Simon Vanderkruik: Gold Coast cricket’s best ever bowling spell

On January 7, 2012, 44-year-old Simon Vanderkruik unleashed the most devastating bowling performance the Gold Coast’s sixth grade competition had ever seen.

On January 7, 2012, 44-year-old Simon Vanderkruik unleashed the most devastating bowling performance the Gold Coast’s sixth grade competition had ever seen.

In just five overs, the former “unsuccessful” Victorian pro golfer-turned-Helensvale quick skittled Palm Beach 9-8 to record the Coast’s best bowling figures of the MyCricket era.

Vanderkruik took a double-hat-trick, four wickets in four balls, in his fifth of six possible overs and could have taken his 10th the very next ball.

Simon Vanderkruik pictured back at the Pacific Pines School Oval where he unleashed the most devastating bowling spell sixth grade has ever seen - 9 wickets for 8 runs off five overs. Photograph : Jason O'Brien

In the end that 10th wicket fell to the bowler at the other end - Palm Beach bowled out for 43 in 12 overs, chasing 100.

Eight years later, The Bulletin set out to track down the man responsible for one of lower-grade cricket’s wackiest days.

“I probably shouldn’t have been in sixth grade,” Vanderkruik said.

“I hadn’t played cricket since high school because I went on to play golf.

“I started up again in my 40s at Helensvale in their fifth and sixth grade teams.

“I was only in my first couple of seasons but I could swing those two-piece balls - occasionally you’d get one you could do anything with.”

Simon Vanderkruik kept the ball and a souvenir from the concrete pitch at Pacific Pines High, before it was demolished. Photograph : Jason O'Brien

On the concrete pitch of Pacific Pines State High, a productive hunting ground for the medium-pacer that season, he found one of those perfect balls conducive to swing bowling.

“I distinctly remember the first two wickets in the first couple of overs,” Vanderkruik said.

“They were LBW but weren’t really out, so after those two the (opposition) captain said ‘that’s enough mate’.”

The umpire, a lower order batsman from the Palm Beach team, was quickly replaced but that didn’t solve their batting woes.

“I bowled the next couple,” Vanderkruik said, “and then in my fifth over I got four in a row with one more ball to get.

Simon Vanderkruik pictured back at the Pacific Pines School Oval where he unleashed the most devastating bowling spell sixth grade has ever seen - 9 wickets for 8 runs off five overs. Photograph : Jason O'Brien

“I didn’t get the last guy and then the other guy put up a dolly of a catch the next over (to end the innings).

“I was probably, in hindsight, a fourth grade bowler, not playing a great side and that day the ball was perfect for swinging - it was field of dreams-type stuff.

“I mean, the object of the game was to use the bat and they chose not to.”

As incredible as his spell was, not all teammates were as thrilled to have their game up-ended so quickly.

“There were a few guys who weren’t that keen because they waited all week to play on Saturday and it only lasted 30 minutes,” Vanderkruik said.

Gold Coast Bulletin, 10/1/12

“Terry Wilson (Bulletin sportswriter) put me in his column that week, and after I took five-for again the following week Terry put out a second column saying I had the most wickets in the entire competition.

“I got promoted to fourth grade after that and got spanked, had 40 taken off me in three overs.

“It goes to show, you might be a legend in sixth grade and get spanked by a 50-year-old in fourth grade.

“Cricket is the great leveller like that.”

The 52-year-old Nurse Unit Manager at the Gold Coast University Hospital plans to roll the arm over for at least one more season, hopefully adding a few more scalps to his tally of 202 career wickets.