Bruce Wood - tremendous contribution

Bruce Wood has enjoyed nearly 50 years involvement in cricket as a player, coach, umpire and administrator. Here we find out more about his cricket journey.

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What year were you born?

1956 (in Richmond, Victoria).

Where did you go the high school?

Knox Grammar School in Wahroonga, Sydney.

Do you remember your first ever game of cricket?

Yes, it was in the Under 11As at Knox Prep. School in 1967 – I can somehow remember that took a couple of wickets and two catches, but not many runs.

Tell us briefly about your cricketing journey?

I had a relatively modest cricketing career as a player, and have achieved a lot more as a coach, umpire and administrator. I played in the A teams at Knox Grammar through to the school’s 1^st XI in 1973 and 1974. I played representative cricket for Gordon JCA (now known as North Shore JCA), and captained Ku-ring-gai CC’s A Grade team in Sydney’s northern suburbs.  I later came out of retirement as a player to help my local club, Normanhurst-Warrawee CC, and captained my team to a premiership.

If you can share with our audience, how would you describe yourself as a cricketer?

I was a specialist off-spinner, middle-order batsman, and I loved fielding. I was first taught how to bowl spin by Peter Philpott at the Barry Knight Indoor Centre in Sydney in the late 1960s.

What was your highest score in senior cricket?

138 not out for Normanhurst-Warrawee CC at Normanhurst Oval in season 2000-01 (part of a HK&HDCA record 320 runs 5^th wicket unbroken partnership).

What were your best bowling figures in senior cricket?

6/29 in A Grade for Ku-ring-gai CC off 19 consecutive (8-ball) overs at Killara Park in 1979.

Who were the best three fast bowlers you have played against?

Peter McWhinney, Cranbrook’s opening bowler, took 10/for against our Knox 1^st XI team at Hordern Oval, Bellevue Hill, in 1973-74. He was a big, strong fast bowler who got us on a wet wicket and nearly every ball was aimed at our heads (pre-helmets). Peter later became a very accomplished Australian professional golfer.

Andrew Hunter, a left-arm opening bowler for Rangers CC in the Gordon District A Grade competition. He cleaned up most of the competition, so the next season, he decided to play NSW Premier Cricket and went straight to First Grade with Balmain CC, taking lots of wickets.

Neil Warden, a left-arm fast bowler who dominated the Associated Schools of NSW (CAS) 1^st XI competition in the early 1970s. He is on Barker College’s 1^st XI Bowling Honour Board for 5 fors about 14 times! He was a strong cricketer and rugby winger from Walgett in regional NSW.

Peter McWhinney

Who was the best spinner you have played against? 

Peter Taylor from Barker College, who played for Northern District CC; NSW Blues; and Australia. We bowled off-spin for our respective teams and had a friendly rivalry, however he was obviously more talented than me and worked harder at his game, which led to his Baggy Green cap.

Who was the best batsman you played against?  

David Rathie, who played First-Class cricket with both Queensland in the Sheffield Shield, and Canterbury in the NZ Shell Trophy. David also represented the Wallabies in rugby union. About a week after sharing a 200 run (approx.) partnership with Greg Chappell in a Queensland Sheffield Shield match at the Gabba, David transferred to Sydney to pursue a business opportunity. He linked up with Gordon DCC at Chatswood, but couldn’t play First Grade the next Saturday, as they were half-way through a 2-day match. It was decided that he would play in Gordon’s A Grade team for a week to gain some batting practice. This happened to be the week that my Ku-ring-gai CC team played them. David was out stumped early in his innings – it appeared that he didn’t rate my spin bowling and gave me the charge down the wicket! Some of the characters in our team ‘thanked David for coming’ as he slowly walked back to the pavilion.

Who played the best innings you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?

Andrew Shaw (ex-Knox Grammar) played a few matches for our Ku-ring-gai CC team in the Gordon District A Grade competition, before playing First Grade for Sydney University CC as a wicket-keeper / batsman. Andrew scored an amazing 224 no against the top team in the competition, Willoughby Waratahs (defending Premiers) at Koola Park, Killara in March 1979.

Tell us briefly about your cricketing journey as an umpire?

I first became a qualified umpire in 1998 when I passed a badge course run by my local association (HK&HDCA), where I coached and umpired my sons’ junior teams for many years. A few years later, I decided to obtain the formal State accreditation, so I successfully completed the NSW Cricket Umpires’ & Scorers’ Association (NSWCUSA) course in 2002 and commenced official umpiring on a regular basis, mainly with HK&HDCA.

