Welcome to this weeks Howzat Building Waratahs in History for the 2025/26 season. This Q & A is with Warren “Wazza” Evans.
Warren is a true legend of the club. In his career he took 771 wickets, the 2nd most wickets in the history of the club! He also scored 5413 runs. Only one other player in the clubs history has taken over 500 wickets and scored over 5000 runs.
Our Waratahs in History series is proudly sponsored by Howzat Building Services. Visit Andrew Watkins and the team at www.howzatbuildingservices.com.au for all your building needs.
How did your love of cricket come about as a child? Who were your cricket heroes growing up?
Having 2 older brothers and neighbours who all played, my first games were test matches out the front of our house. We lived on a quiet street. To play I had to compete. My first ever game was with Forest Rugby Union CC v Palm Beach. I was 7 years old, playing in the U10s. It was proper cricket, no participation rules you thankfully get these days. I got 6/7 with the ball and an interesting 4 runs with the bat. I came out to bat and the big tear away Nick de Bruin was bowling. He looked fast. Deadly even. I was shitting myself. First ball I spooned one up to silly mid off. Out for a golden! BUT, umpire Ken Shepherd was not in place and he called me back. I had the advantage of that early sighter and slammed the next ball into the bleachers at Forestville primary. I was then run out next ball – I hadn’t mastered running btw in the front yard and Michael Zarou quite rightfully sent me back. I fell in love with batting there and then
Tell us a bit about your junior journey on your way to playing at Manly?
Junior cricket for Forest led to Warringah Shires when 14 and 15 for 2 seasons. I loved all the reps cricket. I made the NSW sides when 16 and 17.
Who helped you the most throughout those initial years starting out in Grade cricket at Manly?
As Ross Wiblin mentioned in his recent Q&A, prior to Alan Campbell coming in as coach in 88/89 there wasn’t a lot of time thrown at the organisational aspect of trainings nor the development side of things. It really was up to the captains and leaders to set the pace.
I remember Phil Marks coming up to me in the nets pre season of my first season in 86/87 and saying ““You’re bludging if you’re in 2nd grade at XMAS”.
As a 16yo I thought this was cool.
Gary Flowers was my first grade captain in 3s so he had most contact with me, offering me the new ball and getting to bat as high as 7 once.
Bushy had influence over the whole club and I was a bit shy of the first graders. I recall watching in wonderment Manly v NDs in 86/87 when my 3rd grade game was called off at Asquith. I thought it looked next level. Dicky Fry helped me in my very first first grade game in November 87 when he gave me a safety pin as my playing pants decided to lose their elasticity that day. Does that count?
Who were some of the well-known cricketers who you came through the system with, and who was the best player coming through the Manly ranks during your juniors?
Because I made the NSW U16 and U17s teams I played against a helluva lot of very good cricketers.
Players like Slater, Bevan, Lehmann, Blewett, Craig White (England test cricketer), Justin Langer, Brendan Julien, Shane George, Shaun Young, Jamie Cox, Dene Hills all played along with many shield cricketers in these comps across 1986 and 1987
I made the Aust U17 side, as an all rounder which will surprise a few! A couple of small asides about a couple of these blokes:-
• When Lehmann made his test debut in 1990 (he ended up 12th man and not actually playing for another 10 years) I was invited to net bowl the day before the test. It was raining heavily and the Aust coach, Bobby Simpson, invited me into the change rooms. When Darren saw me he grinned widely and came up to me and we had a great chat as he remembered me from a few years back. I didn’t end up bowling as it was too wet which I was grateful for as he would have been shocked at how much pace I had lost between 1987 and 1990.
• Justin Langer – played him in Perth in U16s when he was keeping. I scored a 50 and he said “well batted”, I replied “Thanks if you mean it” he replied “I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it” I said “thanks and I mean it”. We sniggered. I quite liked the little fireball but sadly I knocked him over first over the next day.
• Jamie Cox – superstar for Tasmania who arguably was very unlucky not to play for Aust. I ran into him at the easter show in about 2010 when he was Aust Chairman of Selectors. I recognised him and introduced myself as Warren Evans, we made the Aussie side together in Perth in 1986. He then told me I was the first person to properly pin him in the helmet. I remembered it well and we had a laugh.
