From mancave to masterpiece: writer honours cricket's golden age

The Advertiser

2 days ago

Everyone remembers Bodyline. But fewer people remember the man who caught Harold Larwood's short-pitched delivery right in the skull: Bert Oldfield.
But, a former journalist and police officer from Surf Beach on the NSW south coast, Gavin Gleeson, thinks his name should ring out.
"A lot of lesser cricketers, with all respect to them, have books written about them, but I found that Oldfield's story was quite exceptional and it had never really been touched," he said.
Taking up that challenge, Gavin wrote Bodyline Casualty, a new book from Ginninderra that uncovers the almost-forgotten history of an extraordinary wicket-keeper.
Gavin's fascination with the Bodyline saga during Britain's 1932-33 Ashes tour of Australia was triggered by the ABC's series of the same name.
"It really captured my imagination," he said.
"It sparked an off-field conflict and even diplomatic issues between Australia and England, but what interested me was the dramatic flashpoint of what happened, and I just wanted to focus in on the individual."
When the COVID pandemic hit in 2020, Gavin retreated to his man-cave, where, surrounded by stacks of cricket memorabilia, he began typing.
"When you've got that Microsoft Word document open and there's nothing there, you can do anything from that point on," Gavin said.
"I was writing a thousand words a day, for 12 hours a day, listening to Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli, and I was back in the 1930s."
Besides his sterling cricket career (Oldfield still retains the record for most stumpings), Oldfield also served in both World Wars.
"He only played two first-grade matches and then the First World War happened, so he, as soon as he was able to at the age of 21, enlisted and was deployed overseas," Gavin said.
"After he retired from cricket, he re-enlisted for the Second World War and was in it for the entirety."
Part of Gavin's appreciation of Oldfield comes down to his reverence for what he sees as the golden age of cricket.
"If you love current cricket, the worst thing you can do is write a historical book on cricket," he said.
"I still watch cricket, but my love for the modern game is not like it was because you can see how much we've lost."
With Bodyline Casualty out now, Gavin's already thinking about his next project.
"Jack Gregory retired to Narooma, and he was a very interesting guy. He didn't wear gloves, didn't wear a groin protector, and he was a modern-style all-rounder," he said.
"I'm thinking because I'm down the South Coast and I love it, I might do that because, you know, I'm in the right spot."
Everyone remembers Bodyline. But fewer people remember the man who caught Harold Larwood's short-pitched delivery right in the skull: Bert Oldfield.
But, a former journalist and police officer from Surf Beach on the NSW south coast, Gavin Gleeson, thinks his name should ring out.
"A lot of lesser cricketers, with all respect to them, have books written about them, but I found that Oldfield's story was quite exceptional and it had never really been touched," he said.
Taking up that challenge, Gavin wrote Bodyline Casualty, a new book from Ginninderra that uncovers the almost-forgotten history of an extraordinary wicket-keeper.
Gavin's fascination with the Bodyline saga during Britain's 1932-33 Ashes tour of Australia was triggered by the ABC's series of the same name.
"It really captured my imagination," he said.
"It sparked an off-field conflict and even diplomatic issues between Australia and England, but what interested me was the dramatic flashpoint of what happened, and I just wanted to focus in on the individual."
When the COVID pandemic hit in 2020, Gavin retreated to his man-cave, where, surrounded by stacks of cricket memorabilia, he began typing.
"When you've got that Microsoft Word document open and there's nothing there, you can do anything from that point on," Gavin said.
"I was writing a thousand words a day, for 12 hours a day, listening to Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli, and I was back in the 1930s."
Besides his sterling cricket career (Oldfield still retains the record for most stumpings), Oldfield also served in both World Wars.
"He only played two first-grade matches and then the First World War happened, so he, as soon as he was able to at the age of 21, enlisted and was deployed overseas," Gavin said.
"After he retired from cricket, he re-enlisted for the Second World War and was in it for the entirety."
Part of Gavin's appreciation of Oldfield comes down to his reverence for what he sees as the golden age of cricket.
"If you love current cricket, the worst thing you can do is write a historical book on cricket," he said.
"I still watch cricket, but my love for the modern game is not like it was because you can see how much we've lost."
With Bodyline Casualty out now, Gavin's already thinking about his next project.
"Jack Gregory retired to Narooma, and he was a very interesting guy. He didn't wear gloves, didn't wear a groin protector, and he was a modern-style all-rounder," he said.
"I'm thinking because I'm down the South Coast and I love it, I might do that because, you know, I'm in the right spot."