In 2009-10, I was invited to join the CAS 1^st XI umpiring panel where I have continued to umpire each year. For the past 4 years, I have been the Co-ordinator of CAS schoolboy umpiring.

In addition to CAS matches, I have umpired HK&HDCA senior matches (A Grade); a limited number of NSW Premier Cricket matches (up to Second Grade); U/16 AW Green Shield competition; and many junior representative matches on Sundays, including 17 NSWDCA grand finals. In all competitions, I have been appointed to umpire over 50 grand finals, which are always very enjoyable with silverware on the line.

I undertook 6 nights of refresher training in 2019 when I completed the NSWCUSA Level 2 umpires’ course in the Cricket NSW auditorium at the SCG.

At what age did you start cricket umpiring?

42 in junior club cricket as a coach / umpire; and 45 as an official ‘black & white’ paid umpire.

What was the initial attraction to become an umpire, and what do you enjoy most about umpiring?

I wanted to stay involved in cricket and umpires have ‘the best seat in the house’. As mentioned above, I fell into umpiring as I was coaching my sons’ junior club teams and no-one else wanted to go out and umpire, so the respective coaches tended to take it on. I enjoyed the challenge but wanted to umpire independent teams rather than my own, which can be somewhat difficult. My sons said I was harder on our own Normanhurst-Warrawee CC team, as I was conscious of appearing to be very fair.

There are so many things I enjoy about umpiring, including challenging myself to continually focus and get my decisions right; getting out in the fresh air and watching good cricket from close range; meeting new people and working with my colleagues; umpiring in different competitions and venues; watching outstanding young talent on the way up; and travelling the world. I’m fortunate to have umpired in three other countries, aside from Australia – India, Sri Lanka, Barbados, each of which were amazing experiences.

I like to walk off the field after 6 hours knowing that I wouldn’t change anything; I’ve given 100% and been a good support for my umpiring colleague.

I have had the opportunity to umpire lots of top players, which is always a thrill. I’ve even managed to umpire Pat Cummins at the SCG! I also have fond memories of umpiring at Bradman Oval, Bowral with David Cullen in 2015.

Who has given you the most guidance in umpiring over the years?

I am proud to be a member of NSWCUSA, which has to be the most reputable umpiring body outside of MCC Lords. I can still recall the international umpires who presented at my initial NSWCUSA training course in 2002, including Simon Taufel and Darrell Hair.  There are so many great umpires and people willing to share their experience and advice.

NSWCUSA provides expert training, resources, coaching and feedback, and I have received very good support from Darren Goodger, Claire Polosak, Troy Penman and Bede Sajowitz. As mentioned above, I am the Umpires’ Co-ordinator for the Associated Schools of NSW (CAS), and we are formally affiliated with NSWCUSA.

Arthur Watson has also been a wonderful colleague and source of umpiring guidance to me over the years, as I’ve been fortunate to partner him on the field about 12 times. Arthur holds the record for the highest number of matches umpired in NSW Premier Cricket. He is a former international umpire, having officiated in three ODI matches involving England, Australia and the West Indies in 1979-80.

Arthur Watson

Who was the umpire you admired most when you started out as an umpire?

Simon Taufel – calm, unflappable, got 99% of his decisions right, was respected by the players, never sought to be the centre of attention; ICC Umpire of the Year for 5 years straight (2004 – 2008). I purchased a signed copy of his latest book, Finding the Gaps, which provides some valuable insights and tips from his decades of international experience in umpiring, both on and off the field. Simon outlines the soft skills that can help you be the best you can be – leadership, preparation, teamwork, authenticity, resilience, integrity, managing conflict, attitude, coachability, etc. It’s one of the best books I’ve read.

Simon Taufel

Do you hold any administrative roles in umpiring?

Yes, I’ve been the Umpires’ Co-ordinator for the Associated Schools of NSW (CAS) for the past four years and my responsibilities include recruiting umpires; appointing umpires to CAS 1st & 2nd XI matches and schoolboy representative fixtures; monitoring the umpires' ratings on MyCricket; arranging the umpires' payments; contributing to the revision of the By-laws as required; organising refresher training; and liaison with the CAS Convener and six schools (Barker, Knox, St Aloysius, Waverley, Cranbrook & Trinity).