You debuted for the Waratahs in 1986 at the age of 16. What do you remember about your grade debut?
Selected in 3rd grade
We played Gordon, lost, I had 6 dropped catches, all behind the wicket, before I got my first wicket. I finished with 4/60 odd and scored 15.
What was your top score for the club and what do you remember about that inning’s?
Top score was in 2009 I think, 132 in 4th grade. It was the weekend of the 130 year anniversary. We had an average side and I went in at 3/5. We were soon 7/38 when Murray Ferguson came in. Murray was clean bowled first ball but it was a no ball and he and I put on a few. I appreciated batting with Murray. I knew I was in the 90s and he told me I was paying too much respect to the medium pacer bowling and to just smash it like I had been doing. Next ball I straight drove a 6 to get my one and only century for the club.
What do you consider the best innings or spell of bowling from yourself?
I know I’ll have my doubters but I was a good bat in the early days, especially my first season when 16. I just know Dicky Fry is rolling his eyes.
Best innings. I had a few in my first season. I competed down in Melbourne in the u17s national champs and came back for day 2 of the grade game.
They put me in 2nd grade. We were at Manly Oval v Penrith. We were 2/60 overnight chasing 225.
I was put in at either 9 or 10. It was a green top and they had a useful fast medium called John Saint, who soon after played some first class for Tasmania. He went through us and I went in at 7 or 8 for 110.
First ball I got a full toss on my pads which I clipped away for a 3. I was batting with Ricky Bartlett, a UK import, and he came down and said great shot. I thought, “what else are you meant to do with a full toss on the pads?”. I finished 52no.
Did we win….no as only 2 runs were scored up the other end whilst I was in! We were rolled for about 160 odd.
I was in good form at that time. I scored 58 in u17s GF v Vic at MCG the previous weekend. Went in at 5/79, I was down to bat 6 but as we were 4/28 they sent in the more defensive Darryl Mann who batted well for 29.
As for grade bowling….dunno…..in 92/93 we played Syd Uni at MO. They batted first on a road. Skid was captain and he either forgot about me or he had amazing insight into my psyche. I didn’t get a bowl the whole first session and they were about 1/100 at lunch. 6 bowlers were used. He then threw me the ball as we walked out after lunch and said “get to work”. I bowled the whole session and took 4/13 from 15 overs. Blocker was meant to clean them up after tea because I couldn’t move but he didn’t so I bowled late in the day, it felt like a massive blob of super glue was injected into my lower back and I was hit around by their tail.
What do you think your strength was as a cricketer?
My resilience. I loved cricket when I was young and scoring runs. The more runs I scored the better I bowled.
Who was the best player at Manly that you played with?
Michael Bevan. No one else came close. He had some big innings for us but a 99 run out v NDs on a tough pitch in 92/93 was a masterclass
I always thought Paul Hoffman could have kicked on for NSW/Aust. He ended up playing for Scotland.
The class of Bevo and Adam Gilchrist was well above all others in the grade scene of the 90s.
I know Adam Gilchrist isn’t a Manly player but a couple of his digs v Manly stand out.
I’ll mention one of them.
In 90/91 he came in 2nd ball after lunch for Gordon. I got Mark O’Neill out for 30 odd first ball after lunch. The previous season I yorked Mark for a golden. 2nd time around I vividly recall Bushy screaming out “you got him for another golden!” as it was first ball after lunch.
Mark was an ex Manly player and a decent Shield cricketer.
Gilly came in to join Phil Emery who opened the batting. (Emery finished the day 128no. If Gilly batted all day…seriously 400 was on the cards) I knew he was decent as we played in NSW schoolboys together even though he was a year young.
He batted well this day placing the ball, running hard and the occasional boundary. He got out in the over before tea. So in for a session. Maybe 3 or 4 fours, no sixes. They didn’t clap his 50 so when I checked the book at tea I was dumbstruck to see he had scored 95. Beautiful innings.
