Gympie Cricket Legend Number 5 - TROY ASHTON

Troy 'TA' Ashton

No one could dispute the fact that Troy 'TA' Ashton has been among the best all-rounders Gympie Cricket has produced. A nagging seam up bowler, fluent stroke making batsman and an athletic fielder to boot, 'TA' has always been a tough competitor to play against. He is a difficult bowler to combat, as he uses his height to his advantage to jump the ball off a good length and has the ability to bowl long spells with outstanding accuracy allowing threatening bowling partnerships to form around his best work. With the stick in his hands he is equally as effective producing many fine match winning innings over the last 30 years for Valleys, Gympie Gold and Gympie Goodchild representative teams.

The success of Gympie Valleys, Gympie Gold and Gympie Goodchild Shield teams during TA's involvement is no coincidence. His performances as a skipper, senior player or as a talented youngster have always had a positive impact on the success of the teams he represented. As a crucial cog in 3 Gympie Valleys A-Grade Premierships and the maiden Gympie Gold Sunshine Coast Premiership winning team, TA obviously had many individual highlights in his journey, but as far as he is concerned being part of those premiership winning teams is the pinnacle of his career. A truly loyal clubman, TA also ranks the 'Grand Slams' (winning 'A', 'reserve' and 'C' grade premierships in the same year) with his beloved Valleys Club as moments he will always reflect on with satisfaction.     

The best Valleys team TA selected from individuals he has had the pleasure of gracing the field with would be very tough opposition in any era. The majority of this group won 8 premierships between the 1989-90 season and 1999-2000 season. 

Rob Cork
Peter Larner
Craig Whittaker
Darren Page
Les Mitchell
John McCLintock
Darren Hewitt
Ashley Pearce
Don Ison
Peter Treeby
Darren Fanshaw

The following players received TA's acknowledgement as the best in the below criteria:

Most Annoying Opposition - Danny ('Sheppo') Shepperson
Most Annoying Team-mate - Peter Larner would throw pieces of pitch at us constantly all day in the field.

Best Mate - Closest to Brad Millard but I have made a lot of great friends through Cricket.
Most Respected Opponent - Big John McClintock.
Best Cricketer I played against - Brad Peterson.
Best Batsman - Brad Peterson
Best Fast bowlers - Don Ison and Shaun Savage
Best Spin bowler - Darren Page
Best All-Rounder - Darren Page and Josh Brady
Best Wicket keeper - Ian Gosschalk (Gossy)
Best Fielder - Darren page Joshy Brady
Best Captain - Brad Peterson
Best Sledger - Ashley Pearce (Aspro)
Nemesis Team - West’s and Colts.

Following his long involvement with Gympie Cricket TA had many funny stories to share but he settled on this funny moment when playing for Valleys. For those of you who didn’t know Ian Clarkson, lets just say he always had an egg size lump on his forehead. The Valleys boys were at the pub one day and he was talking to Sam Benstead who had known Clarko for years. Sammy said to him, 'Jesus Ian who did you cop the bouncer from today cause it’s left a bloody big egg on your forehead', and with that said everyone just pisses themselves laughing. So Clarko tells him the story that he’s had it since his childhood. Sam replied, 'Well bloody hell I never even noticed it before'. 

Funnily enough TA, I do remember Clarko getting badged by Harlequins bowler Shane Brown and a massive egg forming on his head when we were playing you guys on Albert Park 1. He top edged a full toss straight into his melon and I am with Sammy, I never noticed the lump before that either!  

After 30 years of competitive cricket TA insists his most cherished cricket moment was the Gympie Gold's Grand Final win in 2015/16. After a few near misses the team finally accomplished Premiership success beating Maroochydore by staging a miraculous comeback after trailing on first innings. In Maroochydore's second innings Kayden Dickfos 3 wickets and the spell of the decade from Joshy Brady of 7 for 19 culminated in Maroochydore  being bowled out for 44. Chasing 110 for victory Ashley Sipple (48no) Steve Brady (62 no) led the Gympie Gold to a totally unexpected 10 wicket victory. The team partied like rockstars for days and Troy admits he will never forget it, he still gets goosebumps thinking about that afternoon.

Thanks TA for sharing your insights in regard to Gympie Cricket and for sharing your remarkable story. Hopefully more success is just around the corner.