Team of the Decade - 1983 to 1993 Penrith Cricket Club

Trevor Bayliss has the right credentials to be a selector. His First-class career is acknowledged, and, after cricket he became a much-sought-after coach. He rose through the coaching ranks in NSW, from Under-19s to Colts, to 2nd XI, all winners. NSW lifted the Pura Cup (Sheffield Shield) and the One-day Cup. He coached Sri Lanka to five Test Series wins, and to a World Cup Final. More recently his skills have been in demand in the T20 Leagues, coaching the Sydney Sixers (inaugural BBL champions) and the Kolkata Knight Riders (IPL champions).

Here are his selection notes:

“My team is mostly one with experience from the early part of the decade, but one that reflects the Club’s direction later in the decade. Five back up from the First Decade team, Steve Small, Bayliss, Ken Hall, Graeme Beard and Greg Gavin. Unusually, my team has four left-arm bowlers, although all are different. And, there are four left-hand batsmen in the line-up, providing good combinations.

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“Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are straight-forward— never-shirk-a-challenge Small (1773 runs @61.13), no-helmet Rod Bower (3395 @ 41.4), Bayliss (4336 @ 49.8) and Hall (1928 runs @ 40.1 and 107 wickets @ 24.65). Runs won’t be a problem, and, in good time too! The other opener is Brian Wood, a right-hander to complement the left-handed Small, and, a perfect foil.

Small crunched, ‘Woody’ glided, caressed and punched his way to 2834 runs @ 36.8, mostly off the back foot, which earned him selection in the NSW 2nd XI. Greg Monaghan and Barry Coad were in the frame but neither quite commanded the presence. The top three all made double-centuries in the decade—Small 201* v Balmain, Wood 202* v Balmain and Bower 200 v Hawkesbury.

"My No.6 is Graeme Beard, an all-rounder who by this stage of his career—his last two seasons at the Club—had mostly given away the medium-pacers and bowled off-spinners.

He had an outstanding record: 83 wickets @ 19.6 and 539 runs @ 31.7, just about all of them scored via his very correct and upright style. Steve Kennaugh challenged in the all-rounder category but the team needs Beard’s ‘offies’ for balance.

Our keeper is Greg Gavin (five seasons, 85 catches and 22 stumping’s) and a very handy 958 runs @ 27.37. He scored runs in hard-to-find places, which was frustrating for the opposition and hard to set a field against.

Steve Small

“The bowling will be led by Phil Blizzard, accurate, left-arm swing both ways and 76 wickets @ 20.23 in just two seasons. Mark Denny (116 wickets @ 28.34) is his partner. Mark was a ‘nice’ fast bowler, never sledged, never got angry, but bowled each ball with 100 per cent commitment, whether it was his first ball or the last in his 25th over. Commitment is an important ingredient for a pace bowler at any time but especially on the fast-bowlers’ graveyard of the late 80s—Howell Oval!

“Tenth spot goes to spin-bowler Paul Thomas, just in front of Tom Shiner. After a long apprenticeship, ‘Thommo’ established his First Grade career with decade figures of 127 wickets @ 30.25. His control and ability to drag the batsman out of his crease—never quite seeming to get to the pitch of the ball—was his strength.

Two last spots to fill, and three candidates. They are a young opening batsman Jason Arnberger, the left-arm wrist-spinner Ken Gentles, and, a young pace-bowler Paul Goldsmith.

Others in the frame were the veterans Graeme Pitty and Ian Monaghan. Goldsmith was a new-ball bowler with good shape and a bit of zip, and, in his first year in First Grade took 25 wickets @ 27.

‘Arnie’ was technically sound on both front and back foot and was blessed with the ability to concentrate for long periods. “Arnie’s time is not far away, and, it’s a strong top-six so he will have to be patient, coincidentally somewhat of a strength in his play.

Gentles could be wayward but gave the ball a big rip in both directions and was a wicket-taker. In this team he would benefit greatly from the miserly contributions from Hall, Beard, Blizzard and Thomas. Gentles gets the nod. Goldsmith pips Arnberger as 12th man, another bowling option, in case conditions are favourable.

“It probably wouldn’t beat the first Team Of The Decade but it has a top-six with plenty of runs in the tank, a keeper who could also score some handy runs, a left-right opening bowling combination, one providing swing (Blizzard) the other seam (Denny), all-rounder Ken Hall providing his first-change swing and seam medium-pacers and three spinners, left and right-hand orthodox combination of Thomas and Beard with the unorthodox wicket-taking Ken Gentles as the X-factor.

“The manager is Kevin Clarke, who took over the role in 1986/87. He was described by Ken Hall as ‘undoubtedly the best manager in Australia’. Kevin came to the Club via the pre-season net trials and, although a non-selection—“which end of the bat do I hold?”—he showed such enthusiasm, and was such good company, it was decided an offer to manage the Firsts should be forthcoming. He jumped at it. Post-match drinks were individually catered, ‘nibblies’ were plentiful, even buckets of ice cream. Very many happy times were had in the dressing room with Kevin in the middle of it.

Scorer is Ray Gallagher, a man with a great sense of humour, an old Cumberland (Parramatta) cricketer who didn’t mind a schooner, loved a punt.”