Vale Greg Doyle 1965 - 2015

By Lyall Gardner

Randwick 2nd Grade captain, the respected Todd Greenberg, commenting on the activities of his team in the 1995-96 annual report said “Greg Doyle, a master of consistency, showed why opponents regard him as the hardest man to dismiss in Grade Cricket. When Greg was unavailable, his ability to blunt the attack was sorely missed. When Greg is producing, so is Randwick 2nd Grade.” Fitting words for a Randwick player who averaged 34.41 in scoring 2,512 runs in 2nd Grade as part of a career total of 5,613 runs in the 13 seasons between 1985 and 1998.

Gregory John Doyle was born at Darlinghurst on 25 October 1965. Educated at Kogarah Marist Brothers he joined Randwick prior to the summer of 1985-86 after David Knox convinced him to have a hit in the nets at Coogee Oval. He began his Randwick career in 3rd Grade although he was promoted to 2nds after making 82 against University of NSW in the first round. He had been away from cricket for three years after showing early promise with St George. In Saints’ A W Green Shield team of 1981-82 he took 22 wickets with his leg-spinners. The following season he set a new St George club record scoring 644 runs at 49.53 in 3rd Grade with 94 his best score.

It was season 1986-87 however, when Greg Doyle made his mark. After starting with 58 against University of NSW, he smashed 155 in the next round to blitz his former club St George. Promoted to 1st Grade, he struggled early and by round 8 found himself back in 2s where he produced an outstanding double of 64 and 102* against Bankstown. It was back to 1st Grade where he rattled up scores of 76, 60* and 59 as part of a season total of 261 in that grade. Coupled with his 387 at the new record average of 129 in 2s, it was no surprise that with 648 runs in total, he won the club’s O A Taylor Memorial Player of the Season Award.

Greg also played in the Poidevin-Gray Shield under 21 years competition that season. A tall strongly built lad, his hair was greying- up around the edges and the opposing team manager accordingly mistook him for the Randwick manager, When Greg pointed out that he was in fact the Randwick opening batsman, the opposition manager, in a state of surprise, said “What? Look at you. You’re a beast!” And so Greg’s nickname “The Beast” was born. A name by which he was known for the rest of his playing days.

In 1987-88 Doyle was the leading run-scorer in 1st Grade, hitting an even 500 for the season. Once again he enjoyed the University of NSW attack scoring 96 which was to be his highest in 1st Grade. And while he also had scores of 80 and 78, seasons 1988-89 and 1989-90 were lean ones for Greg and he alternated between 1st and 2nd grades. In 1990-91 he was not available for the full season and played a few matches in 4th Grade. He was quickly pulled into 3rds where he produced some important innings which assisted greatly in the team winning the premiership under skipper Peter Devlin. The Club Championship was also won that season.

Enjoying the success and camaraderie in the lower grades, by his own request, Doyle spent the following season in 3rd Grade which won the minor premiership before narrowly going down to Parramatta in the Grand Final by two wickets. Greg was the leading run-scorer with 438 which included a mighty 101 against Campbelltown. He also “visited” 2nd Grade for a game that summer rattling up a neat 100 against Petersham-Marrickville.

Greg spent the whole of 1992-93 in 2nds where he scored 468 runs while captaining the side to fourth place after losing a semi- final to Penrith in a shock result. However, he did not line-up the following season until well into the summer when he was “coaxed” into playing a couple of matches in 4s. He smashed 141* against Bankstown in a game reduced to a one-dayer after rain the first day. Setting Randwick 271 to win in 59 overs, Doyle blasted the attack to grab a win with just three balls to spare. In the other match he played, he scored 61 for a season total of 202 for once out. His 202 average was a new record for that grade.

In 1994-95 Doyle once again assumed the captaincy of 2nd Grade where he led from the front with 570 runs at 51.82 including a magnificent 115 against Sutherland. In that match, he and Justin Quint put on 195 for the first wicket in 219 minutes. Greg just missed another ton that season being dismissed for 99 against Sydney University.

At the end of 1996-97, Greg retired at just 31 years of age. However, with a number of player losses prior to the following 1997- 98 season an SOS was sent to him after six rounds to help out the 4th Grade side. With the team running equal last in the competition, Doyle heeded the call and led the team to an amazing premiership win. A succession of solid wins under his leadership saw the side sneak into fourth place and a semi-final berth. A win over Parramatta in the semi batting on a wet wicket followed by a massive 300 run plus victory over St George in the Grand Final was a fitting conclusion to Greg Doyle’s Grade Cricket career.

Of the 5,613 runs Greg Doyle scored for Randwick, 1,208 were in 1st Grade with 2,512 in 2nds. With his runs in the under 21 Poidevin-Gray competition, he totalled 5,868 in all competitions. His Grade Cricket career including his St George performances gave him an enviable record of 7,078 runs. But what his statistics don’t show was his astute captaincy, his dry wit, his swooping fielding in the covers and the protruding wallet, for reasons unknown, he carried in his back pocket on the field.

In early 2015 Greg was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and died just 10 weeks later on 17 April 2015. He was just 49.