Toby Hynes made his first grade debut for Western Suburbs on 6 March 2004 to become first grade player number 603 for the Magpies.
He’s a one club player who simply loves the “black and white” – let’s find out more about Toby's journey in the game
Toby with his dad Anthony and Western Suburbs President David Gilbert at the time of his 200th grade for Wests.
What year you were born?
1983
Can you remember you first game of cricket?
It was for the Newington Wyvern 9As. I couldn’t be totally sure but I think was against Grammar St. Ives and have no idea how I went probably didn’t get many and went crying into mum’s shoulder.
Tell us briefly about your cricketing journey?
I played cricket all the way through school for Newington. I was a one-club player during my grade career with the greatest club in the world - Western Suburbs District Cricket Club. I played one year of Green Shield in season 1998-1999, began my grade journey in 2001-2002 season and have played every season for Wests until I finished up last season 2020-2021. (Maybe my last year? We’ll see..) I also played a season over in England in 2006 with Alphington CC in Devon. That was a blast.
In which grade and at what age did you make your debut in grade cricket?
I made my debut in Round 1, 2001 in 4th grade against St. George. Brian Jackson was my skipper and wore a white helmet, I’d never seen one before.
At what age did you make your first grade debut in grade cricket and can you remember how you performed in debut?
It was in the 2003-2004 season Round 15 vs Penrith at Howell. I was 20 years old, had a bunch of legends in the sheds such as Peter Burkhart, Stevie Phillips, Gavan Twining and David Clark – I was way out of my depth. I remember scoring 2, got out to a Liam Zammit wrong’un. The only thing performance wise that was memorable is that I got more catches than runs that game.
If you can share with our audience, how would you describe yourself as a cricketer?
Allrounder, journeyman.
What were your strengths as a player?
When I was younger I was lucky to have a bit of time on my side whilst batting, gave me that extra second or two to see the quicker balls coming down. Had most of the shots but my favourite was the old Joe Blog over cow. As an adult I became quite an accomplished fielder because I had great guys around me to help me getter better – I always credit Gav Twining and Pete Burkhart they were exceptional in the field and doing drills with them for hours and hours at training and being a sponge really paid off.
What was your highest score in senior cricket?
188 in 3rd Grade for Wests vs Balmain at Ryde Oval in 2004-2005 season. Good day that one. Stumped down the leg side off the opening bowler with 6 overs left. Who knew…
What were your best bowling figures in senior cricket?
6 for 57 in 4th Grade for Wests vs Mosman at Rawson. Only 5 wickets I ever took. Took me only 20 years to get it. From Sunday to the following Friday I walked around in the community like the Michelen Man.
Toby celebrates his 6 for 57
Who were the best three fast bowlers you have played against?
Aaron Bird - When that bloke was in the right mood, he could let them go. Pretty hard to pick up. He bowled me a bouncer in a PGs game and hit keeper’s gloves before I even bent the knees to get out of the way. It was then called a wide by the umpire. Thanks for that.
Paul Goldsmith – I faced him in my 1st grade debut. Just a big angry dude who bowled heavy. Luckily I was wearing double undies that day.
Tony Clark – Cleverest bowler I have ever faced. Not quick, can do things with that cherry I’ve seen no other replicate.
Who were the best three spinners you have played against?
Greg Matthews – What can you say? I was lucky enough to play against him in 2s, 3s and 4s. Even in his early 40s he had perfect revolutions on the ball, drop and turn all of the stuff a left hander fears intensely. Last time I played against Greg was in 2s when he was playing for Sydney Uni, late on day one he bowled me between my legs. He then proceeded to his version of the Hayne Plane around the 30m circle which was thoroughly entertaining for the Tai Chi group doing their usual routines on the eastern side of Pratten Park. In the second dig, when it didn’t count because Uni already had the points, I hit him for 6 on to the Pratten Park hill. When they were retrieving the ball, he started to wince at his shoulder and do some circles with his arm. He whispered to the umpire he was unable to complete the over due to his shoulder being no good and that was the last I saw of Greg. Maybe it was one of those infamous snipers hiding on top of Stevie McClue’s scorers’ box that got him. Who knows…?
Anthony Kershler – Oh my goodness, so accurate, so clever, so crafty. Got a lot of drift in the air. Landed them on a 5c piece.
David Freedman – Left arm wrist spinner. Turned them square, accurate. For a left hander was so difficult to face. I ended up working with David for a short time at NSW cricket, super cool dude.
Greg Matthews bowling for Australia
Who were the best 3 batsman you’ve played against?
Phil Jaques - This was only by pure chance and a plethora of unforeseen circumstances. I was playing 4s at the time and for some reason I had the game off against Sutherland that round. So, like any grade cricketer would do in this situation you go and have a big Friday night out.
