Robert Craddock has seen and written about all cricket has to offer for nearly two decades. Now with a young family at home, he’s putting away the passport for life on the home front. But who is the man behind the pen?
Its nine o’clock on a Friday night, the kids are in bed and one of Australia’s most travelled sports writers is settling in for a quite evening at home. For 16 years Robert ‘Crash’ Craddock lived his passion, travelling Australia and the globe as the News Limited group cricket writer, but for now he seems very content enjoying life closer to home and family.
As the newly appointed Chief Sports Writer for Brisbane’s Courier Mail, Craddock’s role these days is to comment on the issues of the day, something that he says is enjoyable and challenging at the same time. Unlike his previous existence as a cricket expert, Craddock is now expected to be across all sports and provides a regular weekly column as well as comment pieces when the bigger news stories break.
For a man with so many years experience as a print journalist, Craddock’s passion for his job is obvious when he talks about his new role.
“One thing I’ve always loved, from day one to now, is as a bloke said to me on my first day that you know you’re finished in this job when you want the clock to go faster rather than slower and I still want it to go slower. I still look up and can’t believe it’s three o’clock everyday,” he says.
The son of a dentist, Craddock grew up on two acres in Caboolture on Brisbane’s northern suburbs and says his childhood was that of many young boys in the 1970s.
Footy in the winter and cricket in the summer with a bit of golf in between, Craddock’s love of sport was assured at an early age.
Like many young kids, Craddock dreamed of being a cricket star but clearly remembers the time he realised that not all dreams would become a reality. As a junior wicketkeeper, Craddock recounts the “quantum moment when you know you’re no good.”
“I’ll never forget hearing Rod Marsh in an interview say that you know you’re not a natural wicketkeeper if when you’re keeping up over the stumps, you take a step back, it means you’re scared of the ball. I used to take steps back all the time and I just remember thinking I’ll never be any good,” he says.
Fortunately, his lack a physical ability didn’t erode his passion for sport, merely acting as the impetus to find an alternate route to craft out a career in or around sport. Journalism proved the vehicle and after completing his cadet years he found his way to News Limited and his dream job following the sport and team he loved.
It’s fair to say Craddock couldn’t have timed his years with the Australian Cricket Team any better. During his tenure covering the sport, Australia went from cricket also-rans to bona-fide world champions in every form of the game and Craddock was there to share the experience with all Australians.
From Shane Warne’s ‘Ball of the century’ in the 1993 Ashes series in England, to Matthew Hayden’s world record breaking innings of 380 in Perth, Craddock has witnessed and shared many of Australian cricket’s greatest moments. But amongst all those memories a clearly proud Craddock remembers Australia’s triumph over the West Indies in 1995 as his favourite.
“They had so much against them on that tour. Craig McDermott was injured and the West Indies hadn’t lost for 15 years. I remember poking my head into the West Indies dressing room after they lost. I just had to, and they were absolutely crestfallen. I can still see the look on Curtley Ambrose’s face. He was just staring down into his gear coffin, totally listless and absolutely broken,” he says.
It’s through Craddock’s columns that many Australians shared the experience of that tour, which was seen by only a limited amount of cricket fans through the early days of pay television.
Craddock’s favourite moments are not limited to feats of brilliance on the field however, as he fondly recalls a rare opportunity to meet Mother Theresa. He had accompanied Australian cricket captain Steve Waugh to Calcutta where she was attending mass and he smiles as he recalls the meeting.
“Steven was so excited by it he had wanted to visit her for ages. She was having mass at this tiny little chapel and the light was coming through the shutters reminding me of an old school classroom. Steven was a guy that never ever showed his excitement except that it made him talk a lot and that morning we couldn’t shut him up. It was just a wonderful occasion that I’ll never forget. It was beautiful,” he says.
Many journalists thrive on the thrill of breaking an exclusive story and Craddock is no different. “One of the exciting things for me about newspapers is there is a certain moment when you know a story is going to be big but only you really know it,” he says.
Despite breaking hard hitting news stories such as star players Mark Waugh and Shane Warne’s involvement with illegal bookmakers, he recalls a more light-hearted story that he knew would be big news in Australia. During a chance discussion with Australian physiotherapist Errol Alcott, Craddock learned of a special shipment of baked beans that was in transit to India to satisfy star player Shane Warne’s limited palate and immediately recognised how his readers would enjoy the story.
