Gympie Cricket Legend Number 7 - STEVEN BRADY

Steven 'Brades' Brady

Prodigiously talented Wide Bay Flames Skipper, Gympie Gold, Valleys and Goodchild Shield representative batsman Steven 'Brades' Brady has been pulverising bowling attacks in the Wide Bay and Sunshine Coast region with his ultra aggressive approach to batting since making his senior cricket debut as a 14 year old with the 1998-99 Gympie Junior Cricket team that at the time competed in Gympie's Reserve Grade competition. Stevo's swashbuckling batting style has been rewarded time and time again, racking up highlights other players can only dream about. Some of his more destructive innings have been against Caloundra, punishing the 'Lighthouses' at Roy Henzell Oval to produce the 2nd highest individual score in Sunshine Coast 1st Division fixtures of 254 in the 2013-14 season. This effort followed a spectacular 177 off 81 balls against Caloundra at Albert Park during the 2010-11 season on his way to posting the highest ever individual one day score in Sunshine Coast 1st Division One Day fixtures. To highlight his dominance during this particular innings, he blasted 100 of the first 109 runs in a partnership with former Sunshine Coast Scorchers 1st Grade opening batsman Lewis Waugh smashing 96 of these runs in boundaries (14 sixes and two fours), accompanied by a two and two singles.

Typical of his aggressive mindset, he rates an innings of 51 off 14 balls against Wests during which he smashed quality fast bowler Wayne 'Sleezo' Sleeman for 32 off one over as Valleys chased an improbable outright at the insistence of skipper Darren Fanshaw. Fielding the powerfully struck strokes whistling off the blade of 'Brades' can be a nightmare at the best of times but under lights it is nearly mission impossible, an experience I did not enjoy one bit when fielding at extra cover during Stevo's innings of 109 in a T20 innings for the Gympie Gold versus the Gympie All Stars in 2009. Dead set I thought someone would get maimed such was the ferocity of his hitting as balls were pounded to all parts of Albert Park. Unequivocally a batsman of such talent would have been very successful if the opportunity to play Grade Cricket in Brisbane arose. Anyone who witnessed his 80 for Gympie versus the ACA Masters featuring former Australian fast bowlers Andy Bichel and Michael Kasprowicz can attest to his ability as he proceeded to blaze both big name bowlers across the 4 lane Bruce highway. Throughout 176 games for the Gympie Gold he has been consistently one of the highest run scorers in Sunshine Coast 1st division fixtures amassing 5551 runs with 6 centuries and 31 fifties.

Winning the 2015-16 Sunshine Coast 1st Division Premiership is the pinnacle so far in his cricket career, a moment Stevo claims was the best game ever played by the best team he ever had the privilege of representing. Other highlights include being a member of Valleys 2002-03 Gympie Premiership team, winning 1 one day final with Gympie Valleys in 2010-11 and topping this off with a Sunshine Coast One Day final victory and 2 Sunshine Coast T20 final victories for the Gympie Gold.

During his 22 year involvement with Gympie Senior Cricket 'Brades' acknowledges there have been many outstanding individuals that he has had the pleasure of competing with and against. Below is his opinion of who tops each of the following criterion:

Favourite Team-mate - Travis Chandler

Most Annoying - Tyson Hillcoat

Best Friend - Travis Chandler

Most Respected - Brad Millard and Troy Ashton

Best Opposition Cricketer - 

Gympie have had some quality cricketers but Craig Millard tops the list. He was a very aggressive fast bowler that attacked you every ball, was a very decent batsman who was fast between the wickets and lightning in the field.

Best Batsman - Josh Brady

Best Fast bowler - Craig Millard

Best Spinner - Jason Johnston

Best All-rounder - Josh Brady

Best Wicket-keeper - Cameron Quinn

Best Fielders - Josh, Glen and Trevor Brady not being biased but gee they took some spectacular catches and made some great run-outs.

Best Captain - Troy Ashton

Best Sledger - Jason Johnston

Best Bowler never faced in a game - Brad Brigg

Always difficult to face in the nets. He had great variation leg cutters, off cutters, slower ball, quicker bouncer and was always changing it up.

To finish with a bit of humour Stevo wanted to share a memorable moment featuring his beloved Gold team-mates. Glasshouse Cricket ground is a shared facility with soccer and as such there is a mural of a soccer player with his feet apart and hands up. Hayden Mitchell in his debut year as a youngster was sent out to field on the boundary in front of this wall. TA sensing an opportunity for a bit of skylarking yells out "hey Haydos", do this as he jumps with his feet apart and hands up. Obviously trying to please such an experienced cricketer Haydos does exactly as he is asked and everyone in the field just cracked up laughing. Haydos looked exactly like the painting on the wall and was positioned right in front of it. TA just loves telling this story to any debutantes while travelling home on the bus and even though its been heard hundreds of times its still such a crack up.

Thank you for sharing your Gympie Cricket journey Steve Brady. In my honest opinion Stevo is the most talented Gympie cricketer I have witnessed in the last 30 years. A proven match winner both with the bat and in the field. Put simply he is the cleanest striker of the ball, safest pair of hands and one of the most athletic fieldsman that has ever put foot on Gympie Cricket's ovals.