Michael Wood made his first grade debut for Parramatta during the 1998/99 season and is the clubs first grade player number 514.
Over the next 16 seasons Michael scored 7,098 first grade runs including 9 centuries. He took 332 wickets and took 5 wickets or more in an innings on 8 occasions.
He was twice runner up in the Bill O’Reilly Medal for the player of the season in NSW premier Cricket and was awarded life membership to the Parramatta Cricket Club in 2015.
Let’s find out more about Michael’s journey in the game
What year you were born?
1981
Can you remember you first game of cricket?
Under 10’s average cricket for Kings Langley. I was 8 years old and played with my older brother and cousin. Coached by my dad. I batted my allotted 18 balls without getting out.
Tell us briefly about your cricketing journey?
I played junior cricket with Kings Langley in the Parramatta district. Green Shield Parramatta. NSW 17’s, 19’s, Colts. Keynsham Cricket Club, Bristol UK and Parramatta First Grade 1998-2014
In which grade and at what age did you make your debut in grade cricket?
At 16yrs, in my first season after Green Shield I was selected in 4th grade. After a couple games I moved up to 3rd grade and played the remainder of the year there. We lost the final to Sydney Uni. The following season, I was selected straight into 1st Grade.
At what age did you make your first grade debut in grade cricket and can you remember how you performed in debut?
17yrs. Debut against St George at Old Kings Oval. My first wicket was Brad McNamara caught at cover by Tim McMahon. I also managed to run out Paul Ryan via direct hit.
If you can share with our audience, how would you describe yourself as a cricketer?
Allrounder who batted most of my career at 4 or 5 and bowled left arm wrist spin (accurate, but not much turn. Took most of my wickets with my wrong’un). Fairly quick around the field. I loved throwing myself around to cut off balls and trying to get runouts.
What were your strengths as a player?
Batting: I think I had a pretty positive approach and wide range of shots.
Bowling: Accuracy and useful wrong-un
What was your highest score in senior cricket?
165 not out in 1st Grade for Parramatta against Eastern Suburbs at Old Kings Oval.
What were your best bowling figures in senior cricket?
6 for 26 in 1st Grade for Parramatta against Western Suburbs
Who were the best three fast bowlers you have played against?
Brett Lee: Lucky enough to play him in my first season, just before he started playing Test cricket. I had never faced anything near that pace before.
Glenn McGrath: Had admired his bowling for a long time, so getting to face him and Stuart Clarke at both ends against Sutherland was a great experience that I will never forget.
Paul and Michael Goldsmith charging in from both ends against Penrith was always an extremely tough challenge because they were just relentless competitors and very skilful bowlers. I really enjoyed those battles.
Brett Lee
Who were the best three spinners you have played against? And if you could add a few words as to why
Gavin Robertson: In my earlier years in 1st grade. He was a strong competitor, had subtle variations in flight, turn speed etc. Great guy who was always willing to have a chat after the game and pass on his experience.
David Freedman: As a left-arm wrist spinner myself, Freddy was somebody I really admired. He was a huge part of the Bankstown powerhouse, had a great wrong’un and overall presence. Having gotten to know him a bit more in recent years, I have also found out he is a really good bloke also. I wish I had asked him for some bowling advice while I was still playing.
Glenn Aitken: I believe he was as skilfull an off spinner as anyone I have played with or against. Great turn, variations and accuracy. Very strong competitor also.
Gavin Robertson
Who were the best 3 batsman you’ve played against?
Greg Mail: Concentration levels, shot selection, professional approach. Churned out runs always. Consistency that most of us could only dream of.
Ed Cowan: I always liked watching Ed construct an innings. Amazing temperament, very stylish and a good timer of the ball. He played pure cricket shots, and was a player who rarely took chances when he was batting.
Michael Clarke: I played a lot of junior state cricket with Michael and he was always a standout. As his career blossomed I would love watching him bat. In particular, his positive footwork against spinners and pure self-belief and conviction in his shot making.
Who played the best innings you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?
Michael Clarke: One year he played a game for Wests against us at Old Kings oval where he peeled off a double ton without even getting out of first gear. It was a completely faultless innings, with no chances and you didn’t even realise he was reaching the milestones so quickly. As an opposition player it was a tough day, but I did marvel at just how good he was. Next level.
From my own team, Jason Kelly’s 193 in first grade against Manly was an amazing knock. Positive intent, clean striking and just beautiful batting. Great player to watch in full flight.
Can you recall a time when you thought, wow, this is a step or two up from what you were used to in grade cricket and you really had to knuckle down to survive?
In my first season in first grade 1998/99. At Alan Border Oval Mosman. I was 17yrs and Brett Lee had come back from a NSW match to play the second day of our game. We were fighting to save outright late in the day. I batted number 5 or 6 and I remember sitting in the stand on that cold afternoon, not being able to track Brett’s deliveries from side-on. Our most experienced batter, Tim Mcmahon, turned to us and said, “It’s like sitting on death row”.
