Revealed: The best GPS batsman of all-time and it is not Test sensation Marnus Labuschagne

The elite GPS schoolboy competition has produced many Test players and some of the most famous Queensland cricketers of all-time. But who is the greatest batsman?

The elite GPS schoolboy competition has produced countless Test players, including current sensation Marnus Labuschagne. But who is the greatest batsman to emerge from the cricketing river of gold?

It is Toowoomba Grammar School old boy Martin Love. That is the opinion of the doyen of GPS sport, the retired Ron Cochrane, a former Director of Sport from Brisbane Grammar School who is a walking encyclopaedia of schoolboy sport.

“Martin, he is the best I have seen in GPS by far,’’ Cochrane said.

$1 for 28 days: Full digital subscription

High praise indeed given the GPS system has produced the likes of Labuschagne (BSHS), Shane Watson (IGS), Jim Maher (Nudgee College), Peter Burge (Churchie), Stuart Law (BSHS) Chris Lynn (Nudgee College), Matt Renshaw, (BGS), Joe Burns (Nudgee College), Ray Reynolds (Churchie), David Ogilvie (BGS) and Bill Buckle (BGS).

BSHS past student Marnus Labuschagne of Brisbane Heat. (AAP Image/Hamish Blair)

“I remember BGS played Toowoomba Grammar and our vice-captain got 150 and we set them 250 to chase,’’ Cochrane said.

“Martin had opened the bowling and bowled 20 straight, and after lunch he opened the batting.

“He scored 181 and got them over the line.

“The next day TGS had a charity walk and he was so sore after opening the bowling and batting, he could barely walk,’’ Cochrane smiled.

— BRISBANE GRAMMAR SCHOOL’S BEST FIRST XI

— IS CHURCHIE’S GREATEST FIRST XI THE BEST IN GPS HISTORY?

Cochrane said Love scored so efficiently and with such little effort, it was not obvious he was scoring quickly.

Cochrane once told some young students at BGS who were wanting to improve their batting to look on You Tube and type in the words: “Martin Love batting’’.

“They saw me later in the week and said: ‘Gee he was a good player’.’’

Martin Love after reaching another century. Pic: DavidKapernick

The year Love left school and joined the University of Queensland club, Uni stalwart Andrew Courtice, a state opener, did some intelligence on Love’s ability by phoning Cochrane.

“How good is this Love,’’ asked Courtice.

Cochrane replied: “He is very good, but not a great runner between the wickets.’’

At the end of the year Courtice batted with Love and Love ran him out.

“You were right about him not being a great runner between the wickets,’’ Courtice told Cochrane.

But boy, Love could bat.

Cricketer Sid Barnes, left, opening batsman with Bill Brown in 1948. Brown adored the batting style of Martin Love.

The legendary Queenslander Bill Brown, who went on three Ashes tours of England with Sir Donald Bradman, once likened Love to a mixture between two batsmen renowned for elegance, Brian Booth and Mark Waugh.

After observing one of his 27 Sheffield Shield centuries for Queensland, I recall writing in The Courier-Mail: “Love displayed more timing than a Swiss clock.’’

Martin Love sweeps on his way to 104 not out.

Cochrane was also seduced by Love’s batting elegance. “His on-drive was as close to Greg Chappell than any I have seen,’’ Cochrane said.

Cochrane said in two seasons of First XI cricket, Love scored eight hundreds in 16 innings to completely dominate the schoolboy landscape.

“No one else has done that, including Sugar Ray Reynolds at Churchie,’’ Cochrane praised.

FAST FACTS:

Martin Love

Career span: 1993-2009

Sheffield Shield

Runs: Queensland record 10,123 runs at 45.23

First class:

16,952 runs at 49.85.

Tests:

233 runs at 46.60

GPS CRICKET COVERAGE: The GPS cricket season starts on Saturday, February 1. Andrew Dawson will be covering matches and reporting for both theQuest Community Newspapers and The Courier-Mail online sites.