By DAVID NAGEL
THERE are so many different ways to approach cricket, but only with an attitude like John Cuthbertson’s can you produce something truly unique like he did on Saturday.
The Merinda Park all-rounder’s “live by the sword, die by the sword” mentality reaped the ultimate reward, a club-record 228 against Officer in the F Grade clash at Donnelly Reserve No 2.
And while the actual size of the number is astounding, it’s the finer details that will make this an innings that will live in club folklore forever.
The self-confessed happy-hooker batted for just 123 minutes and faced 116 balls, striking 33 fours and 10 towering sixes. He was first man out, dismissed before tea on day two, after sharing a 299-run opening partnership with Paul Humphrey that began late on day one.
“I love anything short; I’m a compulsive hooker, but the bat’s bigger than the ball so I back myself in,” the 43-year-old said after making his 14th century at the club.
“They (Officer) didn’t bowl that badly but it just seemed to be my day. Once the runs started flowing I backed myself in even more and even the miscued shots were going to the boundary. It was just my day, an unbelievable day to be a part of.”
Cuthbertson has had quite the career with Merinda Park since moving there from North Heidelberg around the turn of the century.
He has made more than 6000 runs, taken in excess of 400 wickets, has taken a hat-trick and has twice bagged hauls of seven wickets. He has made more runs and taken more wickets than anyone in the 30-odd year history of the club.
But Saturday’s knock, well it was special and is still sinking in.
“To make the double hundred and break the club record, when you sit back and start to think about it, it makes you feel pretty special about yourself I suppose,” he said.
“Someone will break it eventually but I’ve got it now and I’m going to enjoy that time while I’ve got it. It might happen this year, it might happen next year, or it might happen in 10-years’ time.”
Cuthbertson said there were some key memories from his big day out that he will treasure forever.
“Seriously, hats off to Officer, Timmy (captain Tim Smith) and the boys, they were fantastic out there and a real credit to their club,” he said.
“They knew if they bowled short I was going to try and whack it over the fence, but they’re a really good bunch of blokes and even though they were getting smashed they kept their spirits high.”
And from his own team?
“There’s a bloke like Mark Dipilla, he’s been out in the middle for eight of my centuries, and he was umpiring, so to have him out there was really special,” he said. “Every time I’ve had a brain fade over the years he’s always been there to calm me down and he did it again on Saturday.”
And then there’s John’s son, Dylan, an assistant-coach at the club and the most talented leg-spin/batting all-rounder in the WGCA Premier Division.
“It’s funny, he took me out for dinner on Saturday night and I kept telling him how good I was and he kept laughing at me so we’ve already had a bit of fun with it,” John said.
“But seriously, I’m Dylan’s biggest fan and any record that I hold at the club I hope it’s him that goes on to break it. I reckon he just needs to back himself a bit more that’s all.”
And have an attitude like his old-man did on the weekend!