Everyone remembers Bodyline. But fewer people remember the man who caught Harold Larwood's short-pitched delivery right in the skull: Bert Oldfield.
But, a former journalist and police officer from Surf Beach on the NSW south coast, Gavin Gleeson, thinks his name should ring out.
"A lot of lesser cricketers, with all respect to them, have books written about them, but I found that Oldfield's story was quite exceptional and it had never really been touched," he said.
Taking up that challenge, Gavin wrote Bodyline Casualty, a new book from Ginninderra that uncovers the almost-forgotten history of an extraordinary wicket-keeper.
Gavin's fascination with the Bodyline saga during Britain's 1932-33 Ashes tour of Australia was triggered by the ABC's series of the same name.
"It really captured my imagination," he said.
"It sparked an off-field conflict and even diplomatic issues between Australia and England, but what interested me was the dramatic flashpoint of what happened, and I just wanted to focus in on the individual."
When the COVID pandemic hit in 2020, Gavin retreated to his man-cave, where, surrounded by stacks of cricket memorabilia, he began typing.
"When you've got that Microsoft Word document open and there's nothing there, you can do anything from that point on," Gavin said.
"I was writing a thousand words a day, for 12 hours a day, listening to Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli, and I was back in the 1930s."
Besides his sterling cricket career (Oldfield still retains the record for most stumpings), Oldfield also served in both World Wars.
"He only played two first-grade matches and then the First World War happened, so he, as soon as he was able to at the age of 21, enlisted and was deployed overseas," Gavin said.
"After he retired from cricket, he re-enlisted for the Second World War and was in it for the entirety."
Part of Gavin's appreciation of Oldfield comes down to his reverence for what he sees as the golden age of cricket.
"If you love current cricket, the worst thing you can do is write a historical book on cricket," he said.
"I still watch cricket, but my love for the modern game is not like it was because you can see how much we've lost."
With Bodyline Casualty out now, Gavin's already thinking about his next project.
"Jack Gregory retired to Narooma, and he was a very interesting guy. He didn't wear gloves, didn't wear a groin protector, and he was a modern-style all-rounder," he said.
"I'm thinking because I'm down the South Coast and I love it, I might do that because, you know, I'm in the right spot."
Everyone remembers Bodyline. But fewer people remember the man who caught Harold Larwood's short-pitched delivery right in the skull: Bert Oldfield.
But, a former journalist and police officer from Surf Beach on the NSW south coast, Gavin Gleeson, thinks his name should ring out.
"A lot of lesser cricketers, with all respect to them, have books written about them, but I found that Oldfield's story was quite exceptional and it had never really been touched," he said.
Taking up that challenge, Gavin wrote Bodyline Casualty, a new book from Ginninderra that uncovers the almost-forgotten history of an extraordinary wicket-keeper.
Gavin's fascination with the Bodyline saga during Britain's 1932-33 Ashes tour of Australia was triggered by the ABC's series of the same name.
"It really captured my imagination," he said.
"It sparked an off-field conflict and even diplomatic issues between Australia and England, but what interested me was the dramatic flashpoint of what happened, and I just wanted to focus in on the individual."
When the COVID pandemic hit in 2020, Gavin retreated to his man-cave, where, surrounded by stacks of cricket memorabilia, he began typing.
"When you've got that Microsoft Word document open and there's nothing there, you can do anything from that point on," Gavin said.
"I was writing a thousand words a day, for 12 hours a day, listening to Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli, and I was back in the 1930s."
Besides his sterling cricket career (Oldfield still retains the record for most stumpings), Oldfield also served in both World Wars.
"He only played two first-grade matches and then the First World War happened, so he, as soon as he was able to at the age of 21, enlisted and was deployed overseas," Gavin said.
"After he retired from cricket, he re-enlisted for the Second World War and was in it for the entirety."
Part of Gavin's appreciation of Oldfield comes down to his reverence for what he sees as the golden age of cricket.
"If you love current cricket, the worst thing you can do is write a historical book on cricket," he said.
"I still watch cricket, but my love for the modern game is not like it was because you can see how much we've lost."
With Bodyline Casualty out now, Gavin's already thinking about his next project.
"Jack Gregory retired to Narooma, and he was a very interesting guy. He didn't wear gloves, didn't wear a groin protector, and he was a modern-style all-rounder," he said.
"I'm thinking because I'm down the South Coast and I love it, I might do that because, you know, I'm in the right spot."