What is the best innings or bowling spell you saw at Manly from a fellow player?
By a Manly player? As mentioned above, Bevo’s 99. Against good opposition on a tough pitch he was all class. Skid ripped in a couple of times as well.
One of our more successful UK imports, Jamie Pipe, played a great innings in our One Day GF win in 2000. He smashed 55 in very quick time and it was very entertaining.
Bowling wise. I think Jamie Heath, Mark Cameron and Paul Hoffman were all fantastic bowlers. Shawn Bradstreet made the most of his opportunities and worked hard. Steve Whitfield was the pick of the spinners. My brother Glen bowled finger spin early in his 1st grade career as directed by the captain but it was fodder. I then encouraged him to move into wrist spin and this was often very good but Whit was tall and very good.
A funny incident occurred in 97/98 SF v Norths. Warwick Adlam was threatening to take the game away from us but a full-blown streaker who happened to be a good looking 20yo female ran from the grandstand across the pitch to the scoreboard. Hilarious and even better as next ball Glen bowled a super slow wrong un that bowled Wick.
Who was the funniest player you played with at Manly and why? Do you have any clean stories you could share with us?
Many funny blokes but if I had to pick a top three Nick Johnson, Dick Fry, Chris Glassock. With Bruce Yuppie Minnett just out of the placings.
Feels wrong though for blokes like Rob Delmenico, Morgan Youell, Angus Johnston not to get a mention.
The first celebratory nude run….88/89. Straight out of Grouchos (sticky nightclub southern end of Manly Oval) across the road and it was actually a nude sprint not a full lap. I remember thinking what would happen if someone came along and stole all of our clothes.
Channel 10 Sports tonight covered one of our nude laps in about 2000 and we made “play of the day”. I actually got on film as I was doing star jumps (with my helmet on).
I was injured and playing 5s in a QF in about 99/00. One of our young blokes, Jeremy Lum, wasn’t known for his fielding. The game was getting tight and a run out chance developed. Someone threw the ball in to the bowlers end where Jeremy was waiting. Both batsmen were down the other end. Jeremy was so pleased with himself for catching the ball he lobbed it to mid off and the batsmen thought “what the hell?” and made it home.
Who set the on and off field standards?
I always admired Kerry Mackay. Mouse came to us after a long, distinguished career at NDs and played a few seasons. He bowled accurate seamers and a good slipper. He was quiet and diligent. He barely spoke but one game he fired up. It was against NDs at Waitara Oval. I was bowling and he was in slips. I didn’t know it, but my mid off was moved at some recent point. The batsman punched one along the deck back to me and I just stuck my foot out to stop it but missed, thinking mid off will easily stop it. But instead they ambled through for an easy 2. Kerry exploded….”What was that shit?!”. “Sorry Kerry” came my reply. I heard him from 40 meters away which meant he wasn’t happy. First chat we had too.
Years later, in my 2014/15 GF winning 3rd grade team, I had a scorer, Peter Garlick. Champion bloke who couldn’t do enough. Literally. One game v Penrith, Peter was doing his usual, scoring in normal score book plus keeping the weird score sheet that tallied something or other in columns plus e -scoring. All simultaneously as usual. One of the umpires had to duck off for 20 minutes. Peter could not get out of his chair quickly enough. Being a qualified umpire he wanted in. Being captain I cheered him on as I attempted to do all that scoring. Legend.
You took plenty of wickets but you also knocked up over 5000 runs?
Yep loved batting! I peaked as a 16yo though!
When 16 I scored the following in that first year:-
• 36no in 3rds in a losing side
• 32no (nil runs scored up other end) when came in at 7/60 trying to avoid outright loss in 3rds
• 67 in 3rds (8 runs from other end) when trying to avoid outright loss, coming in at 6/100.
• 70 in a losing side in 3rds v SU batting 9. They had an English quick who was a bloody good bowler. Must have been his first game for the club. The first time I net bowled for the Aussies in 87/88 he was out there as well. Don’t have his name but he was good.
