; dominated the batting stats at both our club and the full grade competition. A Peter Burge medal winner at 22/23 years old being just a batter shows you the force he dominated with. The little man could punch the ball easily through gaps and turned a good length ball into a pull shot 20metres in front of square. From what I saw batting at the other end, he was very hard to bowl to. Could cut from off stump but then flick you through the leg side at ease. A competitor and never gave his wicket away easily. Easily the best fielder I have played with. I spent a lot of time at point watching Sammy work his angles at mid-wicket for many a runout. Also, a brilliant slip catcher who took many full stretch diving catches at second slip. Still applying his craft currently in Tasmania.

4. Steve Paulsen – Wests

Harry. What can you say about him! Probably one of the best all round cricketers I have played with. Bat bowl field. He could open the batting in white ball and smash it around without thought of losing his own wicket. Batted through the middle overs a lot in the years I played with him and just a master of breaking down totals and simplifying everything. Do not bowl to his cut shot/square drive. My goodness. I remember captaining Toombul one day against Steve and I had no answers. I think I had a deep point pretty early in his innings just to try and slow his scoring rate down. Not many bowlers got the better of Steve and he has amassed a huge amount of grade runs over his long career. Very useful leg spin. Took many wickets for us and cleaned the tail up with ease. Will be the spinner in this team although he probably wouldn’t like to bowl that much anymore!! First slip.

5. Gavin Fitness – Toombul (Captain and Wicket Keeper)

Fatty is an all-time legend of grade cricket. Has to be one of the unluckiest cricketers in regards to QLD selection. To be behind many Queensland wicket keepers for such a long period of time, it must have been tough for him. I saw him at the end of his career and was still punching out runs. Thousands and thousands of runs over a long grade career he is the captain of this team and also the wicket-keeper. Fatty could have played for Queensland just as a bat perhaps but the strength of the Bulls back through the 90s was unbelievable. As many would know, an absolute bugger to play against so I’m happy I played with the prick! Would let you know how bad you were going on the field, but would crack a beer/rum with you off it. I think everyone reading this will know who Gavin Fitness is and I’m extremely grateful that I played with the great man. Batting at 5 just in case somehow we are 3 for not much, no doubt Fatty would get us out of trouble, all awhile spraying fielders while he batted.

6. Preston White – Toombul

Presto was a huge part of not just our bowling attack but also our batting makeup at Toombul. For a few of the early years he would bowl first change and be able to shape the ball around corners. Not fast but very skilled and accurate. He will bowl first or second change in this team and another option of a left-armer is very handy to have. Presto in the last few years has taken up bowling some left arm orthodox which is another option in this team. Batting- Presto probably could have batted higher for us throughout the years but we just couldn’t fit him in. With the likes of Lynn, Townsend, Maher, Batticciotto, Pomersbach, Fitness and myself he had to slide down to 7 or 8. One innings in a losing grand final against University, Presto proceeded to launch all the bowlers to and over the boundary, not to mention with 9 fielders on the rope. 106no off 60 balls was one of the best innings most of us watching have seen and will ever see. Shame we didn’t have 5 more overs as Presto would have played one of the all-time innings.

7. Martin Raadschelders – Toombul

A tough position to fill at number 7 with a number of players possibly sliding into this position but the main reason I went with Raaders is his ability to take down a bowler. One season he absolutely smashed it batting mostly later in the day. Loved the ball in his arc which he launched a long way. In his prime I think a lot of bowlers, especially spinners, would have hated to bowl to him. Didn’t like running much so as a bowler, maybe you thought you were getting on top of him, but then he would slog you for 2 or 3 sixes in an over. The houses on York Street were always in danger when Raaders batted. He is the Big Rig selection in this team.

8. Steen Carlson – Toombul

Again a few people could have slid into this position but the Prince of Nundah has taken it. Could bat anywhere in the list. I remember a few games we opened with him in the 50 over format. He took Uni apart with a quick-fire 98 or 99 (maybe) one game opening the batting and also taking the new ball. A good all-round cricketer with a rocket arm and gun fielder, he bowled many good spells for us with Toombul. I have him in this team for his versatility and durability, which puts him above others to fill this role. Could hit a huge ball but his bowling was the real threat. Tall in stature and presented the seam so well he would just nip the ball around enough both ways and knicked off plenty of good cricketers. Quiet, humble and a lovely man, I wish Steen hadn’t retired so early and stayed around cricket.