“As I sat at my terminal in a silent little room in the middle of nowhere I remember thinking that story would just light up Australia and it did, it got massive airplay and became a huge talking point. This is the thing I really cherish about journalism, tomorrow two million Australians may be talking about it, but today, as you type it into your computer only you know the story,” he says.
Despite all the great memories, Craddock admits that the life of a touring journalist is fraught with the perils of loneliness and occasional conflict. A sigh and pause is evident as he lists some of the players he has fallen out with over the years after writing less than flattering accounts of their performances. He laments that some, including Australian great, Mark Waugh, still refuse to talk with him.
“It’s no fun to be on tour when you’re in a little port in India or a little town in Sri Lanka and you just run into each other ten times a day. Having said that, it’s part of the job and you just have to face up to it,” he says.
Craddock recalls an occasion in the small province of Goa in India where he was rooming next to Steve Waugh. Through the paper thin walls he remembers how he could hear Waugh dialling up the internet to read Craddock’s column within moments of filing.
“If you criticised him, it was basically like you were sharing a house with him...it could be pretty intimidating,” he says.
In recent years Craddock has added author to his resume penning biographies for former Australian cricketers Ian Healy and Matthew Hayden. Despite writing the books being one of the most challenging jobs of his career, he says the opportunity to get inside the heads of these great athletes was too good to pass up.
With the cricket chapter of his career now becoming a memory, Craddock’s passion has not waned as he embarks on his new role as an opinion maker and commentator. With so many wonderful experiences already behind him, and his love for the job continuing to shine, Craddock appears to be one of the lucky few that find their calling early and hang on to enjoy the ride.
Mondays Expert
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Teams we love to hate!
With Collingwood enjoying their most successful season since their 1990 premiership and the England Cricket team set to do battle with Australia this summer for the Ashes, I am reminded of the arch enemies we sporting nuts love to hate.
As a youngster growing up playing Aussie Rules in the winter and Cricket in the summer I was taught at an early age that you barrack for your team first and then whoever was playing Collingwood second. Manly enjoys a similar love/hate relationship with fans of Rugby League in Australia, and without doubt Aussie cricket fans enjoy walloping the Poms more than any other opponent.
But why do these teams engender such a passionate dislike like from opposition supporters, why do we love to hate some teams?
While the specific reasons may vary from team to team one thing is common to all codes, history. These rivalries developed in a time when the sporting codes were mostly centralised, suburban sporting competitions where your allegiances were determined by your address. Often the most intense of these conflicts developed in times of social upheaval when sport was one of the few things everyone had in common.
As a kid born to an Aussie Rules playing father whose entire family barracked for Richmond, my path was clear early. The challenge in my house was that my Mum was born and bred in Collingwood and although not fanatical about the footy, she clearly didn’t take kindly to my fathers attempt to indoctrinate the necessary Collingwood hatred.
Manly Sea Eagles enjoy a similar relationship with fans as Collingwood mainly courtesy of their geographical Sydney north shore position. That privileged location meant wealthy benefactors supported the club during its formative professional years allowing the club to buy class players from the more financially strapped areas causing discontent amongst rival fans.
As far as cricket goes, the joy Australian fans receive from beating the old enemy England for the Ashes remains unchallenged. Without doubt this rivalry can be traced back to the early settlement of Australia by the British more than 200 years ago. As hard as it is to believe many Aussie fans have managed to retain that convict attitude for multiple generations.
Success also breeds discontent amongst your rivals and one thing that is common to all hated sporting clubs is a history of winning. Those already mentioned plus Manchester United, New York Yankees and even the Canterbury Crusaders in the still embryonic Super Rugby competition all have success to blame for their predicament.
But let’s face it sports fans, its time to admit the real problem. The simple answer is most of us secretly wish it was our team that was hated because of our success. But we’re not bitter, no way. Sorry but I have to go now I’ve just got to put a fresh Dane Swan photo on my dartboard before this weekends game. Damn those Magpies.
