Koony Legend brings up 500

CRICKET is a game of many milestones but notching 500 senior games for a single club is one that has to sit atop the list and Koonwarra L/RSL’s Brad Anderson achieved just that a couple of weekends ago. In the Cougars B Grade division one game against Korumburra on January 14, the Koony’ colours were spread around the ground, ‘Ando 500’ was painted on the outfield and a great crowd rolled in to enjoy what was a superb afternoon of celebrations.

The club posted a touching tribute to one of their lifers on the Facebook page. “For any person to devote the time and commitment to play for long enough to reach 500 games at one club is amazing and when you add the significant number of achievements Brad has amassed during that time, it’s easy to see why he is such a vital part of the club’s fabric,” the club wrote.

Anderson, or ‘Ando’ as he is affectionately, and almost exclusively known as around the club, has put together a tremendous career, playing for close to half a century since taking up cricket back in primary school. The milestone man spoke to the Sentinel Times recently on how it all started. “Rob Wood got me playing when I was in primary school at Leongatha Primary School, I’m almost 54 now and I started when I was 10 or 11, Woody was the PE teacher at school when I was there,” he said. “I played all my juniors at the club (Koonwarra) I won a junior premiership there, “I played all my cricket at Koonwarra and Koonwarra L/RSL but one season, in 1987/88 I went out and played at Stony Creek and it’s probably my biggest regret because Koonwarra won the A grade flag on its own, “So, I never played in a senior premiership at Koonwarra, but I played in a few when Koony and RSL merged.”

What is perhaps most impressive about the feat Anderson has achieved, is the way he has done it, often dominating games with his impressive skillset behind the stumps and with the stick as the club explained.

“For most of the 500 games, Ando has plied his trade behind the stumps in his customary role as the teams’ wicket keeper, for many a year, he was one of the first players picked in the A grade team such was his competency behind the stumps,” the club wrote. “Where most other keepers from other teams were happy to play their part, Ando was able to turn the role into an attacking one and would regularly turn games from behind the stumps, “His work standing up to the wickets was and is legendary, regardless of the pace of the bowler, Ando would take every opportunity to get up to the stumps and hunt a stumping, many a Cougar bowler have benefitted from this as batsmen after batsmen would pay for the slightest stumble, “Fiercely competitive, Brad has often achieved these things when the team needed it most.”

His talent isn’t exclusive to his glove work either, saving Cougar’s innings many times over his 500 games. “A more than handy bat, Brad’s willingness to bat wherever the team needs him has seen him open, in the middle or down with the tail, often all in the one season he’s been able to salvage many a ‘Koony collapse’ and get the team back into the contest,” the club said.

Having played 500 of them, Anderson doesn’t quite remember his first senior game, but was able to recall the support he had as a young up and coming gloveman. “I remember playing in a B grade game with Col Sperling and John Moscript and I’d already started wicketkeeping in the juniors and Col Sperling, who was a legend of the comp, as well as a wicketkeeper, took me under his wing along with Woody and put their time into me back then,” he said.

Ando’s resume doesn’t just end there though, boasting a great abundance of accolades across his storied career and he mentioned them as he looked back on some of the highlights. “The premierships I’ve played in, two A grade (A2), a B grade and a C grade, they’re standouts, you have those mates you catch up with for the rest of your life, everyone will laugh but I won a batting average at the club in A grade,” he said “I’ve only made one hundred, that was in B grade, I got five stumpings and a catch in a GCL game one year, I’ve picked up three and four stumpings in games, and that’s where I do my best work, I’m better up at the stumps than I am back. “I’ve been fortunate to play a bit at a high level, rep cricket and even a bit higher than that, I’ve played in a GCL premiership in 1995, played in two Country Week premierships in divisions three and four. I was GCL cricketer of the year, in 1996/97 I think, and the only wicketkeeper to win that, that’s outside of club level, I’ve played in Victoria Country games, travelled all over the place representing, “At club level though, I just enjoy playing all the time, every game, from the guys that I used to play with to the guys I played with on the weekend, I enjoy it, it’s social”

A truly remarkable player on the pitch, Anderson is also a true club legend away from the oval as well as the club explained. “Off the field has been equally commendable as on it, Brad was president when the first senior side was able to win a premiership since the merger; under his reign, premierships would be won in A, B and C grade and the club would experience significant growth under his leadership,” they said. “Socially Brad has been peerless, he has been a regular on the committee, has coached junior teams, captained A grade and helped with the development and maintenance of the Rec Reserve, to name just a few of the roles he has played, “There have been many many big nights with Ando leading from the front and whenever you saw him remove his handkerchief and tie it on his head you knew that it was going to be a great night.”

Ando’ is genuinely so beloved by the KLRSL cricket club and as he explained, the feelings really are mutual. “The club’s been my life really,” he said. “I love cricket, I love all sports, but I love the club out there, when we merged (Koonwarra and Leongatha RSL) it fit like a glove, I’ve been on the committee, I’ve been the president, coached juniors, I’m a long-term player, I’m a life member. “I just enjoy it out there, I love the environment it’s a very family-oriented club, so many good people, when I resigned as president, you’re a bit anxious about who’s going to take over, but people take it on and give it everything.”

Despite not having the most damaging game on the scoreboard, Anderson was still incredibly grateful for the event the club put on, the messages he received and his 500th game itself. “It was just awesome. I had messages from guys I played with at club level and some I’d played against, Gav Bolding came out and spent the whole day and night there. “I’ve played a lot of rep cricket with Gav and a lot against him, so it was just awesome to see people that you’ve played with and against roll up, and the messages I got from guys I’ve played with at both levels was quite overwhelming to be honest. “We had a good win, that was the main thing to have a win.”

The 500-gamer finished by giving his thanks to those that’ve supported him along the way. “Oh, where do I start, just the club as a whole. I couldn’t thank the club enough for all the work they’ve put into me over the years, Ross Drury who was there when I started and is still involved,” he said. “The Sperling family they put a lot of work into me when I was younger, Rob Wood without a doubt, Shane Moore and those sorts of guys I’ve played so much with. “Obviously my family for letting me play cricket as much as I did or do, at one stage there I was playing Saturday then Sunday and I was going to Country Week and I wasn’t home for about seven Sundays in a row at one point, so just the family. “Just to everyone who reached out to me over the weekend (of the game), and to the club for what they did for me on the weekend, they put on a nice little shindig, at afternoon tea they got up and made a presentation. “Shane Dole from Korumburra who I’ve played a lot with and against got up and made a speech, so I couldn’t thank any of those people enough.”

The club reciprocated the thanks back to their club legend. “From everyone at the club, thanks Ando for all that you have done for the Koonwarra/ RSL Cricket Club.”

Brad Anderson Career Stats (per KLRSL cricket club) Games 500, Runs: 5089 50’s: 24, 100’s: 1, Wickets: 33, Catches: 226, Stumpings: 103