• 52no coming in at 7/110 in 2nd grade with 2 runs scored from the other end
• 90 in a PGs game. Came in at 7/130. Four runs scored in same time up other end.
I think I may have had a 50 run partnership with either Scott Barclay or Gary Holmes this game. Gary or Scott scored a duck.
• Also, in national champs I had seven innings across the two championships I attended in 85/86 and 86/87 and scored three 50s. (53 v WA, 58 v VIC and 58no v SA)
I actually felt a bit ripped off with the 58no v SA. I was 10 no overnight and coach Errington said we wanted to bat to lunch to set up an outright. Close to the best I ever batted. I remember getting on top of Shane George and after a couple of overs he was coming on very nicely! He played Shield a couple of months later. We declared earlier than expected at drinks unfortunately. The next hour was going to be fun!
I have more memories in this self indulgent Q&A so I have added my own section as an appendix…Batting Fragments.
My dad knew his cricket and he always thought I was a better bat than bowler. Many of the players I played with post 1987 are likely raising an eyebrow to this statement!
I remember running into bowl round 1 88/89 season in 1st grade at Grahams v S Uni. After a few balls, I thought “WTF is this medium pace rubbish?” I finished this game with 0/25 off 15 overs so wasn’t that bad. From this point on I occasionally bowled with decent pace but usually only when I had some adrenaline. I think my bowling actually peaked in a CHS 1 v CHS 2 game in 1987. Phil Alley and I were openers and one of their players, Darren Holley told me after the game “ Alley was quick but I couldn’t see yours!”. That’s what you want to hear as a young quick.
Contrastingly, one game early 88/89 we played Wests and Scott Hookey blasted 90. He got off the mark with two dropped catches from my bowling in the slips that both went for 4. After the game our coach, heavily involved with CNSW etc, came up to me and said “We’re not too sure about Hookey for Shield selection given he had trouble with you early”. Ouch!
I took plenty of wickets but it’s the batting I seem to be able to recall quite easily.
Craig Glassock was aware I was a decent bat and he got me in as night watchmen on four occasions in the late 90s. Thank you Sac!
I must be closely related to an elephant as I can recall each time clearly.
Skip to next section unless bored.
1. The first time was against a strong Mosman side. Brett Lee, Shane Lee, 7 foot tall Phil Alley all played with them. All Shield cricketers and probably all 3 should have played for Aust but Phil couldn’t quite get there. I saw off Shane & Phil as wickets tumbled around me. Brett came on, I think this was just before his test debut. He was obviously very quick. He bounced me and I cut him for 4. This took me into the 20s, 23 in fact. It may have been top score for the innings. Next ball Brett responded in his trademark way by sending down a searing waist high full toss that somehow clipped the bails.
2. Next time was against Randwick on a spicy Manly Oval. They had Anthony Stuart, who was a very good bowler who represented Australia in ODIs. Scored 23 but Anthony got one to leap and it hit me in the chest, onto foot, another trickle onto stumps. The in close fielder, Steven Zantides, said “bad luck, well batted” as the bails dropped off. As I crossed paths with the incoming Dick Fry I muttered “It’s easy out there”. Dicky got up me for saying this as it was actually quite tough!
3. 97/98 semi final v Norths at MO. I survived the first night but third ball the next day I think Dick was looking to get one back because he punched one to point, called yes and I was out by 2 metres. I should have remembered my first ever bat and sent him back. That was probably the most disappointed I’ve ever been on a cricket field as I fancied my chances that day.
4. Finally in a semi in 2000 against Easts at MO, Anthony Stuart had changed clubs and he roared in from the northern end on day 2 and bowled 2 balls to Tim Cruickshank. The first one Anthony let out a cool sounding “whoo yeah” as the ball smashed into the keepers gloves and he turned around and said “it’s going to be a fun day Evo”
Tim C was young, but smart. We scampered through for a single next ball and I then faced 40 balls in a row from Anthony. Unfortunately not one ball from the others. He hit a perfect length on off bail every ball and I was blocking them to gully. It was quick and straight. I knew he was about to start his last over of his spell as I overheard the Easts captain, Mark Patterson, tell him. I was hoping to get through it and face the medium pacers. Last ball of that over he hit me on the pad on what felt like a close LBW. I saw the umpire move his hand and I walked without seeing the end result. I heard some weird laughter as I departed but thought nothing of it.
