 Dan Frogan No. 6
Frogan has been in the country putting the finishing touches to the NSW under 17 squad. As assistant manager it is important that Frogan leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the strongest squad is put together to continue a very successful history that NSW has in this competition.
Despite his hard work in towns from Deniliquin to Dapto, Frogan was pleased to note a successful weekend against the Lions of Fairfield. To overtake them on the Club Championship ladder is certainly no mean feat. First grade being back in the winner's circle against a team that boasts a virtual first class attack was great to see, particularly when defending a small total.
(Steve "Stan" Smith)
It augurs well for the fact that the club is playing their cricket in "true Gordon style". Fairfield has traditionally been a very tough club on an off the park and Frogan recalls being at a game in the early '90's when Stobo, returning from his first "retirement", went toe-to-toe with current Stags batting guru "Stan" Smith.
The game began comically with the two youngest members of the Stags' side, Nicholson and Kelly got stuck behind a Hells Angles' charity rally that had blocked Roberts Road, which saw them arrive at the Fairfield Oval (Rosedale had had not yet been reclaimed from landfill) 10 minutes prior to the start of play. Hayne won the toss and elected to bat and Gordon limped to a meagre score of 180. The score was not improved by the Stags' number 11, who bemoaned the fact that lower order batsmen always received harsh treatment despite the fact that he had been moved his front foot no further than the popping crease to the straightest of deliveries.
 Determined to make his mark in the game he charged out and took new ball in hand and demanded an attacking filed, which saw only Michael Cant at bat pad and Steve Day at mid-off, in front of the wicket. A place even had to be found for known useless-behind-the-wicket Kelly. With Emery and "Buckets" Hayne in the team, the solution was to stick Kelly at first slip! Right on cue an edge was produced by the opening batsman that was making a bee-line for Kelly's belly button, only to see Emery dive in front to pouch the catch. The number three also obliged with the same shot, which again threatened Kelly's relatively smaller stomach, only to see the ginger flash of Hayne fly in front of him to take the chance. Kelly thought how easy this first slip caper was. After this day, on Frogan's strongest recommendation, Kelly has never occupied the position again.
(Emery the younger)
Smith, with the bravado that saw him open the innings for his country against the likes of Marshall, Garner and Holding at Sabina Park in the Carribean summer of 1983/84, informed Stobo, "Richard, despite the deep peril that my teammates and I appear to in, I would counsel you that it is my sincere opinion that us few, us happy few will surely prevail".
Stobo reposed, "F***off Smithy". Frogan has always been disappointed with the response, having taught Stobo whilst a temporary English Master at Knox College in 1979 and believes that the interchange should have been far more eloquent. Although, Stobo's report card for English in that year of World Series Cricket read "Richard could do better". Indeed.
However, Smithy was ultimately left with little alternative other than to take Stobo's petulant advice as the Stags won a hard-fought, low-scoring encounter.
Frogan has been able to draw parallels with the hard-nosed cricket that was played that day by Gordon and the kind of cricket being played by the club at the present time. Gordon is currently playing very consistent and tough cricket but cricket is a funny game and whilst second and sixth grade are up near the top of the table third grade have been extremely unlucky to have garnered no points from the last three games that they have lost by a combined total of 2 wickets. The tough spirit that these two grades particularly are playing with must be maintained. Fourth grade are suffering a tough patch at the present time, which is hardly surprising, considering the amount of cricket that they have missed. However, the team is well lead by Stuart Brand and the results must surely come with this talented group of cricketers.
The Hobbits of the (Sutherland) Shire pose the same the challenge, sitting a mere 20 ahead in seventh place. Sutherland have been a very strong club in the last decade and after a couple of years of lesser performances appear to be regaining the position of fielding strong teams across the board.
 Frogan was excited about the impending debut of Jeremy Cashman in first grade. Sagely, Frogan noted that in the last two and a half seasons Cashman, with a straight front-legged driving style that moved Frogan to compare the young man from Sydney's catchment area with his own commanding style at the crease, has scored hundreds in each grade from fifth grade to second grade, including a triumvirate of centuries in second grade in under a season and a half. It is a just reward for effort and should go to show each and every player that has considered that he is playing in a grade beneath that which he should that runs and wickets are the only language to which selectors listen. Good luck on Sunday Cashy.
(Cashy is happy about his century last round) | 
