Current Cricket PNG CEO Greg Campbell was an aggressive fast bowler from Launceston who burst on to the scene in the 1988/89 Sheffield Shield season taking 35 wickets for Tasmania. With his rhythmic approach to the wicket, tight lines and world-class mullet, he looked like a bellicose Jason Donovan with a deceptively quick bouncer. Greg played the first of his four tests on the famed 1989 Ashes tour when leading England batsman Robin Smith described him thus: “angry little bastard isn’t he?”
Campbell also played 12 One Day Internationals taking 18 wickets at the excellent average of 22.44. Unfortunately his international career was curtailed by injury and he moved to Queensland in 1992 but was unable to break into the strong Queensland fast bowling line-up. A passionate advocate for club cricket, he continued to play for the Gold Coast Dolphins and coached the club to their first premiership in 2002/03. His coaching career also took him to Beenleigh-Logan and then on to Papua New Guinea where he was originally assistant coach before coaching the national team (The Barramundis) and ultimately graduating to CEO.
He has spent the past 10 years living in Port Moresby.
What year you were born?
1964
Can you remember you first game of cricket?
Not 100% sure? Mowbray Cricket Club under 8s (holiday cricket carnivals) 7 years old, sorry can’t remember how I went, most likely very average
Tell us briefly about your cricketing journey?
Started at Mowbray Cricket Club, played all underage cricket, progressed to Colts, 3rd grade,
2nd grade to 1st grade, in 1987 moved to Hobart and played at Clarence Cricket Club and then moved to Queensland in 1992 and joined Gold Coast Dolphins.
I made my debut for Tasmania in 1986 and Test debut for Australia in 1989.
In which grade and at what age did you make your debut in grade cricket?
Mowbray Cricket club (3rd grade) played as opening bat (not many would believe that) at the age of 17
At what age did you make your first grade debut in grade cricket and can you remember how you performed in debut I went?
1983 from memory? Sorry no Idea, because I cannot remember it must have been ordinary
What was your highest score in senior cricket?
77 for Mowbray 1st grade at the old Cornwall Cricket ground in Launceston
What were your best bowling figures in senior cricket?
In the UK, 9/22 for Austerlands Cricket Club in Saddleworth League
Please tell us of your experience playing league cricket in England
Everyone enjoys playing in the UK, it makes you a better cricketer. I learnt about bowling in different conditions (snow, very wet wickets,) and bowling 23 overs of the 45 over game
Who have been the best three fast bowlers you have played against?
No particular order, these 3 names speak for themselves
Wasim Akram, do I need to say anything about Wasim. In a Test match in Adelaide I was batting against as he took the second new ball and failed to lay bat on any of the 6 delivers in the over. Merv Hughes standing at the other end yelled out after the 5th ball, “throw the bat away.”
Richard Hadlee - unbelievable control, carried NZ cricket for a long time, was a competitor and made you play every delivery
Ian Bishop - fast, steep bounce, outswing, scary at times. I don’t believe we ever saw the best of him because of his injuries
And I have not mention at least 12 or more names that I could have
Wasim Akram
Who has been the best three spinners you have played against?
Greg (Mo) Matthews - very attacking wanted to take wickets, At SCG was unplayable at times
Tim May - was also attacking and wanted to take wickets. Adelaide was his domain especially the last day and a half
Trevor Hohns - great control, was very smart in the way he bowled to batsman and would set them up for their dismissal
Greg Matthews
Who has been the best 3 batsmen you’ve played against?
David Gower - nothing seemed to faze him, elegant in his shot making and seemed to have an eternity to play the ball
Jamie Siddons - had all the shots in the book and was a fierce competitor. He would take the game to you
Javed Miandad - great competitor, would actually talk to you when he was batting (won’t mention what he said). Knew his game and would adapt to the conditions to suit the way he played
Missed many more Martin Crowe, Alan Lamb, Greg Ritchie, Aravinda De Silva, Alan Border just to name a few
All batsman were hard to bowl to on their day
David Gower
Who played the best innings you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?
Difficult question I have witness many and been on the receiving end of a few.
Dean Jones, Steven Waugh, Alan Lamb, Martin Crowe.
One that sticks in my mind Allan Border v West Indies at the MCG on a deteriorating wicket. AB was black and blue at the end of the day trying the save the Test match
Was there any batsman in particular that stirred the emotions and competitive spirit where you really wanted their wicket?
Dean, all batsman did that
Editor’s Note: Cambo was a very angry man with the ball in his hand!
One I will mention and he’s a good bloke and I know he will laugh
Gavin Fitness - always wanted to get Gavin out for he was a competitor and he loved to be in the action. He played the game as it should be played tough on the field, and a friend off the field
Who was the best wicket keeper you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?
