Gympie Cricket Legend Number 4 - SHANE KROPP

Former Harlequins Skipper, Club President and Life Member Shane Kropp's Gympie grade career spanned from 1982 - 1995 and boy didn't he leave a lasting impression. Kroppy was a member of the undefeated 1988-89 Harlequins Premiership winning team and led the team to victory after scoring an epic 99 not out as he carried his bat through the entire innings of 130 overs against defending Premiers Valleys. The fact that Kroppy fell so agonisingly short of a much deserved hundred was very disappointing for all concerned as he deserved no less then 3 figures. As one of his teammates that day, I felt guilty that I let him down as I 'walked' despite being given not out after sharing an important 70 run partnership with him. Lets just say the blast I copped from Skipper Big John McClintock was savage and I deserved it. Costing a mate a century is bad enough but fortunately that decision didn't prevent Harlequins from winning their first premiership since 1975. Lesson learnt.

After debuting in A-Grade at the age of 15 in 1982 , Kroppy proved to be one of the most consistent run scorers in the competition plundering 7 A-Grade centuries for Harlequins between 1986 and 1993 with a personal best of 164 compiled against his former club Colts. Statistics don't lie and there is no doubt in my mind that the best two Harlequins batsman over the last 30 years have been Shane Kropp and John McClintock. Ironically they had very different styles, Big John was unorthodox, a risk taker, ultra aggressive and explosive whereas Kroppy was an accumulator of runs with an impregnable defence who was technically correct with steely determination and loads of patience. Modelling your game on either player would be difficult but as an opening batsman myself I wanted to mirror Kroppy as he was undoubtedly the best opening batsman in Gympie at that time and in my opinion there has been no better opener since. His talent with the bat culminated in representative honours with selection in the Gympie Goodchild shield, Sunshine Coast/Gympie Schaeffer Shield, Gympie XXXX Cup, QLD Open Schoolboys and South QLD Open teams. During his time opening the batting in Gympie Cricket, Shane was responsible for defusing a host of quality fast bowlers. Kroppy excelled in an era of great Gympie fast bowling depth with bowlers of the calibre of Ron Buchhulz (1st Grade University Brisbane & SQ), Graeme Hogan (QLD Cricket List A, SQ and NQ), Mike Schultz, Ross Plowman, Greg 'Whiskers Walker', Ken Mahoney, Slave Horne, Bennett King (Qld u19 and Brisbane Valley 1st Grade), Craig Shepperdson (QLD u19), Glyn Brook, Kev Goatham, Brett Manthey and Murray Lorenson to name a few. He conquered them all with his penchant for driving off a big front foot stride and pulling or cutting all and sundry off the front foot.

Given the difficult task to name the best Harlequins team from his era Kroppy decided on the following players - Alan Lund, Ross Chapman (Captain), Wayne Cooley, John McClintock, David Kropp, Warren Cooley (WK), Kevin Goatham, John Kropp, Matthew Kerr, Bernie Jones, Ross Plowman, Brett Manthey. However, there is no way the best Harlequins team over the last 40 years could not feature the name Shane Kropp, so his modesty is noted. Not surprising he has selected 7 members of the 1988-89 premiership winning team a team which lost one game in 2 years, the 1989-90 Grand Final after being caught on a wet wicket against nemesis Valleys.

In reply to the following criteria Shane gave equal recognition to former team-mates and opposition players:

Favourite team-mate - Jeb Goatham and Shane Weier.

Most annoying team mate - Ian Gosschalk (anyone who witnessed Gossy's nude runs can attest to that).

Most annoying opposition player - Garry Smith from West (tough competitor).

Best friend you made playing cricket - Too many to single out one but Shane Weier, Kevin Goatham and David Young from the Sunshine Coast.

Most respected opposition player - Johnny Geary Valleys Captain.

Best cricketer you played against in an opposition team - (Colts) Warren Thompson and Ken Johnson, (Valleys) Peter Worth, (Wests) Robert Cork and Ron Buchholz.

Best batsman - Consistently John McClintock could turn a game and down right upset any fast bowler. Best bat that went to Brisbane and did really well Dominic Ovenden (QLD 2nd X1 and Peter Burge medal winner).

Best fast bowler - Ron Buchholz (Explosive speed) and Greg 'Whiskers' Walker (consistent and maintained pace).

Best Spinners - Les Mitchell leg spin and Darren Page off spin.

Best allrounder - toss up between Kev Goatham and John McClintock.

Best Wicket-Keeper - Troy Rowlands.

Best fielder - Neil Drescher (Great arm big mits).

Best Captain - Johnny Geary.

Best Sledger - Ron Buchholz.

In regard to funny stories there were numerous incidents Shane could of shared but one that sits high is opening the batting for Gympie against a Bundaberg team consisting of  Queensland country left arm fast bowler Brian Drinkwater. In the sheds Big John and Shane discussed who would take strike, it was agreed that Kroppy would take the first pill. Halfway out to the middle Big John said f#*k it I will face him. Well the first went for 4 over third man the next ball bounced once and went over the mid-wicket fence. With Drinky now cursing you cane cutting pineapple picking *#*#, he started the over inside the running tracks but by the end of the over he was pushing off from the grandstand. Kroppy remembers saying to Big John 'don't stir him up any more', but there was no stopping those two titans going at it. After a quick 40 run partnership Shane departed having not contributed to the partnership. But he recollects it was great watching it unfold from the non strikers end as Big John tore the attack to pieces.

Shane Kropp congratulations on your wonderful contributions to Gympie Cricket both on and off the field. It is great to see you are still involved with junior development in your role as President of Maroochydore Cricket Club following on from your previous efforts with Gympie Junior Cricket.