Phil Melville - keep on, keeping on
Phil Melville arrived in Sydney from Armidale in Northern NSW in 1989 to play Sydney Grade Cricket for Mosman Cricket Club. 32 years on and phil is still playing and a valuable member of Northern District Cricket Club.
Leading into the 2021/22 season Phil has taken 682 wickets in NSW Premier Cricket and an incredibly proud member of the Australian Over 50s cricket team
Let's find out more about Phil's journey in the game
How old were you when you started playing senior cricket?
I first played 4th Grade for the club my dad played for, Centrals when I was 12
When did you come to Sydney and which club did you join?
I was 20 and joined the Mosman Cricket Club where I played for 17 seasons. I then had 3 seasons for Pennant Hills in Shires Cricket and now about to start my 10th season at Northern Districts
A little bit about you personally, are you married and have kids?
Yes married to Catherine (25 years) and we have two teenage kids, Tara and Chris
What is your Occupation?
Electrician
North West Combined High Schools Cricket team - 1985
What year did you make your first grade debut at Mosman?
It was 1991 against Gordon at a fast and bouncy Rawson Oval. I don’t remember getting too many wickets but remember getting a second ball duck and nearly getting my head knocked off by a rampant Warwick Adlam with Mark O’Neill at gully reminding me how tough first grade cricket was.
After so many years at Mosman, why the move to Northern Districts?
I could see that there was a move to clear out some of the older players in the club in which I was one so thought I would give Shires a go. I spent 3 years there but missed the competitiveness of Grade Cricket so made the move to Northern Districts as they were a lot closer to home as we live on the Central Coast..
You’ve turned 50, what keeps you going?
It’s the competitiveness of grade cricket, working with the younger players, and the lure of winning another premiership. There’s now opportunities in over 50’s cricket but most of all I still love the game and the friendships you form.
Phil Melville receives his Australian Over 50s cricket cap from fellow veteran Tony Clark
Do you know how many Premier wickets you’ve taken so far?
682
Do you have a goal target in mind you’d like to achieve in grade cricket?
700 plus if the body can hold out
Can you remember your first dismissal in first grade?
Strangely I don’t remember my first wicket, but batting yeah, Warwick Adlam scattered my stumps everywhere 2nd ball
What’s been the highlight of your Grade/Premier Cricket career?
The Premierships. The 3rd grade premiership for Northern Districts against Sydney in 2013/14 was probably the standout. The premiership win in 2016/17 against Mosman was pretty clinical and bagging 8 for 18 off 14 overs against Manly 4 years ago was pretty memorable.
Who was the best batsman you came up against?
I was fortunate to bowl to Jacques Kallis in a game in Wales, it didn’t go well, I just couldn’t bowl to him. In Sydney, it would be a young Moises Henriques when he was playing 2nd Grade for St George.
What or who has been the biggest influence in your career?
My Dad, Bede Ryan from Armidale and Bev Fowles from Glamorgan in Wales where I spent some time playing.
What’s the funniest experience you’ve had in grade/premier cricket?
We got locked in the sheds at Kensington Oval after a 3rd grade game against UNSW. We’d finished the game around 7pm and the Ranger didn’t realise we were still there and we didn’t realise we were locked in until we went to leave around 9pm. We had to use the SCA Handbook to find the Home Club Secretary to ring the Ranger to let us out.
If you sitting on QF1 to London, who’s the two team mates from your time in Sydney you’d choose to sit beside for the 24 hours?
Chris Muldoon and Chris Lea
What 2 words do you think people would choose if they were asked to describe you as a cricketer?
Old and Fit
What advice would you give to a 15 year old about to make their grade debut this season?
Work hard, earn your stripes, warm up well and stay humble.