Going to name 3 sorry
Richard Soule, just didn’t make a mistake, Ian Healy just kept getting better, and Peter Anderson was just a natural
Who are the two players you admired most in terms of skills and competitive spirit in the competitions you played?
Allan Border and David Boon and again there are many more
David Boon
Who was the best captain you had the good fortune to play with?
No taking anything away from any captains I played with but Dirk Wellham - I personally thought was a master reading the game, and Allan Border 89 Ashes was superb
Who has been your funniest team mate?
Merv Hughes
Can you recall some banter or an exchange on the cricket field that still makes you laugh today?
Can recall many things but I’ll mention one
Merv Hughes v Javed Miandad - a bit of banter was going on between these two, Javed among many things that was said told Merv he didn’t belong on the cricket field, that he should be driving buses. A couple overs later Merv dismissed Javed and Big Merv on the way passed him yelled out “tickets please and get off my bus.”
What was your most embarrassing dismissal in senior cricket?
Golden Duck in Test Match Australia v New Zealand, bowled by John Bracewell. AB was batting when I finally got to the wicket and he said 4 minutes to tea, he is turning them a bit, so just kick them away only 2 balls in the over to go and he will take the last over before tea. “No worries skipper, “was my reply,
I took centre, remembering what AB had said “kick them away,” Ian Smith NZ keeper reminded me also to kick them away as he heard what AB had said. Thanks”,” I said to Smithy. So I did just that, I went forward bat above my head, my front foot out to the ball and unfortunately it turned more than AB had mentioned and went between my legs and hit middle stump. Needless to say everyone on the field was laughing quite loud, even the umpires
Who was your childhood hero?
D K Lillee and Keith Stackpole
Who are the two sports people in the world you’d most like to meet?
Daley Thompson & Dave Foster
Daley Thompson
Who’s your favourite cricket commentator?
Bill Lawry
What was your favourite ground to play at?
Adelaide Oval and MCG
What there a particular team you especially looked forward to playing against?
Not really, enjoyed playing all teams, all brought different challenges
What do you enjoy most about playing cricket?
Friendships that were made. The competitive nature of the game and the different skills you needed on any given day
What’s been your most memorable moment in cricket?
My first A grade game, first Tasmanian game and making my Test debut in the first test 1989 Ashes Series
What’s the best win you’ve been involved with?
Tasmania v Queensland at the Gabba in 1990. From memory Queensland lost 5 wickets in the last hour, 5 for 15 to be precise chasing 283 to be all out for 269. Tassie won outright, we had a good celebration,
Who are the three players from your playing days at the top of the list for a Saturday afternoon barbeque?
Couldn’t narrow it down to three
What prompted your move from Tasmania to Qld?
Barry Richards had bit to do with this and Dirk Wellham
What is your fondest memory of the 1989 Ashes tour?
The whole tour, winning back the Ashes and the start of a winning streak to 2005
We were labelled the worst team to leave Aussie shores by the late Tony Greig, and won the series 4 nil
Do you have a Dean Jones anecdote that you would like to share?
Dean changed the way One day cricket was played with his aggressive running between wickets, his fielding, and most of all his attacking batting,
Who were the unluckiest players in your time not to play for Australia?
My era there was a few, Jamie Siddons was very unlucky - great player
What are your hobbies?
Spending time with my family, very important
Flying business class
What’s the best advice you’ve received?
Never ever give up, and know your own game
What are your proudest achievements with Cricket PNG?
Quite a lot in my time there. Being able to see Cricket PNG growth in Men’s Women’s National sides and in the junior participation and grassroots of the game. The Men’s team making it to T20 World Cup 2020, now the 2021 World Cup in India
From a high performance & representative selection perspective, how important is a player’s performance in club cricket?
This is very important, players must perform at this level consistently over a period of seasons.
We need to make club cricket strong again. I personally feel CA and the States must invest more in Club Cricket. Club Cricket is the HEARTBEAT of our game
Where possible state players at every opportunity must come back and play for their respective clubs and perform as it adds so much to the other players at the clubs to talk and learn from how the best go about their game.
About Dean Tuckwell
Former premiership first grade player with Western Suburbs in Queensland Premier Cricket Dean opened The Adventure Traveller in 2000.
In this crazy year it is important to support small business. With 30 years’ experience in the travel industry Dean has preferred arrangements with many suppliers, access to online deals not available to the public and a wealth of knowledge to ensure you get the most out of your trip so even if you only require a flight or accommodation, give him a call on 1800 181 020 or visit The Adventure Traveller
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