9. Ronan McDonald – Toombul

A country boy, Ronan was and still is Mr Reliable. You know what you get with Ronan. 100% effort every time he plays and was really good to bowl with at the other end. One season I remember bowling in tandem with Ronan a lot and I think I jagged a fair few wickets that could have been his, due to his accurate economic bowling. He had a couple of very good seasons which earned him a Bulls call up. A slightly awkward action, I think right handers found it harder to face him, as he angled the ball in but then slightly nipped it away. Nicest bloke you will meet and it took Fatty and co a fair while to get Ronan to get angry and bowl a bouncer. A good number 9 with the bat who can block them all day or come out and hit from ball one. Nightwatchman of this team and will follow after the opening bowlers.

10. Jason Voros – Toombul

If there was ever a guy you wanted to bowl to returning first class players, Spud was the man. Stepped it up to the big dogs and made a lot of very good players look mediocre. Brian May was one of the best batters I have seen and I played against him for many years in Toowoomba and Brisbane. No one could get him out. But I think Voros may have had the wood on him. I vaguely recall a number of lbw’s where Spuddy would shape the ball so late that many batters including May would shoulder arms and get hit on the knee in front of all three. Experienced campaigner who played with the Canberra Comets, you could always rely on Jason to come back and keep coming. Never wavered in pace from spell to spell and just a genius of line and length. Jason takes the new ball with the breeze curving into batters pads.

11. Nick Fitzpatrick – Toombul

Fitzy was a wizard at the ‘top of off swinging away’ and knicking blokes off. You didn’t need many other fielders apart from the guys behind the stumps with his accuracy on point every time he bowled. Took 50+ wickets on many occasions and was up there with Scotty Walter in the wickets for many seasons. A very handy inclusion to our line-up in the middle part of my Toombul career. He is a Peter Burge medal winner in 2010/11 as an opening bowler, and will take the new ball with Voros swinging away knicking right handers off and blowing lefties pads off as he loved doing. Fitzy should have played a lot more representative cricket but was a little bit older at the time and the rules probably didn’t allow for him to slide in. Fine leg to fine leg, sorry mate.

12. Corey Rocchiccioli – University of Western Australia Cricket Club

Not many people will know Corey but he is an up and coming WA 2^nd XI off spin bowler from my club in Perth. I am basing the selection for 12^th man on “the best team man”. In my two seasons in Perth I think Corey will easily take this position. He is so willing to help other people on game day it is something to see. He feeds me water and bananas while I’m batting but then will sprint to either end to do the screens all while sorting gloves and towels. A perfect guy to have in your team just in case someone goes down injured, he will run boundary to boundary in the sun all arvo and love every minute of it.

 

Coach: Peter Steindl – Western Suburbs

Resourceful, smart and a brilliant cricket brain, Steindl is the full package of a coach. An old Wests boy and played for and coached Scotland. If you ever get a chance to pick Pete’s brain, do so. I was extremely lucky to have Pete at Wests for three seasons and didn’t he make a difference to my game and myself as a person. Not just a coach for a lot of people but a great mate as well.

Assistant: Chic Leeder Toombul

The King. This guy. Unbelievable the amount of time and money he and his late wife Julie put into us as a first grade team and also the whole of Toombul. Would love coming into the rooms cooked after fielding all day and Chic would have everyone’s choice of beverage on ice in his esky, in your hand in no time. One of the best.

So that is my team. Now as I said this is without higher rep players so you can imagine the team if it was with everyone I played with. Here’s a quick look.

1 Wade Townsend

2 Matt Renshaw

3 Jimmy Maher

4 Chris Lynn

5 Luke Pomersbach

6 Glen Batticciotto

7 Gavin Fitness

8 Ashton Agar

9 Ryan Harris

10 Cameron Boyce

11 Jason Voros

12 Nick Fitzpatrick