Despite packing up his ball machine for the last time in 2015 Bill Madden remains one of the most recognisable and popular cricket coaches of his time.
Fiercely loyal Bill didn’t discriminate. He coached cricketers of all ages and at any level, he just wanted to help them become better players and people.
For 40 plus years he coached and his influence is immense across all his players, and he’s coach some of the best.
We’re delighted to find out a little more about the man everyone knows as Maddo.
Welcome Bill,
What year did you start coaching cricket? Was it full time or part time?
I started coaching in 1974 on a part time basis coaching the Dundas United Under 10’s on a Saturday morning. They were a bunch of 8 -10 year olds who needed a coach and we went through undefeated. Gavin Robertson was in the team and opened the bowling and in the first game he took 6 for 10. I remember his mum asking me “is that any good”.
What was your full time job?
I was the supervisor for a construction company, I had to leave because of a back injury
Why did you start coaching?
There were no coaches in the area and there was a large group of young boys who wanted to play cricket so I decided to give it a go.
Did you play cricket, what did you do in the game?
Yeah, I played park cricket and the highest I played was 5th grade at Balmain
What was your most memorable moment playing cricket?
As I was the coach of Balmain’s Green Shield, I asked Fred Bennett (Club President) if we could enter the team into the 5th Grade competition and it was accepted by the Sydney Cricket Association. As joint captain with Greg Clarke we had the satisfaction of taking the boys into the 5th Grade Finals as well as 2 Green Shield finals.
One of my biggest highlights was a game at Birchgrove Oval with the 5th team and I took 10 wickets off 24 overs and Greg Clarke kept tossing me the ball shouting out “just one more MADDO”
Bill Madden and his Balmain Green Shield team that included future first class players Michael Slater, Mark Atkinson and Jason Young
When you started coaching full time where did it all start?
I started coaching at the Castle Hill Showground in the late 70’s in the horticulture pavilion known as “THE COW SHED” everyone pitched in to help get it set up.
I purchased the batting tunnel nets from the Sydney Fish Markets and the old coir mats from Dundas United Cricket Club.
Each year when the Orange Blossom Festival rolled around we would have to dismantle and reassemble our whole setup and we were out of business for the 2 weeks.
I then moved to Auburn Indoor Sports Centre and then Guildford Indoor Sports Centre, Castle Hill Indoor Indoor Sports Centre, Girraween Indoor Sports Centre , Club Marconi.
Club Marconi was very kind as the club and Rocco Pezzano built the two practice nets for me when the other centre closed down. We were very thankful
Because I was one of the only indoor centre’s for cricket coaching we welcomed all players as well as Grade, Shield, Test and International players. If there was a washout at the SCG, teams and players would come to train and practice at my facility
I had the privilege of feeding balls to Imran Khan, Javid Miandad and all the Pakistani International Test team during their Australian test tour.
Would it be fair to say you were more of a batting coach than a bowling coach?
I was more of a batting coach but had help from some great past Shield and First Grade players for example George Griffiths spin bowling coach and Allan Turrell wicket keeping.
Were you ever a club coach or was it just one on one coaching?
Yes I was a club coach as well as running my coaching academy. I was the assistant coach with George Griffith at Balmain and the Club Coach over the years at Fairfield, Gordon and Hawkesbury.
Did you ever get the chance to coach at a representative or state level?
Numerous Green Shield sides, NSW Junior Union with Ian Gill, NSW Coaching Panel Assistance U17, U19 NSW state team, Satellite coach for talent identification for NSW.
In 1986 I was appointed State Coach for ATSI side with Les Knox. We travelled outback NSW at our own expense running local coaching clinics and selection trials travelling as far as Bourke and Brewarrina. We’d select both boys and girls to attend a week long camp at Narrabeen Fitness Camp.
The kids had the privilege of being coached by Ian Chappell, Kerry O’Keefe, Rod Bower, Wayne Holdsworth, Gavin Robertson and the great Gordon Greenidge.
The highlight for the kids was an invitation to a days training with the West Indies Cricket Team and entry to the SCG for the Australia V’s West Indies game.
From this we selected a team of ATSI players who played numerous games throughout NSW. It was great fun and the kids loved it
Did you enjoy being a club coach?
At Fairfield, I loved working alongside the great Steve Smith who was opening the batting for NSW and Australia. At the time it was a new club and the players and committee were very enthusiastic. We won the Poidevin Gray and Green Shield in that year.
