Young Archie Gray was a “ballsy” leg-spinner, happy to take on whoever stepped foot at the crease for his beloved Western Suburbs Cricket Club.
At just 16 years of age, Gray made his second grade debut in the NSW Premier Cricket competition, with teammates labelling him a “gun” player.
During a clash at Pratten Park in Sydney’s inner-west suburbs, Gray knew something wasn’t right and went to the doctors before being referred to a specialist.
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It was discovered he had brain cancer and at just 17, the budding cricketer and loved family member lost his life on November 8 2022, leaving a gaping hole in the lives of everyone that knew him.
Gray’s last game was against Manly and, with connections between the two clubs, an idea was spawned by his father Andrew — the Archie Gray Celebrity Cricket Match.
Professional athletes and people of note reached out wanting to take part, according to former NSW wicketkeeper and current Sydney Sixers assistant coach Jay Lenton.
First, Manly legend Steve ‘Beaver’ Menzies said he wanted to play, then came legendary Aussie seamer Brett Lee who shifted his busy schedule to attend.
Michael Hooper, Billy Peden, Dan Christian, Reed Mahoney, Matt Burton and even Pat Richards also came to the party to be involved and celebrate the life of Archie.
All funds will be donated to the Mark Hughes Foundation, and Hughes himself will even be turning out for the Manly team.
“I can’t comment how highly I think of Andrew Gray, Archie’s old man, just the strength he has shown to put this on,” Lenton said to foxsports.com.au.
“I was talking to David Gainsford (Manly head of cricket) before, as a father myself, I don’t know how I would be able to do this.
“Archie playing his last game against Manly, and there was a little connection with him spending his final few weeks in Bear Cottage which was in Manly.
“The connections were quite strong, so Andrew reached out to Mike Swan and just said ‘look I’d really like to envisage a charity game as a celebration of Archie’s life’.
“We weren’t really sure what that was at the start, I was asked if I’d like to be involved as well in the working group, there’s five of us… It has just came about, went from strength from strength.
“We were going to do a proper game of cricket… but then people just started getting wind of it, and it’s amazing what the connection with the Mark Hughes Foundation has done as well.”
Lenton has worked in the Cricket NSW pathways system and knows just how highly rated Gray was as a cricketer coming through the junior ranks.
He also explained that the youngster was “loved” by his peers at St Patrick’s College, Strathfield and was mixing it with some of the state’s best cricketers.
“It’s obviously a sad one, I don’t think any 17-year-old or anyone should go through the pain that he obviously went through that year,” Lenton said.
“I can only imagine the pain for his family and the pain he went through at that time… “It was sad, he was a wonderful cricketer, he was in our pathways system at Cricket NSW.
“He was in the under 17s set-up, wonderful leg-spin bowler… he was known for being the kind of ballsy leg-spin bowler.
“Most leggies have to be that way, be the resilient little leg-spin bowler, especially to come up against grown men in Premier Cricket, regardless of what grade it is.
“But in particular in second grade, there’s a lot of first grade cricketers hanging around second grade that have either come back from first grade and potentially first class cricket or are aspiring young guys.
“So to be mixing it with the best at 17 in second grade, really emphasises how sad it is what happened.”
The Archie Gray Celebrity Cricket Match will take place on November 15 at 5:30pm and has already surpassed the original goal of $50,000 raised for the Mark Hughes Foundation.
For Andrew Gray, whatever happens from now doesn’t matter, as long as the funds are secured for further research in to brain cancer — he’s happy.
A number of corporate sponsors have jumped on board, Kookaburra have printed 12 special balls for the game, whilst the match will also be streamed on Kayo.
“It’s gone from just a little idea from Andrew to being quite a big day,” Lenton said.
“If people want to come down to Pratten Park they can, we could have 100 people there, we could have 4,000.
“But as Andrew said the other day, I’m so thankful for everything that’s happened and regardless of who gets there, even if it rains, the money is in the bank for the Mark Hughes Foundation.”
Hilariously, Lenton also revealed he would be captaining the Manly team, desperate to be able to boss around one of Test cricket’s greatest bowlers, at least for one day.
“I’m going captain the boys just so I can happily say I’ve captained Brett Lee once in my life and tell him where he can and can’t bowl.”
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POTENTIAL PLAYERS TAKING PART
WESTERN SUBURBS
Dan Christian — former Australian cricketer
Reed Mahoney — current Bulldogs hooker
Pat Richards — former Tigers premiership-winner
Matt Burton (maybe) — current Bulldogs five-eighth
Ned Brockmann (running drinks) — famous runner
James Psarakis — current Wests first grade captain
Josh Clarke — current Wests first grade cricketer
Mohammad Irfan Jr — current Wests first grade cricketer
Harry Manenti — Archie Gray’s cousin and first grade cricketer
MANLY
Steve Menzies — former Sea Eagles star
Jay Lenton — current Manly first grade captain
Brett Lee — legendary Australian quick
Michael Hooper — former Wallabies breakaway
Billy Peden — former Knights star
Danny Buderus (maybe) — former Knights star
Mark Hughes — of the Mark Hughes Foundation
Jack Edwards — current Manly and NSW player
Ollie Davies — current Manly and NSW player
Joel Davies — current Manly and NSW player
Bertie Foreman — former England under 19s spinner
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