Greg Ritchie

Greg Ritchie (Fat Cat), is most well-known for his time as an Australian Cricket player. He played in 30 tests and 44 ODIs from 1982 to 1987. In his cricket career, Ritchie played for Queensland between 1980 and 1992, scoing 10,170 runs. He scored 6000 runs in the year 2000, securing his title as one of the seven greatest Sheffield Shield run scorers in Queensland’s history.

Career of Greg Ritchie

In 1982, Greg was selected for Australia’s 1982-83 tour of Pakistana as a middle-order batsman. Ritchie and Wayne Phillips were the two young batsmen. 59 against the Pakistan Cricket Board XI impressed and Ritchie was picked to make his test debut. Keeping his spot in the side for the second test, although there was some talk he would be replaced by Peter Sleep. His maiden test century was the one bright spot of Australia’s defeat. However he failed twice in the third test, making 26 and 18.

In the winter of 1983, he undertook a fitness campaign and lost several kilos. After which he went onto scoring 196 runs for Queensland against Pakistan, that summer. “My motto now is runs first; and lunch later”, Ritchie said. “I think my winter fitness campaign is paying off. I’m more confident and I think my approach to the game is more mature… Now I put more value on my wicket and try to make the bowlers work hard for it.

Now retired from cricket he spends some of his time as an after- dinner/guest speaker. He also had a successful media career after cricket playing a comedy character, a supposed Punjabi Sikh with a full beard and turban called Mahatma Cote on The Footy Show as well as other sports radio comedy chat segments.