I have been a member of the Executive Committee of the Hornsby Umpires’ Association for 10 years, where I have umpired over 300 matches. I donated a perpetual trophy entitled ‘HKHDCUA Spirit of Cricket Award for representative cricket’ in 2008-09 to promote excellent sportsmanship by the cricketers in the district.

Do you know how many games you have umpired in senior and junior cricket?

A total of 550 matches since 2001-02 in all competitions.

What was your most memorable moment as a cricket umpire?

Walking onto the SCG to umpire a representative final in February 2013.

Most favourite ground in Sydney to umpire (aside from the SCG)?

Mark Taylor Oval, Waitara (the home ground of Northern District CC), as I’ve umpired there so many times, closely followed by Bankstown Oval; Pratten Park; White Oval (The King’s School); and Barker Oval.

What are the most intriguing grounds on which you have umpired?

I’m fortunate to have umpired in four countries – India, Sri Lanka, Barbados and Australia, and I’ve umpired on many intriguing grounds. Three that come to mind are:

• Galle International Cricket Stadium, Sri Lanka
• Greater Noida Cricket Stadium, Uttar Pradesh State, India
• Desmond Haynes Oval, Black Rock, Barbados

Each ground was totally unique in different ways.

Who were the three batsman you admired most as an umpire?

Ed Cowan – I have enjoyed umpiring Ed on a few occasions and marvelled at his stroke play, placement and timing. An artist at work who should have played more Test cricket. He’s also very intelligent, thinks deeply about the game, and is a gentleman.

Alyssa Healy – I have umpired Midge a couple of times and she is so talented as a batter and wicket-keeper – a pleasure to watch in action – always smiling, but also very determined. My favourite cricket team to watch is the Australian Women’s team led by Meg Lanning – their record is unbelievable and they are great role models for young girls to take up cricket. The ICC T20 World Cup Final at the MCG in March this year was an amazing spectacle.

Lachlan Shaw – I have umpired Lachy about 30 times over the years in junior rep. cricket, school 1^st XI matches, and on tours to Sri Lanka and the West Indies. He’s 17 years old and plays First Grade for Northern District CC as a wicket-keeper / batsman. He became the youngest First Grade centurion in ND’s history on 3 October 2020 when he scored 107 runs against Hawkesbury. Remember the name – I believe he’s a future NSW Blues player.

Ed Cowan

Who were the three bowlers you admired most from your umpiring?

Stephen O’Keefe – super accurate left-arm finger spinner with a well disguised arm-ball.

Brett Lee – classic fast bowler’s action – hated batsmen (I just umpired Brett in a charity match).

Ellyse Perry – I umpired her in a junior rep. match. Lovely action and bowled with genuine pace for women’s cricket.

Ellyse Perry

Who were the three players you umpired and admired most over the years for their competitive spirit and the way they played the game?

Nic Maddinson – terrific striker of the ball – he had all the shots and personified confidence in his ability to get the job done. Could hit boundaries to all parts of the ground. A gifted player who prides himself on scoring the crucial runs to help his team win.

Chris Green – former Knox Grammar spinner who I also umpired at Northern District CC. Constantly probes away at the batsmen and is deadly accurate. He is very respectful towards the umpires and keeps the game moving along quickly. Chris is now a T20 star for the Sydney Thunder in the BBL, plus several other franchises around the world.

Ashleigh Gardner – I umpired Ashleigh in several rep. matches, including a Final, and she was quietly determined to succeed with both the bat and ball, and lead her team by example.

Who would you consider the top 2 umpires in the game today?

Richard Kettleborough (England) and Rod Tucker (Australia).

Rod Tucker

Tell us about the major cricket award you recently won in umpiring.

I was honoured to be recognised by Cricket NSW and Cricket Australia as the Community Match Official of the Year at the national 'A Sport for All’ Awards in May 2020. The news was announced by the Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association and Cricket NSW. I have never sought recognition or awards for my lengthy service to cricket, however it’s gratifying when you get formally recognised for doing something you love.  It’s important to reflect on and acknowledge the people who have helped me along the journey, as well as my many umpiring partners over the last two decades.

Technology – good or bad for cricket from an umpire’s perspective?

Most umpires have differing views about the use of technology, however it’s not going away at the elite level, so we need to get used to it. It was brought in to prevent the ‘howlers’, however now seems to be used for extremely close decisions (not umpire errors), eg. Ball tracking to see if a LBW appeal should be upheld if more than 50% of the ball may have shaved the leg stump.