Mondays Expert
As a youngster growing up playing Aussie Rules in the winter and Cricket in the summer I was taught at an early age that you barrack for your team first and then whoever was playing Collingwood second. Manly enjoys a similar love/hate relationship with fans of Rugby League in Australia, and without doubt Aussie cricket fans enjoy walloping the Poms more than any other opponent.
But why do these teams engender such a passionate dislike like from opposition supporters, why do we love to hate some teams?
While the specific reasons may vary from team to team one thing is common to all codes, history. These rivalries developed in a time when the sporting codes were mostly centralised, suburban sporting competitions where your allegiances were determined by your address. Often the most intense of these conflicts developed in times of social upheaval when sport was one of the few things everyone had in common.
As a kid born to an Aussie Rules playing father whose entire family barracked for Richmond, my path was clear early. The challenge in my house was that my Mum was born and bred in Collingwood and although not fanatical about the footy, she clearly didn’t take kindly to my fathers attempt to indoctrinate the necessary Collingwood hatred.
Manly Sea Eagles enjoy a similar relationship with fans as Collingwood mainly courtesy of their geographical Sydney north shore position. That privileged location meant wealthy benefactors supported the club during its formative professional years allowing the club to buy class players from the more financially strapped areas causing discontent amongst rival fans.
As far as cricket goes, the joy Australian fans receive from beating the old enemy England for the Ashes remains unchallenged. Without doubt this rivalry can be traced back to the early settlement of Australia by the British more than 200 years ago. As hard as it is to believe many Aussie fans have managed to retain that convict attitude for multiple generations.
Success also breeds discontent amongst your rivals and one thing that is common to all hated sporting clubs is a history of winning. Those already mentioned plus Manchester United, New York Yankees and even the Canterbury Crusaders in the still embryonic Super Rugby competition all have success to blame for their predicament.
But let’s face it sports fans, its time to admit the real problem. The simple answer is most of us secretly wish it was our team that was hated because of our success. But we’re not bitter, no way. Sorry but I have to go now I’ve just got to put a fresh Dane Swan photo on my dartboard before this weekends game. Damn those Magpies.
Mondays Expert
Monday, July 12, 2010
Sunday Sermon: The Cup, the Horn, the Ball and an Octopus
VIVA SPAIN!
The World Cup has come and gone for another four years and despite all of the wonderful football that has graced the pitch, many people will remember South Africa 2010 for different reasons.
There is no doubt that the early stages of the tournament were dominated by the controversy surrounding the Vuvuzela. This so-called musical instrument would more aptly be described as a weapon for cruel and unusual punishment as its monotone noise dominated the eardrums beyond all belief.
Personally I question its cultural value even while many said it was a descendant of the “Kudu Horn” which was blown to summon African villagers to meetings.
It makes me think of eighty thousand people showing up to the MCG with a 1.5mtr length of PVC pipe to blow into during a game claiming it to be a descendant of the didgeridoo.
But that’s just me.
The ball chosen by FIFA for the tournament attracted it own fair share of controversy. The Adidas “Jabulani” was claimed by the manufacturer to be the most technologically advanced ball ever designed.
This may be the case but it now seems possible that some things can be too perfect as the most spherical ball ever produced seemed to play havoc with the skills of the world best players.
It hard to think who was most adversely affected by the obscure path taken by the ball after it left the boot. The world’s greatest ball strikers continuously struggled to keep the ball on track from free kicks and keepers were bamboozled by the track of the ball in flight as it regularly seemed to defy the laws of physics.
But despite the wonderful football that was played, the Vuvuzela’s and the ball that was just too round, for me South Africa 2010 will remembered for……
“PAUL THE PYSCHIC OCTOPUS”
If you polled a million people around the world on day one of the world cup and asked the Question: Who will be the most memorable character from the 2010 World Cup? I somehow doubt you would have got one response referring to an eight legged soothsayer.
Paul owned the second week of the tournament as fans forgot about their eardrums and tuned into the media to see the psychic Octopus predict the result of Germany’s contests with startling accuracy.
Game after game Paul correctly identified the result of all of Germany’s games finishing with a perfect 8/8 record.
Many theories now permeate the web with some claiming the octopus prefers the colour yellow always going to the box containing more of that colour, others claim the ‘fix is in’ and Paul’s owners are the true psychics placing Paul’s preferred food in the box of the expected winner.
