Behind the Stumps with Don Warner

Posted: Tuesday, 12 July 2016

Behind the Stumps

Now that we are over the hump of the shortest day of year, local cricket players and fans are looking forward to the start of (cricket) hostilities in early October. To set the scene for what is sure to be another bumper cricket season, we kick off the first edition of the 2016/17 season Behind the Stumps.

In the edition we chat with well known Western Bay of Plenty Cricket Association Administrator Don Warner. Few that know Don, will be unaware of his undying passion for Thames Valley – The eternal optimist, Don told me that if Thames Valley had scored another 71 points, that they would have won the Ranfurly Shield in their 6th June 2016 challenge at the Paeroa Domain (final score Waikato 83 Thames Valley 13)

Where were you born and what schools did you attend?
Te Kuiti on the main trunk line. Only three great things have come out of Te Kuiti – Colin Meads, Jim Bolger and me!

Tell us a little about how you started cricket and your junior cricket experiences.
My father was a keen cricketer and introduced me to the game as a youngster. Didn’t play to any great level, but have always enjoyed the game and as my three sons grew to play the game, I got involved in coaching at Primary School level in the Thames Valley and spent three seasons coaching the Northern Districts Under 15 teams (although) “DJ” Johnson always got the first choice of players! My only claim to fame was selecting BJ Watling in his first ND Under 15 squad – although I picked him as a batsman, not a wicketkeeper.

Tell us about your senior cricket experiences.
I played at the Senior level in Auckland with Grafton, then Cambridge and Frankton in the Hamilton competition and spent a season playing for Hastings Old Boys in the Hawkes Bay, before finishing my playing days in Thames. I was a bit of a “go-to” man always thinking I was a fast bowler and top order batsman – unfortunately a lot of my captains didn’t agree! I loved bowling as fast as I could (sometimes not that accurate) and I always felt hitting 4’s and 6’s was much easier than running!

Who are some of the characters that you played with and against?
In Auckland as a young man in the late 60’s early 70’s, I played for the Grafton Cricket Club. Grafton were very strong in those days with players like Mark Burgess, John McIntyre, Bob Sutton and John Carson (who played for the Bay), these were guys to look up to but they certainly knew how to socialize – which taught me a lot. In Hastings I played with Ian Smith (NZ Keeper and now commentator) who was quickly coming through the ranks, at the time he was working for a Liquor Wholesaler and he’d bring the refreshments to training and on (a lot) of occasions, training was over very quickly. In the mighty Valley, we had some real characters who played hard both on and of the field –all good fun, and some great memories.

Tell us about your coaching career and some of the players that you coached.
I started Coaching Cricket in the mid-90’s, when our sons Dion and Jason played for the Thames High School 1st XI and spent 10 years as player-coach before ND Cricket icon, Pat Malcom invited me to have a go at the ND Under 15’s. In those days ND had two Under 15 teams , Gold and Maroon and for a couple of years “DJ” Johnson had one team and I had the other. “DJ” always seemed to have first choice as he had all the Bay of Plenty lads and I had the rest!

My philosophy in Coaching was “to have a go, attack is the best line of defence” and let players develop as they grow. Time in the nets is good, but getting into match situations was a much better way to put players under pressure and see them perform. Nowadays with bowling machines, quality indoor and outdoor facilities, if a lad or lass is keen to put in the time they can very easily reap the rewards.

What other sports have you been involved in?
Like all kids at School in the 60’s, I played Rugby in the winter, had a two week break and played Cricket in the summer – they were basically the only options at the time. I’ve always played Golf and spent 10 years as Manager of the Thames Golf Club, where I played a bit of Pennants Golf (if they were short) and got my handicap to a respectable 6-8 level, but hated practice! In Hamilton I played Squash at the Frankton and Hamilton Squash Clubs getting to A2 Grade under the old grading system. And also had a season or two playing Soccer in Cambridge, basically I was a “jack of all sports, but a master of none”.

Tell us about your involvement with your sons sport at both age-group and senior level.
Our sons tell a very good story of their sporting lives, Shane the eldest didn’t really enjoy sport because “Dad was always away playing and didn’t support me”, Dion the middle son says he got his sporting ability from me “socially” as “he’d given away serious sport, and was in the Bar a fair bit” while the youngest, Jason received preferential treatment because “Dad got into Coaching an told me what to do – he didn’t show me”.

Shane’s got all the brains and spent his late teens at University before heading overseas (he now lives in London with his wife and our grandson) so didn’t really get involved in too many sports, although he played a reasonable level of Squash. But I did have a bucket wish-list - knocked off when I played Senior Cricket in Thames with both Dion and Jason – every father should target that, it’s a great feeling.

Dion lives here in Mount Maunganui and has two sons and a daughter, while Jason showed a bit of talent at Cricket playing ND Age Group and has been in Manchester playing Grade Cricket for the Wythenshawe Cricket Club since 2003. He’s married a lovely Irish girl and they have two daughters, his playing days are possibly nearing completion but he still pads-up on occasions and takes a keen interest in the Club over there.

What has been the greatest sporting moment that you have seen live?
I think the very first All Black Test I went to would be my favourite sporting moment. It was 1965 at Eden Park and my father (who died the following year) took me to watch the AB’s beat the Springboks 20-3. The AB’s had a great pack that day. The Meads brothers, Red Conway, Kel Tremain, Brian Lochore, Ken Gray, Bruce McLeod and Wilson Whineray – just magnificent! After the game the spectators were allowed on the ground and we went across to see the AB’s and the Boks out on the grandstand, with Whineray and Dawie de Villiers giving their captains speeches. The AB’s won the series 3-1 and the thrill, as a 12 year old to see my hero’s and always will be a fond memory.

What other significant international sporting events have you attended?
I was at Eden Park when the Mighty Valley was “robbed” 96-0 in the Ranfurly Shield Challenge against the Auks in 1996.

Seriously I was at Eden Park for the Black Caps performances in the 1993 World Cup beating the Aussies, the South Africans and the Windies before the heartbreaking loss to Pakistan in the semi. I went to all the All Black Test matches at Eden Park from 1965 thru to 1986 and also went to the first morning of each Cricket Test in those days when it wasn’t that expensive and you could take your own grog and food!

Tell us about your employment that led to you become the Western Bay Cricket go-to man.
My role with Western Bay of Plenty Cricket is basically to administer all Junior Cricket, run the competitions run by WBOPCA, arrange selectors, coaches and managers for the Rep teams, liase with Schools and run “Cricket Awareness Programmes” in Schools which regularly sees 4500 Year 1-4 students receive some basic small-ball skills including bowling and batting – proving very popular. And then to liase with Tai Bridgman-Raison and the Bay Team to make sure we are all working toward to the same objective, to ensure Bay of Plenty is the best Minor Association in New Zealand.

What drives your undoubted passion for the great game of cricket?
I think as you grow older you look back and think “what if ………” I enjoyed playing Cricket, but now I wish I’d put in a little more effort. I think I just enjoy sport in general, I only went to school to eat my lunch and play sport – loved it!

My passion has just continued and having this job here in Tauranga and witnessing the skill levels of some of our youngsters and the opportunities available to them - Oh to be young again?

What music do you listen to –Neil Young and Phil Collins are my favourites

What was the last book that you read – Dan Carters “My Story”

Favourite movie–The Great Escape and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Favourite TV program–Fawlty Towers

Favourite meal –A pie, doughnut and a bottle of coke

Favourite drink –DB (Dons Beer) Export Gold of course!

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