MADDOGS
CRICKET CLUB, SYDNEY
MEMBERS​
Maddogs Cricket Club consists of a 25-strong kennel of emigre poms in Sydney with considerable enthusiasm for cricket and beer...ideally a successful combination of both...
Bourne Mad
Name: Giles Bourne
Breed: British Bull Terrier
Kennel: Salisbury
After an epic and drunken Ashes contest in 2003, Giles and a few equally intoxicated gluttons for punishment founded Maddogs Cricket Club. A decade on and Giles still does his best to keep his on pitch talents under wraps- rarely adding value on the field. Despite this, he enthusiastically turns up for as many nets sessions, games and ‘debriefs’ as can get away with.
Woof Watto
Name: Edward (Watto) Watson
Breed: Hungarian Puli
Kennel: Bishops Stortford now Freshwater
Watto brings together the genius Compton-esque clothing with a twist or voracious hitting from his meagre frame. Bowling is sporadic but banter is fierce. Having taken 1 decent catch he usually found grazing at ‘V.F. deep slog’ where he receives plenty of business from the meat pies usually delivered by TC or Billy. A newish member of the club who thoroughly enjoys the Beers and general camaraderie provided by this resplendent set of men.
The Yorkshire Terror
Name: Nick Roberts
Breed: Yorkshire Terrier
Kennel: Yorkshire
As an enthusiastic school-boy cricketer Nick was told by none other than Geoffrey Boycott that he would never make a 'proper cricketer' and for many years afterwards it appears that spiteful dick head was talking a lot of sense. Thankfully 40 years later the Maddogs has proved a much more nurturing environment of gentle pies, dropped catches and crooked bats and Nick's confidence and average is finally on the mend.
Pitchbull
Name: Gareth Llewelyn
Breed: Cardigan Corgi
Kennel: Wales
Gareth Llewellyn is apparently far more successful writing about Mad Dog cricket matches than actually playing in them.
Luckily, he very much enjoys both.
Sheepish
Name: Sean Garvey
Breed: Old English Sheepdog
Kennel: Northerner
You may have guessed that is not a picture of Sean...! Heres to dreaming, as Ian Chappel once said "It's tough for a natural hooker to give it up" . With aspirational visions of grandeur for his batting, Sean is more comfortable with the ball in hand. Bowling a lazy in-swing (which apparently has something to do with the clouds and humidity) he has modelled his Mad Dogs profile on Ian Botham, he has however only achieved the equivalent to Ian in the weight department!
Here Boysey
Name: Jeremy Boyse
Breed: Foxhound x Vanjari Hound
Kennel: Lewes, Near Brighton
Boysey is an energetic wicket keeper / batsman…..or at least tries to be. Rarely available due to multiple commitments but when playing is extremely vociferous. It has been said that he can be heard back in Dee Why when giving the oppo abuse at Jamieson Park.
One way to shut him up is supply the beers instead of water during the drinks break.
Farmdog
Name: Ed Suttle
Breed: Border Collie
Kennel: Goulburn
This Ed is the Treasurer, so be nice to him. Cricketing pedigree? Did score a hundred once against an incredibly depleted St Thomas’ Hospital X1 in London. Have played for a variety of social sides here and in the UK including Old Haileyburians (never went to Haileybury), the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve (never a member of the RNVR) and Mad Dogs.
Farming interests may have led to an increasingly agricultural batting technique of late. Anyone dismissed by my bowling is deservedly thoroughly ashamed.
Scratch
Name: Billy Cutler
Breed: North Rhodesian Ridgeback
Kennel: Bongoland, now Balminge
A pugnacious opening bat, an average keeper (at best) and a poor bowler (but it’s all relative, no?) – manages to do all three in a game, rarely at once as the pounds have slowed his Billy Whiz speed. Likes to hog the bowling and run out his teammates. If not on the cricket pitch, on the golf course trying to live up to his name.
Sweep
Name: Ant Pritchard
Breed: Old English terrier
Kennel: Hampshire
A recent addition to the pack. Started his (MadDog) Ashes career the same way as Graham Gooch by registering a pair on debut - fortunately the MadDog selectors are more forgiving and didn't wait another 3 years to pick him again! An accurate medium paced trundler operating off an ever-shortening run up, a versatile batsman who can block like Boycott but is also happy to employ an array of aggressive sweep shots for the team's cause and a rarity among the Dogs in the field as he has a safe pair of paws under a high catch.
The Hairless Husky
Name: Luke Knowles
Breed: Husky
Kennel: Northwood, Middlesex
Luke is happy to run and bowl all day. Like all good dogs, he is very happy to run around in the outfield and fetch balls from all corners of the field.
An import from Northwood Cricket Club in Hertfordshire, Luke has introduced a few more of his breed from the same club - medium paced lower order batsmen!