Bob Simpson RIP. Tooheys Cup. Legend.

Bob Simpson, from a cricket perspective, was a player, captain, coach, selector, commentator, and a cricket legend. He was one of the most influential people in the history of Australian cricket. There will be many who will rightly pay tribute and share stories of his remarkable contributions to the game.

My memories are rooted in the summers of my childhood in Armidale, regional NSW. Cricket was everything. Nothing else mattered.

Back then, Cricket NSW and Tooheys Brewery launched the Tooheys Cup, bringing first-class and even Test players to towns like Armidale throughout regional NSW. In games against their neighbouring towns, each side was made up of three NSW players, along with locals from surrounding towns. For young country kids, these games held a magical charm. These games were the pinnacle of our summer.

In our world, it's Armidale vs. Tamworth. Tamworth is 110 kilometres down the road towards Sydney.

Bob Simpson was the leader and the heart of it all. I only remember him playing for Armidale. In my eyes, he belonged to Armidale.

My Dad, Bede, was fortunate to play several Tooheys Cups games for Armidale.

On one occasion, I vividly recall Simpson opening the batting with my dad at Tamworth No. 1 Oval. I was standing next to Dad before he and Simpson went out to bat, and I recall Simpson telling Dad to watch out for Len Pascoe's late in-swing.

B. Ryan bowled L. Pascoe. Golden duck.

But it wasn’t just about the matches. Simpson, along with a couple of other state players, would run coaching clinics at the University of New England in the lead-up. They’d show a group of 20 or so young players between the ages of 16 and 23 from around Armidale how first-class cricketers trained and, in doing so, light up dreams across the bush. The player identified as the most talented by Simpson and his players was selected as the 12th man.

It was grassroots inspiration at its finest. While Simpson’s longtime teammate Doug Walters was promoting the sponsor’s product, holding court with other members of the community in the local pub, Simpson was teaching and showing young kids what was possible.

The Tooheys Cup gave us all a glimpse of cricket’s bigger stage, but through Bob Simpson, it also gave us belief. He didn’t just inspire with his deeds for Australia and NSW; he inspired in the way he gave back to communities, to kids, and to the game itself.

This was before his later and legendary coaching achievements, where he would famously help lead Australia back to the top of world cricket. However, many of us had already experienced his influence long before that, on dusty regional grounds under the summer sun.

What an extraordinary contribution to the game. RIP Bob Simpson.

Armidale Tooheys Cup team v Tamworth - 1980

Back Row – Tony Corcoran, Rick Porter, Neil Johnson, Neil Baillie, Graham Moore, Peter Mackie, Bede Ryan

Front Row – Steve Rixon, Doug Walters, Bob Simpson, Paul Mulligan (12th man), Geoff Wood

BeaconPoint Club Clips - The Captains Circle with Moises Henriques