At Gordon, I didn’t fit in as I felt like I was from the wrong side of the tracks but I did enjoy working with the players.
At Hawkesbury, it was a great young team with a great bunch of guys and an awesome Green Shield Team
What was your coaching philosophy?
To get the best out of who I coached and show them how to believe in themselves both on and off the pitch
I recently saw a quote from a past student Brett Lack and it made me smile, “Every night with Bill was a challenge and that’s why it was great. Madds would always make you better than the last time you were there.”
I’m happy with that.
Did you coach junior players, say under 12 or 14, or were they mostly teenagers about to make their way into grade cricket?
All ages, it didn’t matter if they were park cricketers or up and coming grade stars, if they needed help I was more than happy to coach them.
You coached hundreds of players, are you comfortable in picking 5 players you most proud of helping them become the best they can be?
I did coach hundreds and I always enjoyed their success. If I had to pick the ones I was most proud of I’d choose Gavin Robertson, Wayne Holdsworth, Andrew Downton, Arjun Nair, Steve O’Keefe, Anthony Clarke and Rod Tucker.
Who was your favourite cricketer growing up?
Ian Chapell – gutsy player and Australian Captain
Who are the three batsman over the past 40 years you enjoyed watching bat the most?
Greg Chappell, Steve Waugh, Mark Waugh and Viv Richards
Your son Chris played represented NSW at under age levels and played a lot of first grade, which must have made you very proud, what do you remember about Chris’s batting?
Chris had a solid technique and had the ability to hit square of the wicket. He always received the Players – Player Award which showed his love of the team and his love of the game. We were always proud of his achievements especially when he was picked for the NSW U19 at the age of 17.
What do you think of the modern game, are you a fan?
I enjoy long format Test and Shield cricket and the way the game used to be, unfortunately I’m not a fan of Twenty20.
How do you compare today’s batsman against your coaching philosophy from a technical point of view? Are you a fan of their techniques today?
Players have developed technique that is required for the ‘NOW’ modern game. I believe genuine Test players should not play Twenty20 cricket as they are forced to play the game differently as to how they would play in a Test Match.
Who of today’s batsman do you enjoy watching the most?
Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith and Alex Carey?
When did you stop coaching?
2015 when we relocated out of Sydney
How many hours a day and how many days a week were you coaching?
In the early days it was 24/7 we were always open but towards the end it was 4 nights private coaching.
What is your most memorable moment in cricket?
Steve Waugh 102 at the SCG when he hit the last ball of the day for 4. The night before I had called him and left a message saying “Go Tugga, get a big one!!”
What did you enjoy most about coaching?
The success of the players I coached, no matter what level or grade they played, as long as they always achieved their best.
Who’s been the biggest influence in your cricket coaching?
My wife Sue, she always led me to believe in myself and to keep going even though we were always broke.
Who was the funniest player you coached?
Brett Lack – all around character who still to this day makes me laugh
Who is your favourite all time cricketer?
Jeff Thomson and Michael Holding
If you had three of the players you coached around the dinner table to talk old times who would you choose?
Gavin Robertson, Peter “Abdul” Taylor and my son Chris Madden as they are all bullshit artists around the table of knowledge.
Bill Madden with two of his players Dudley Slater on left and Gavin Robertson on the right
What’s the best advice you ever received?
Keep developing the players to the best they can be.
Are you still involved in Cricket and if so, in what capacity?
No I am retired but still follow all grade cricket results and keep in touch with old players and coaches.
What advice would you offer a young 13 year old who has the ambition of playing test cricket?
Take steps to improve through each age group, keep going and learn to deal with the ups and downs of cricket.
What are your hobbies today?
Caravanning, fishing in my boat, gardening and having a go at Tai Chi and enjoying the water view from our front verandah
Where are you livings these days?
Beautiful Bonnells Bay in Lake Macquarie opposite the water.
How do you look back on your time as a cricket coach?
After 40 + years I’ve learned to take the good and bad but I can say I absolutely “LOVED IT”
What are the two things you’d like to see happen to make the game better?
I would like to see more promotion of junior cricket teams. I would change the age of the 17s State Squad to under 19s and the 19s to 21s. This is so the younger players 16’s and under are not pressured into playing first grade cricket just so they can make the state squads.
One of Bill Madden favourite photo's - with Viv Richards and his coaching partner Les Knox
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