A few months later coming home on the train I ran into the umpire and he told me he wasn’t going to give me out, he was handing the cap to Anthony but I looked so relieved to be out of there he gave me out. I did not want to hear that!
Some more batting memories in the appendix! (I know Bushy will read it!)
Who was the best Captain you played with and why?
Played under a lot obviously. Greg Bush had good cricket cunning and led from the front and Craig Glassock got the best out of his team. The 97/98 team was a great example of this finishing 4th and losing a close SF.
Best Nick Name?
Well I know the worst! The best though.Jughead Gainsford, Lum Nuts (Jeremey Lum) or Loose Cranney.
What are your tips for 2024/25 season?
Manly is a great club that will always do well given the massive catchment, great resources & great administration. The culture has been rock solid for a long time now and with that comes premierships. Frase & Roy and their team no doubt have ways and means to make sure good players don’t slip through the net and can get opportunities to show what they can do.
This year we’ll win 2 premierships and close losses in two GFs.
What does your life involve now, and do you keep abreast of how the Waratahs are faring?
Loving my golf, enjoy helping out at Warringah shires, love my family and dogs and definitely keep abreast of MWDCC. Always on the look out for a 16yo who can bat!
APPENDIX – BATTING FRAGMENTS
As you may have guessed I loved batting! Whilst I scored plenty of lower grade runs at the end of my journey runs my fondest memories are of games where the runs really mattered and I was able to make a contribution.
In 1990/91 season I was batting 11, my brother 10 in 1st grade. We put on an unbroken 60 odd for last wicket to win a close game v Wests. As I walked out to bat, capt Greg Hill said “be positive”. My opening scoring shot was an aerial sweep towards the tennis courts. As we were on the bowling club edge it was a big hit to clear the fence and I said “that’s shit” mid flight as there was a fielder at deep square leg. It went into the tennis courts. Paul Ryan, Wests keeper, mouthguard in, deadpanned, “yeah, real shit shot”
In 93/94 v Saints I was 3no at end of day 1. We were about 8 down. We batted on next day and Saints were not happy. They took the new ball and Phil Alley bowled extremely quickly. It was seriously quick but great fun. He bowled about 40 balls that morning everyone to me except for one searing bouncer to Tim Blank which went over Blanky’s head by about 6 foot. Despite standing 30m back the keeper just got glove to it and despite being my call Blanky insisted we take the bye. Tim was also smart! I scored 27no when we finally declared.
Saints Shield player Brad Macnamara came up to me and said “you should be batting 3”. This gave me a jolt of confidence. I know I was probably a bit streaky against someone bowling 145k thunderbolts aimed at my neck so he may not have completely meant it but I did cover drive Phil for 4 and hit some solid cut shots. This was a great example of batting energising my bowling. In the 2.5 sessions left in the day I bowled 27 overs and took 4/80 odd in a close win.
Years later in 2008 3rd grade QF v Wests at Pratten Luke Edgell and I put on about 100 to scrape home with a couple of balls to go. Our captain Andrew Kemmis was injured which allowed me to bat at 8. I got 47no and Bomber 113no. As the game was tightening up, their quick bowled one in the slot and I hit a straight drive as well as I could. I didn’t even mean to hit it hard. It went hard over the trees at the northern end of Pratten and our coach, Craig Glassock, was watching on the seats at deep mid off and I could hear his laughter at the shot from 70m away.
Finally in the mid 90s, in my mid 20s, I had a shoulder injury pre season. I was surprisingly graded in 3rds as opener. First round v Mosman I was stumped for 69. I was then dropped for rd 2 to 4s where I again opened and scored 36 in a low scoring game. (I remember Tony Pitcher getting us home with a great 40 odd) I was then promoted back to 3s v Nth Sydney. I scored 50 before I was bowled around my legs. I was then dropped to 4th grade for rd 4. I think they wanted me bowling again!