I believe that First Grade umpires in NSW Premier Cricket probably have the hardest job, as they are umpiring high level cricket totally on their own, without the use of DRS. I like the challenge of trying to get my decisions right, based solely on what I see and hear. Teamwork with your colleague is also vitally important.

We can only assume there were quite a few characters in the game you had to keep an eye on in the field. Is there a particular moment or story you’d like to share about one or two of the characters?

There are characters in nearly every match you umpire who you need to keep an eye on and ‘manage’, in consultation with their captain. I was taught early in my umpiring career to nip any potential problems in the bud to ensure that they don’t escalate. It’s all about player management and effective communication.

I umpired former Australian Rugby captain, George Gregan AM, in a Batting for Change charity cricket match a couple of years ago and he was a bit chirpy, like most half-backs. He batted very well and was apparently a star player in schoolboy cricket in Canberra, to complement his obvious rugby prowess.

I umpired the Prime Minister, The Hon Scott Morrison MP, in a charity Backyard Cricket game at Kirribilli House in October 2019, having received a late call-up to replace Simon Taufel, who had become unavailable. There were lots of celebrities playing and Karl Stefanovic came on to bowl against his brother, Peter. Karl said “Watch this, I’ll knock Pete’s head off first ball” and sure enough, he sent down a beamer straight at his brother’s face (they were using a softer ball). Fortunately, Pete ducked so no harm was done! I suggested to Karl that he should make the ball bounce and he just laughed.

Who have been the biggest influences in your lengthy involvement in cricket?

Playing influence – Bob Thomas – he was our Boarding House Master at Knox Grammar School in 1972 and was playing First Grade cricket for Gordon at the time. Bob was a former Australian Schoolboy cricketer – a dashing left-handed batsman and medium-pace bowler. He inspired my twin brother, Steve, and I to work hard at our cricket and improve our skills. Bob is still involved at Gordon and is a legend at the club.

Umpiring influence – Darren Goodger and Arthur Watson, as mentioned above.

Coaching influence – Rod Hokin – although I had been coaching cricket for many years before I met Rod in 2010, he showed me (and many other coaches) how to be more professional and take our coaching to the next level. Rod holds a Cricket Australia High Performance (Level 3) coaching accreditation and is very knowledgeable about the game. He played First Grade cricket for many years for Northern District CC and Gordon District CC, and was the overseas professional player at several clubs in the UK. Rod is the Head Coach of the Coaches’ Association (mentioned below).

Administration influence – Mark Rushton – he was President of the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai & Hills District Cricket Association (HK&HDCA) from 2007-08 to 2010-11, after being the Representative Secretary and Vice-President for many years. In 2009, he established Blowfly Cricket Club, which provides modified cricket and development opportunities for children with special needs. Mark was presented with the NSW Volunteer of the Year Award in December 2015 out of over 7,000 nominations.

Who is your favourite all time cricketers growing up?

Jeff Thomson, Ashley Mallett and Simon Katich. I tried to copy Mallett’s action with my offies!

Ashley Mallett

Did you have any superstitions?

Not so much superstitions, but habits and preferences.

Always pack my bag for cricket the night before. Briefly read and note the Playing Conditions the night before umpiring, even if I think I know them all. It’s all about your preparation and humility.

When umpiring, I have a preference to choose the end that faces the main feature building, grandstand, scorers, etc. and most of my partners kindly allow me that end, however I have no problems if my partner particularly wants that end, or would like to toss to choose our ends. I find that glancing back at the feature building is a nice reminder of where I am umpiring that day and makes me appreciate the opportunity more.

Who is your favourite cricket commentator?

Russel Arnold, the former Sri Lankan Test cricketer, who is a friend of mine. He holds a Cricket Australia High Performance (Level 3) coaching accreditation and is so knowledgeable about the game, plus his delivery is calm and measured. When I took an U/15 rep. team to Sri Lanka in 2015, Russel caught up with our touring party on various days. We attended a day of Test cricket between Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the Pallekale International Stadium in Kandy and Russel gave us exclusive access to visit the TV commentary and DRS rooms, where we met Dean Jones and the other international commentators.

What’s the best advice you ever received?

Always try to be the best version of yourself, be respectful, listen with empathy, and you never stop learning.

Do you like the modern game?

I’m a bit of a traditionalist, so I prefer to watch Test cricket, however I attended two IPL matches in India in 2019 at Mumbai and Jaipur, which showcased the T20 game. The atmosphere was incredible, as was the power hitting. There is certainly a place in the worldwide cricket program for major T20 tournaments, which provide players with significant earning potential, however it is disappointing to see star players retire from Test cricket early to play for T20 franchises around the world on lucrative contracts.