On the Saturday morning, with my face planted straight down into my mattress and my head feeling like it had an internal balaclava on it, I started to hear my phone ringing.
It was my great mate Michael Tudehope, who was playing first grade. In my utter stupidity I answered the call and he said “Mate, you gotta come down and field for us, we’ve had a super late pull out and we need ya…”
My first response was “get f*@$ed”. But in true Tudes style he was very persuasive. I got down there and play had already started. I was coming on for our groundsman who was doing a stellar job at mid on by the way. I got on there, I looked up hazily to this left hander.
Tudes was bowling and walking back to his mark, I was at mid-on and queried “Ahhhhh Tudes… Is that Phil Jaques???” He sombrely replied “Yeah”.
Suddenly all my nightmares had come to life. He ended up getting 80-odd. Upon reflection it was pretty cool to play against him and watch him go about his business.
Nic Maddinson - He was playing in the same game above!!! He was next in!!!! Holey Moly he could strike a ball.
Tim Cruikshank - Classy player, destroyed us once in a PGs game. Had all the shots and made it look so easy.
Phil Jaques
Who played the best innings you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?
Phillip Hughes – I was lucky enough to play in his grade debut. It was a One day game in 2nd grade game against St. George at Pratten Park in the last round of the season.
St. George needed to win from memory to make finals where we were down the bottom somewhere.
I got to the ground early and to my amazement I saw off in the distance what looked like this little kid and our head coach at the time Neil D’Costa giving him throwdowns. I thought to myself ‘oh it’s just another one of Dougie’s kids’.
My goodness how wrong I was. He was 17 at the time, Neil introduced us all to him, he was really shy personality wise but boy oh boy as you will read later in this story, he sure wasn’t shy with a bat in his hands.
We bowled first and St. George made 260 (somewhere in that range). Phil was opening the batting and pretty much chased the score down by himself. He got 140-odd not out. I was fortunate enough to bat with him for a little while during the innings and all he said to me was at the end of each over “I’ll hit 4s you hit 1s… ok?” Let’s just say I did not argue.
However, what was so amazing to this innings was the last over. We needed 1 run off 6 balls. St George brought everyone up in the circle as you do. Phil blocked the first one. Then the second. Third. Fourth. Fifth. We as a team were all standing there going WHATS DOING??!!! We needed 1 run off the final ball of the season. Phillip casually then put Saints bowler Steve Wark over cow on top of the hill for 6 to win the game. Amazing.
Truly his death was the biggest tragedy in world sport. We all miss him. Never forgotten.
Phillip Hughes celebrates his Test century
Western Suburbs wake which Toby organised the day of Phillip Hughes passing
Was there any bowler in particular who for whatever reason always seemed to cause you a few problems?
Steven Wark from St. George - Hens loves roosters, geese love ganders, everyone else loves…………
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?
Definitely. It was my first finals in 3s vs Manly. We had a red-hot team. We finished 2nd in the regular season and we had to play Manly (who came 5th) at Pratten. I went in early we were about 3 for 20 and Gav Twining was at the other end with me. He broke every run scoring record in 3s that season with over 1000+ runs. We ended up putting on around 130 for the 4th wicket. He was so professional in our chats between overs. So positive, got me in the right frame of mind and made me knuckle down and step up to the plate. That was some serious ‘big boi’ cricket. All finals are really. They are the best experience as a player, you learn so much and they are so fun.
Who was the best wicket keeper you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?
It’s a tie between John Rush and Adam Hooch Turner. Excellent glovemen, great talkers, great leaders, rare as rocking horse dung they made a mistake.
Who are the two players you admired most in terms of skills and competitive spirit in the competitions you played?
Jason Hughes – One of my closest mates from cricket. Tough, no BS, puts the highest price on his wicket. Was a privilege to play so many games with him and then go to Fringe Bar and Cargo afterwards to be serial pests.
Marc Seymour – This guy hated batsmen. The ultimate competitor. Swung the ball both ways. Did plenty with the rock. Big dude in more ways than one. He was a gun. He fed me catches at 2nd slip. I didn’t dare to drop one either or…
Which umpire in NSW Premier Cricket did you admire most in how they managed a game?
There’s a few which come to mind. Chris Weir in lower grades was an absolute gentleman. Ran the game properly, great communicator, accurate decision maker and enjoyed a schooner.
Bruce Whitehouse is another. Super cool dude. So professional but could enjoy a joke with the boys. Loved cricket and had ultimate respect for the game we all love.
Who was the best captain you had the good fortune to play with?
There’s 2. In my earlier years it was the one and only Aaron Morris. So passionate for the Maggies, whacked the ball hard and great leader.