This was the only time in my whole career that I thought I could get seriously injured if I’m not completely switched on. Brett’s pace was like nothing I had ever seen. I ended up playing quite well and finished 38 not out. Unfortunately, our last batter, Daniel Jackson was caught behind off Warwick Adlam up the other end with one over remaining in the day, so we lost outright. A lasting memory for me, was Brett Lee putting his arm around me as we walked off telling me well-played. A small gesture from him that has forever painted him as a great person in my eyes.
Who are the two players you admired most in terms of skills and competitive spirit in the competitions you played?
Daniel Jackson: With over 600 first grade wickets, this guy was without doubt the greatest competitor I ever played with. He was an extremely skilful bowler, who at his peak was as quick as anyone going around and he just kept coming hard all day. I very rarely witnessed anyone take him apart. He commanded respect from all the best batsmen in the comp and he had an ability to consistently bowl his best when we were up against it on completely flat tracks. Having Daniel in the team gave everybody confidence no matter who we were playing.
Greg Davidson: Greg was a person who took me under his wing from my first game in 1st Grade and has been a close mate ever since. He taught me a lot about playing tough, competitive cricket. He was an outstanding off spin bowler, who used his height and subtle variations to great success. He didn’t use a heap of tricks, but he was extremely smart at working batsmen out and always seemed to take the important scalps for us. He was a handy batter whose biggest quality was his determination. He used this characteristic to become an inspirational leader at our club also. Davo’s favourite saying that always stuck with me on those hot 40 degree days, when heaps of players didn’t want to be out there, “When my body says no, I say yes!”
Daniel Jackson
Who was the best captain you had the good fortune to play with?
Gavan Twining: Was my first captain in first grade. He was very intelligent, well organised and methodical in the way he went about his cricket. He was a great role model and showed what it took to be a first grader in the way he went about preparation, training and playing.
Greg Davidson: Inspirational person who you wanted to play for.
Greg Davidson batting
Who was your childhood hero?
My favourite players to watch were always Shane Warne and Ricky Ponting.
My childhood hero was definitely my dad. Excellent cricketer himself, who played 17yrs of 1st Grade and taught my brother and I everything we knew. Following him around to cricket grounds as a little kid are still some of my happiest memories in life.
Who’s your favourite cricket commentator?
Richie Benaud: Parramatta great of course. I had the pleasure as 1st Grade captain of sitting with Richie and his wife Daphne at the first Parramatta captain’s lunch. What an amazing, intelligent human being and truly the voice of cricket.
What was your favourite ground to play at?
Old Kings Oval. Obviously I spent a great deal of my life out on that field and I would always find the natural surrounds and setting calming. It felt like a second home.
My favourite away ground would have to be Hurstville Oval. Beautiful place to play cricket.
What’s been your most memorable moment in cricket?
One particular game against a very strong, Paul Ryan led St George at Hurstville Oval. We were big underdogs in the match. I always loved playing cricket at Hurstville and this particular game, I was able to score a hundred and also have a match-winning partnership with my brother James who scored 70. I didn’t get to play a huge amount of games with James in first grade, so this was one I really enjoyed. It was a really tough, tense match and one of the best memories of my days at Parra.
Who are the three players from your playing days at the top of the list for a Saturday afternoon barbeque?
To be honest, I would have to invite a whole bunch of my mates from the old days at Parra. We did it quite tough through the majority of my playing career, but I wouldn’t change it, as I played with some amazing blokes who were really good friends and talented cricketers. My old mates Davo and Jacko, Adam Denmeade, Trent Marsh, Jason Kelly, Rod West, Roger Frare, Alex Murphy, my brother, Damian Wallace, Brenton Cherry, Luke Forbes, Ben Martin, Nick Bertus to name only a few.
I would definitely save a special spot for our club secretary Ron Wright who has been the beating heart of the club for such a long time. Ron is a tremendous friend who I could always count on for support and advice. A real legend.
What are your hobbies?
Spending weekends with my beautiful wife and 3yo son, Oliver. It’s pure gold. It’s the major reason I am not currently involved in cricket.
What is your occupation?
PE teacher at Glenwood High School. I’ve been there 16yrs and it’s a great school.
Are you still involved in cricket and if so, in what capacity?
No current involvement. I managed NSW 15yrs all schools for a few years after I finished playing and did a little bit of coaching at the grade club. I’m sure I will get back involved when my little guy gets a bit bigger.
If you were running Cricket NSW what would be your priority to ensure cricket in the state remained strong and successful on and off the field?
I think they really need to rethink the representative structure. Doing away with a genuine second XI competition in favour of an U23 pathway, effectively tells players that they are finished once they pass that age.
Cricketers don’t reach their peak and know their games until at least late twenties, by which time, the system has long forgotten them.
Playing a glorified age competition against other young cricketers the same age does not prepare you for that next level.
I think we are seeing this at Sate and international levels.
By the time these young players actually reach their peak, they have been moved on, in favour of the next young guy.
So, effectively nobody is actually getting a chance when they are at their best. Maybe they need to look at what was happening down through each pathway level when Australian cricket was dominating for so many years.
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