How long have you been involved in cricket coaching and what teams have you coached?

In 2001, I became a Cricket Australia Representative (Level 2) accredited coach, having attained my Community (Level 1) qualification in 1998. I coached 26 different teams (club, school, representative and tours) between 1997-98 and 2009-10, winning one rep. and four club team premierships. The emphasis was always on maximising participation, improvement, enjoyment and team spirit, rather than winning junior premierships.

The highlight was coaching HK&HDCA’s Weblin Shield U/15 rep. team to an undefeated NSWDCA premiership in 2005-06. I took 3 rep. teams on January tours to participate in NSW regional cricket carnivals (U/12 – Lismore; U/13 – Ballina; & U/14 – Newcastle). I was Head Coach of a HK&HDCA U/15 invitational rep. team that toured India in April 2006. This was followed by coaching a Sydney U/16 invitational rep. team on a successful cricket tour to New Zealand’s North Island in April 2007.

I have coached 30 players who have gone on to play First Grade cricket in Sydney over the years. In 2010, I established the Coaches’ Association (HKHDCCA) and have continued my cricket coaching there, as mentioned below.

Tell us more about the junior coaching organization you run, how it works and what can the cricket community do to get involved and spread the word?

I am the founder and inaugural President of a successful not-for-profit cricket coaching organisation known as the Coaches’ Association (HKHDCCA). The Coaches’ Association is responsible for recruiting and accrediting young coaches in north-western Sydney; conducting junior cricket clinics during the school holidays; Rising Stars development programs in the off-season; organising annual ‘showcase’ junior representative matches (Ross Turner Cup); scheduling free coaching sessions for Beginners and Blowfly Cricket (children with special needs); and conducting an U/15 overseas cricket tour every two years (India – 2019 – bit.ly/CA-India-Report; Barbados – 2017 – bit.ly/WI-Report-17; and Sri Lanka – 2015 – bit.ly/SL-Report-2015). I plan, organise and manage these tours, and umpire the matches while overseas with a local umpire.

The Coaches’ Association completed its 10^th year of operations in 2019-20 – refer to our Annual Report – bit.ly/CA-AR-19-20. We have a dedicated committee of volunteers and are proud to have engaged over 100 accredited coaches, and coached thousands of boys and girls aged between 6 – 15. We greatly appreciate the support we receive from our corporate sponsor, Parramatta Leagues Club.

We advertise all our activities and coaching programs on our Facebook page - www.facebook.com/HKHDCCA/, so anyone is welcome to make enquiries and register to attend.

You have mentioned your administrative roles in umpiring and coaching, have there been any other key executive roles in your cricket journey?

Yes, I probably should mention three other senior cricket roles that I’ve undertaken over the years.

Hornsby Ku-ring-gai & Hills District Cricket Association – I’ve been a club delegate attending HK&HDCA Council meetings since 1999 (to present); and have been on the Executive Committee since 2006. I also helped to co-ordinate junior representative cricket for many years.

Normanhurst-Warrawee CC – I worked as a volunteer on the club's committee from 1998 to 2011, undertaking a wide range of positions including President, Vice-President, Junior Co-ordinator, Coaching Co-ordinator, Webmaster, Registrar, Equipment Officer, Editor of Annual Reports, and Archives Officer.

Barker Cricket Club – I served on the BCC committee for 9 years (2001 – 2009), including 5 years as President or Vice President. Duties included leading a committee of parent volunteers responsible for helping to foster, develop and improve the game of cricket at Barker; plus fund-raising to support cricket tours and other initiatives; and the annual end-of-season dinner / awards night.

I am honoured to have been inducted as a Life Member of the above three cricket bodies, as well as the Coaches’ Association.

Are there any lessons from your time in cricket that you take into work or life in general?

Cricket is a wonderful sport for teaching people about fair play, respect for the opposition and match officials, resilience and endeavour. I believe you meet the best people through cricket and I’m fortunate to have friends all around the world through my life in cricket.

Cricket is not an easy game – you can bowl well, but not get any wickets; fail with the bat several matches in a row; and get dropped from the rep. team, so you need to be able to accept disappointment, which is an important life lesson. Players, coaches and umpires need to keep striving to improve and contribute positively to the team / match in any way they can.