Queensland cricket’s greatest all-rounders, No. 11-30
From Ron Oxenham in the early 19th century to Big Bash League superstar Shane Watson, Queensland cricket has produced some of the best all-rounders Australia has seen. Today, we name No. 11-30 in our list of the top 30.
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When Michael Neser swept to a 100 and claimed five wickets in an innings in round 1 of the Sheffield Shield earlier in this month, it prompted the debate – who is Queensland’s greatest all-rounder?
From Ron Oxenham in the early 19th century to Big Bash League superstar Shane Watson, Queensland cricket has produced some of the best all-rounders Australia has seen. Today, we name No. 11-30 in our list of the top 30.
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No. 30
ERIC BENSTED
Bensted was the first Queensland player to play in 50 Sheffield Shield matches and his record of 2700 runs at 26.73 and 76 wickets at 43 has stood the test of time.
No. 29
BARRY FISHER
Fisher was a Queensland bowling stalwart between 1955-68 who took 126 wickets at 32. But in an era of uncovered pitches, modest bats and big boundaries, Fisher also accumulated 1369 runs at a more than handy average of 21.06.
No. 28
BRETT HENSCHELL
Another fine all-rounder who broke into the Queensland team as a middle order batsman, excellent fielder and off-break bowler. He scored almost 3000 runs at just under 29, but across 66 matches for his state, Henschell’s off-spin bowling was more than handy, adding a nice variation to the battery of quicks Queensland had at its disposal in that era.
No. 27
GREG CHAPPELL
Arguably Australia’s greatest batsman since Sir Donald Bradman, Chappell scored 5872 runs at 69.08 in Shield cricket. But Chappell was also an elite change swing bowler ideal as a fifth bowling option. Indeed in one World Series Supertest he claimed 5-20 after the West Indian opening pair of Gordon Greenidge and Roy Fredricks had raced to 0-78. He had a first class bowling record of almost 300 scalps at 28.90 but, as captain, Chappell for some reason was guilty of under-bowling himself.
No. 26
BEN CUTTING
The BBL hammered home to the greater public the batting skills of Cutting, but many will forget that pre-BBL he was good enough to score 1434 runs at 22.76 and 158 wickets at 27.54 in first class cricket, including the honour of being named 12th man in a Test.
No. 25
JOHN MACLEAN
The multi-talented Maclean was both a first grade soccer and rugby player, and a top class baseballer who established himself behind the stumps as Queensland’s premier gloveman across 108 matches from the late 1960s to 1979 (3888 runs at 24.45). But he was also a fine No. 7 or No. 8 batsman who mounted many rescue operations.
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No. 24
ANDREW BICHEL
Bichel was a fast bowling ace first and foremost, but the more his career progressed, the better his batting become. Indeed he saved Australia’s backside with an unbeaten 40 during one World Cup foray – and then in the next match bowled Australia to victory. In first class cricket he ended his state career with 2809 runs at 22.29, an enviable record which snugly fitted alongside his 463 wickets at 23.44.
No. 23
MICHAEL NESER
Neser’s recent 100 and five wickets in an innings in round 1 of the Sheffield Shield earlier in the month is the whole reason why this topic was raised in the first place. Who is Queensland’s best all-rounder? Certainly Neser is enhancing his reputation as a bowling all-rounder with 1575 at 26.25 and averaging 25.60 with the blade.
No. 22
MITCHELL JOHNSON
Townsville-raised Johnson was a brilliant No. 8 batsman whose batting skills were polished while recovering from a back injury during his formative years in Queensland. The fastest bowler since the legendary Jeff Thomson, Johnson played club cricket as a batsman so when he was first picked in the Australian limited overs team from Queensland, he was almost an all-rounder. Johnson was a better batsman that his average (around 22-23) suggested.