Regardless of the reasons why, there is nothing people love more than a wacky animal story and I’m sure patronage at the Sea Life Centre in Oberhausen has made the marketing ploy a worthwhile exercise.
So the door is closed on South Africa 2010 and for part-time football supporters like myself I can stop pretending I know much about the game for another four years and get back to the sports I do know something about.
So bring on Brazil 2014 and “Harry the Goalkeeping Monkey”
Well! You never know.
Surely it makes as much sense as Paul.
Mondays Expert
The World Cup has come and gone for another four years and despite all of the wonderful football that has graced the pitch, many people will remember South Africa 2010 for different reasons.
There is no doubt that the early stages of the tournament were dominated by the controversy surrounding the Vuvuzela. This so-called musical instrument would more aptly be described as a weapon for cruel and unusual punishment as its monotone noise dominated the eardrums beyond all belief.
Personally I question its cultural value even while many said it was a descendant of the “Kudu Horn” which was blown to summon African villagers to meetings.
It makes me think of eighty thousand people showing up to the MCG with a 1.5mtr length of PVC pipe to blow into during a game claiming it to be a descendant of the didgeridoo.
But that’s just me.
The ball chosen by FIFA for the tournament attracted it own fair share of controversy. The Adidas “Jabulani” was claimed by the manufacturer to be the most technologically advanced ball ever designed.
This may be the case but it now seems possible that some things can be too perfect as the most spherical ball ever produced seemed to play havoc with the skills of the world best players.
It hard to think who was most adversely affected by the obscure path taken by the ball after it left the boot. The world’s greatest ball strikers continuously struggled to keep the ball on track from free kicks and keepers were bamboozled by the track of the ball in flight as it regularly seemed to defy the laws of physics.
But despite the wonderful football that was played, the Vuvuzela’s and the ball that was just too round, for me South Africa 2010 will remembered for……
“PAUL THE PYSCHIC OCTOPUS”
If you polled a million people around the world on day one of the world cup and asked the Question: Who will be the most memorable character from the 2010 World Cup? I somehow doubt you would have got one response referring to an eight legged soothsayer.
Paul owned the second week of the tournament as fans forgot about their eardrums and tuned into the media to see the psychic Octopus predict the result of Germany’s contests with startling accuracy.
Game after game Paul correctly identified the result of all of Germany’s games finishing with a perfect 8/8 record.
Many theories now permeate the web with some claiming the octopus prefers the colour yellow always going to the box containing more of that colour, others claim the ‘fix is in’ and Paul’s owners are the true psychics placing Paul’s preferred food in the box of the expected winner.
Regardless of the reasons why, there is nothing people love more than a wacky animal story and I’m sure patronage at the Sea Life Centre in Oberhausen has made the marketing ploy a worthwhile exercise.
So the door is closed on South Africa 2010 and for part-time football supporters like myself I can stop pretending I know much about the game for another four years and get back to the sports I do know something about.
So bring on Brazil 2014 and “Harry the Goalkeeping Monkey”
Well! You never know.
Surely it makes as much sense as Paul.
Mondays Expert
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Sunday Sermon: It’s Just Not Cricket
What a 24hrs of sport. Seriously, there was enough to keep you going all day and well into the night.
Right in the heart of football season we have AFL and NRL clashes taking a back seat to the biggest sporting show on the planet, ‘The World Cup’. The drama associated with each match in this tournament is unparalleled in world sport as entire nations stand transfixed over each contest.
Last night also signalled the start of another classic world renowned sporting contest, the ‘Tour de France’, with Aussie hopes firmly weighing on the shoulders of our current world road racing champion, Cadel Evans.
Both these events made it difficult for the Aussie sports fanatic to find any time to watch Serena Williams dominate another Grand Slam final and lock away her fourth Wimbledon title.
Then if you can believe it, sandwiched in amongst this buffet of delectable sporting treats was Game 5 of the 2010 Australia v England one day series.
What was that?
You didn’t know it was on?
Sorry, I misheard, you didn’t care it was on!
With all of the yawn, yawn one day and Twenty20 cricket that is played around the globe every year this series was perhaps the biggest YAWN of all.
It’s hard to know where to start about what is wrong with playing these types of ‘empty space’ fixtures, but let me have a try.
