This week we sat down with Centrals leg spinner Matthew Ripps. This season he had one of his best in recent years as he took 27 wickets in all competition at at tick over 22 to be one of the leading wicket takers in the BOIDC and Centrals top wicket taker for the season in 1st grade.
Statistical he has played 80 games for centrals with the majority of those in 1st grade. Across those 80 games he has scored 487 runs with a batting average of 10. Most importantly he has taken 117 at 22.17, with best figures of 6/10, some impressive returns.
Here is a snippet of our interview from the last Week.
1. Tell me about yourself, who is Matthew Ripps ?
I am a wannabe first grade leg spin bowler for centrals cricket. I am also a local business owner who loves fishing on the coast whenever I can get there.
2. What started your passion for cricket ?
I would have to say watching Ricky Pointing field, Mark Waugh bat and Shane Warne bowl. I wanted to be like them.
3. What’s your fondest memory of playing cricket ?
Back in juniors when “your mum” calls were in fashion, fielding at square leg watching big tittied Dan Sandford running in to bowl there were dogs barking in the background and I pointed to them and yelled out to Cozza “Hey Cozzie, your Mum’s calling you”. The game had to stop because everyone hit the ground in laughter. This has been a long running joke since.
4. What has been the hardest/ worst moment on a cricket field ?
It would have to be when Zac Reimer dropped an absolute sitter, a lolly pop of a catch on my 100th wicket, under lights at Wade Park on a Friday night with the crowd ready to cheer on, that was a killer.
5. What’s your cricket story, how did you end up at centrals ?
Well, after many years away from the game, an old friend named Dan Sandford asked if I wanted to throw a few pies down one Saturday as a fill in for centrals as the 2nd grade boys were a bit short that week and well I guess pretty much I haven’t missed a game since.
6. What’s your Cricket strength ? What do you bring to your team ?
Well I guess my cricket strength is bringing excitement at my extremely slow paced bowling- no one knows what’s going to happen, including me, I’ll either get hit for a 6 or a wicket. That’s what I bring to the game, I bring the excitement.
7. What’s the best and worst thing about playing cricket in country NSW ?
Well the best would definitely be that their is no long distance traveling, well not unless you’re playing for rep teams and always you are closer to the pub after the games. The Worst aspect would also be that there is no traveling, so there are no team bus trips and the excitement of playing on other grounds that aren’t in Orange or Bathurst.
8. When was the seminal moment in your career, when did you know you could compete in 1st grade
It would have to be getting a wicket in your first game of 1st grade, that always helps. But I guess it’s just the urge of always wanting to do better and not just being happy with the level that you’re at. Taking wickets in 1st grade especially the odd Michelle helps as well.
9. You have been coaching juniors now for 2 seasons, do you feel this has helped your understanding of the game ?
I guess not so much the game, but more the finer details and skills (ie focus) that go with playing the game of cricket. Because as we know, kids have a low attention span.
10. What is it that you’d like to achieve in the game that you haven’t ?
Geez, that is a hard one. Individually a hattrick would be unreal; it probably would have already happened if nonny could catch. As a team, winning a comp would top it off, as well as batting higher than Zac reimer would be ideal (and well deserved I think). In the future, playing with my son would be a box I’d like to tick.
Well that was Matthew ripps from the centrals cricket club. If anyone from Australia or overseas would like to know more about the club they can email the club at [email protected] or check out them out on Facebook @ Centrals Cricket Club.
Next week we will chat with the most exciting young talent playing 1st grade in orange city’s Blake Weymouth.