No. 21
RUSI SURTI
An Indian Test cricketer, Rusi Surti merrily joined Queensland’s seemingly elusive chase of the Sheffield Shield in the 1970s. He was a welcomed addition, scoring 1759 runs at 29 while his left arm spin captured 48 scalps at 33.21 in support of quicks Tony Dell, Geoff Dymock and Jeff Thomson.
No. 20
JACK WILDERMUTH
Toowoomba-born Wildermuth is well balanced – his first class bowling and batting averages are exactly the same – 29.14. Those outstanding statistics say everything about his outstanding cricketing skills with both bat and ball.
No. 19
RAY PHILLIPS
Phillips was Sydney-born who, to this day, still loves the South Sydney Rabbitohs – but don’t hold that against him. In many ways he is more Queensland than Queenslanders. He was also an outstanding No. 7 batsman whose batting average kissed 30 (28.96) in an era when Test bowlers played more Shield games than Test matches.
No. 18
SCOTT PRESTWIDGE
Prestwidge may be somewhat of a controversial choice in that he makes this list having only played one first class game. But in an all-star era of Queensland cricket, teammates from the Bulls’ one-day sides of the 1990s rated him highly and loved playing with him. He was one of the first players chosen in Queensland one-day teams and never let the Bulls down with bat or ball.
No. 17
SANDY MORGAN
The brother of well known Brisbane business identity Paul Morgan, Morgan was an excellent swing bowler from Easts and University who, before retiring aged just 24, scored 1414 runs at 25 and took 113 at 28.90 in 37 first-class matches for Queensland between 1965 and 1970.
No. 16
GEOFF COOK
The western suburbs product is a bit of a hidden gem to the younger generation. Cook, highly rated by former Queensland batsman and ABC broadcaster Jack McLaughlin, was an excellent opening batsman and swing bowler who amassed 3453 runs for Queensland in Shield cricket while taking 125 at 35.50.
No. 15
RAY LINDWALL
Lindwall is one of the greatest fast bowlers the world has seen. The reality is his fast bowling was so damn good, that he could have been a batting bunny at No. 11 and he would still go down in folklore as one of Australia’s finest cricketers. But he did score five first class 100s – including a Test ton – and 19 50s and was a dream coming in at No. 8 or No.9. For Queensland his batting average was a lofty 29.13.
No. 14
ASHLEY NOFFKE
Noffke was a seam bowler whose 252 wickets at 27.39 stands up in the best of company, but he was also an underrated batsman who was so technically correct, he once batted almost three sessions in a Shield final after coming as a nightwatchman. He scored 2528 runs at 28.09 and got better and better with the bat the more his career progressed.
No. 13
COLIN McCOOL
Originally from Sydney, McCool was an elite all-rounder of the 1950s whose leg spin claimed 159 wickets at 33 for his adopted state, but he also scored 1983 runs at 29.20. He was an affable fellow whose cheery demeanour always made him welcome in the Sydney Cricket Ground dressing rooms whenever Queensland were playing in Sydney, the city of McCool’s retirement.
No. 12
TREVOR HOHNS
A hard-nosed campaigner, Hohns’ career spanned a marathon 1972 to 1992, initially starting as a middle order batsman (4174 at 27.19). But ultimately his leg-spinning bowling developed to such an extent that on the famous 1989 Ashes tour, Hohns was an established spinner. While his batting average slipped to 27, he was better than that and many times mounted rescue operations alongside Phil Carlson and John Maclean.
No. 11
TOM VEIVERS
A batting all-rounder from tough sporting stock around the Beaudesert region, Veivers was a true Queensland stalwart. He scored more than 5000 first class runs (average 36.85) but his off-spin bowling was more than handy, coming to rest with 191 wickets at an average of 38.70. Indeed in a Test match in England he once bowled 95.1-36-155-3 in an extraordinary display of endurance, but batting was his No. 1 skill. Good enough to be a top 10 nomination with ease, but the depth of Queensland; s all-rounder talent will be revealed tomorrow when numbers 1-10 are named.