The other was in my later years as a player. Darren Cox. I love this man. He stopped playing at Wests just before I started there. However, he game back to Wests in his mid-40s to captain 4s and lead us to a grand final. He was so unique with his field placements and loved the psychological warfare out on the field. Brilliant tactician, so enthusiastic about the game but above all else was a mate to everyone. Always saw himself as an equal to his players which is a quality that I admired the most.
Wests old boys Peter Burkhart, Toby Hynes, Peter Holland, Darren Cox
Who has been your funniest team mate?
Justin O’Neil by the length of the straight. This guy on so many occasions had me laughing where you’re laughing so hard your legs don’t work and you have to fall on something to keep yourself upright.
Can you recall some banter or an exchange on the cricket field that still makes you laugh today?
Haha several. The love triangle between Toby Hynes, Luke Reynolds and Laurie Borg. Let’s just say it ended up being a report for the ages. Can’t say much more but people at Wests will know where I’m coming from.
This one I can expand on a little more. It was a third grade game against Sutherland at Blick Oval.
From memory it was cold and dark but not raining. Blick was pretty flat back then and we lost the toss and bowled. They got away from us pretty easily, so I had to do something. This young fella was batting really well and pumping us to all parts. Then Ace (Aaron Morris) went up to me and said ‘Thoughts?’ I said “Bring Hughesy (Jason Hughes) on for a couple… He bowls stump to stump, he’s accurate and let’s see if we can string some dots together and force a mistake”
Ace agreed and we brought the Macksville Mauler on. He was doing a good job of keeping the young fella quiet. I was at short cover and I thought this was the time to strike. So Pubo (Jason Hughes) bowled 3 good dots in a row. As he was walking back to his mark, I went up to the young fella and said “Hey mate… did you know this fact? The bowler bowling to right now has won the award of having the biggest testicles in grade cricket.” He glared at me with this puzzled look on his face as I was walking backwards to my fielding position. So, the fourth ball happened and I could make out that this kid was dropping his eye level a little bit. Dot ball. Then the fifth ball was delivered, and the eye level was continuing to drop. I thought to myself – ‘he’s watching the wrong ball here.’ Final delivery of the over - Cleaned bowled. Well done, Hughesy.
Who was your childhood hero?
Optimus Prime. Who else.
Who are the three sports people in the world you’d most like to meet?
Muhammad Ali, Bret “The Hitman” Hart and Vince McMahon.
Who’s your favourite cricket commentator?
Richie Benaud and Kerry O’Keeffe
What was your favourite ground to play at?
Pratten Park. The mecca of Ashfield.
What’s been your most memorable moment in cricket?
Definitely the 4s Grand Final against Manly at Manly Oval. Even though we lost that was the coolest couple of days I have ever experienced as a cricketer. So intense, Manly gobbing off at us, decent crowd, Coxy getting rub downs from our drop in physio, great ground it had everything. Loved every minute. Played the Grand Final at the ripe ol age of 35. Well worth the wait.
Western Suburbs 4th Grade Final team
What’s the best win you’ve been involved with?
It was a 2s game against Parramatta at Old Kings. It was played over a long weekend where we played Saturday-Sunday. Old Kings was sooooo flat. We obviously lost the toss and they batted. Whereby they proceeded to absolutely bladder us to all parts of the CBD in Parramatta. They ended up getting 420 from their 96. We were no chance. However, and there most definitely is a however.
We chased their 420, 6 or 7 down. Everyone got runs that day. Even me haha. I almost killed my old man standing in the long on trees with a 6. Sorry about that one Dad. I remember Timmy Sallway hitting the winning runs and me an Tudes went absolutely off chops in the stands. Best. Chase. Ever.
Who are the three players from your playing days at the top of the list for a Saturday afternoon barbeque?
Alex Cheung, John Rush (we all love that pineapple railway) and Nick Cutler.
What are your hobbies?
Golf, watching the Tigers lose, spoiling my cat, video games and cooking.
What’s the best advice you’ve received?
Practice makes permanent. Not perfect.
What’s your occupation?
Primary School Teacher.
If you were running a state cricket association what would your 2 priorities to ensure cricket in the state remained strong and successful on and off the field?
Grass roots. Get kids playing cricket. As many as possible. We all started there. That’s the key to the future.
The final word: Lastly, I would just like to say that my career at Wests was one of the greatest things I’ve been lucky enough to experience in my life. Yes, there were successes on the field but what I treasure the most is the friendships I have made off the field with so many people. Lifelong friendships. It’s a club like no other where everyone is mates. There’s no divide between higher and lower graders, everyone is equal. There is so much respect for your teammate and team first mentality which I was taught very young at Wests as the foundation of their culture. Greatest club in the world and it was an absolute honour to play there for 23 years.
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