Firstly, it cheapens the game. Cricket is a semi-global sport that is loves by more than a billion people worldwide (thanks India), and One Day Cricket was once, arguably, the most popular form of the game.
Aussies loved their One-Dayers, with the Tri-series in Australia each summer drawing huge crowds both at venues and on tv. Fast forward to television coverage of international tours by pay tv and we began to feel that you could have too much of a good thing.
For a while there however, these one day games were packaged with a test tour in a form that maintained the credibility of the sport.
Now-days, the forever-loved summer tri-series is gone, Twenty20 cricket has stolen the one day audience and the new role for one-day cricket appears to be filling an ‘empty space’ in scheduling where there might be a buck to be made.
Next, it cheapens the jersey. Playing for Australia should be the pinnacle of any sports person’s career. Sadly, the shear volume of meaningless cricket played today means many talented second tier players, have international careers by virtue of injury and burnout rather than talent.
Finally, it cheapens the rivalry that is Australia v England. These are the contests that Aussie sports fans love more than any other, and cricket used to be the greatest example of this rivalry. We loved only getting to see Australia tackle the old enemy twice in four years. We loved how it is for the ‘Ashes’ one of the most unique trophies is world sport. We loved waiting to see who the Poms would pick to tackle our Aussie heroes.
Alas, with the Ashes less than 4 months away, this over exposure to ‘empty space’ cricket has already tarnished the contest that is to come.
So the time has come to wake up Cricket Australia and realise Aussie sports fans don’t care for empty space cricket. Be careful you don’t cheapen the game so much; we choose to buy something else instead.
Mondays Expert
Right in the heart of football season we have AFL and NRL clashes taking a back seat to the biggest sporting show on the planet, ‘The World Cup’. The drama associated with each match in this tournament is unparalleled in world sport as entire nations stand transfixed over each contest.
Last night also signalled the start of another classic world renowned sporting contest, the ‘Tour de France’, with Aussie hopes firmly weighing on the shoulders of our current world road racing champion, Cadel Evans.
Both these events made it difficult for the Aussie sports fanatic to find any time to watch Serena Williams dominate another Grand Slam final and lock away her fourth Wimbledon title.
Then if you can believe it, sandwiched in amongst this buffet of delectable sporting treats was Game 5 of the 2010 Australia v England one day series.
What was that?
You didn’t know it was on?
Sorry, I misheard, you didn’t care it was on!
With all of the yawn, yawn one day and Twenty20 cricket that is played around the globe every year this series was perhaps the biggest YAWN of all.
It’s hard to know where to start about what is wrong with playing these types of ‘empty space’ fixtures, but let me have a try.
Firstly, it cheapens the game. Cricket is a semi-global sport that is loves by more than a billion people worldwide (thanks India), and One Day Cricket was once, arguably, the most popular form of the game.
Aussies loved their One-Dayers, with the Tri-series in Australia each summer drawing huge crowds both at venues and on tv. Fast forward to television coverage of international tours by pay tv and we began to feel that you could have too much of a good thing.
For a while there however, these one day games were packaged with a test tour in a form that maintained the credibility of the sport.
Now-days, the forever-loved summer tri-series is gone, Twenty20 cricket has stolen the one day audience and the new role for one-day cricket appears to be filling an ‘empty space’ in scheduling where there might be a buck to be made.
Next, it cheapens the jersey. Playing for Australia should be the pinnacle of any sports person’s career. Sadly, the shear volume of meaningless cricket played today means many talented second tier players, have international careers by virtue of injury and burnout rather than talent.
Finally, it cheapens the rivalry that is Australia v England. These are the contests that Aussie sports fans love more than any other, and cricket used to be the greatest example of this rivalry. We loved only getting to see Australia tackle the old enemy twice in four years. We loved how it is for the ‘Ashes’ one of the most unique trophies is world sport. We loved waiting to see who the Poms would pick to tackle our Aussie heroes.
Alas, with the Ashes less than 4 months away, this over exposure to ‘empty space’ cricket has already tarnished the contest that is to come.
So the time has come to wake up Cricket Australia and realise Aussie sports fans don’t care for empty space cricket. Be careful you don’t cheapen the game so much; we choose to buy something else instead.
Mondays Expert
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