A Hawke-eye view to 20 years of magical Test cricket moments at the SCG

The Sydney Ashes Test in 2006-07 was arguably the biggest farewell game Australian cricket has seen in modern times, as a trifecta of legends in Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer retired.

The 5-0 scoreline over the old enemy, who had only finally recaptured the urn 18 months prior after a 16-year drought, only made the game more memorable.

It marked the end of a golden era but also the beginning of a dream opportunity for Newcastle ground announcer Glen Hawke.

He made his debut at the SCG in that famous Test.

Last week Hawke celebrated his 20th stint of announcing one of Australian sport's biggest annual events as Australia finished a 4-1 Ashes series win over England.

"I can still remember walking to the top of the Brewongle Stand for the very first time, overlooking the Sydney Cricket Ground," Hawke told the Newcastle Herald.

"I'd been there as a fan, but to be working there was something else.

"To make it better, the first Test was the final Test from Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer, so it certainly was an introduction to it.

"To have the front-row seat to so many wonderful Test matches in Sydney has been really special. It's certainly a job I've never taken for granted. It really is a privilege to work on Test cricket."

Since then, Hawke has announced every SCG match and in the 2013-14 season, Cricket Australia appointed him to cover all home Tests. Last week's Sydney game was his 63^rd Test match.

Hawke cites his debut, Michael Clarke's unbeaten 329 against India in 2012, David Warner's century in a session in 2017 against Pakistan and Usman Khawaja's twin tons in his 2022 comeback as his most magic SCG experiences.

"It's pinch-yourself stuff to think that you get a chance to do that job and have a front-row seat to those matches and, in a sense, provide a live soundtrack to some of those big moments," he said.

Hawke received the opportunity to announce the SCG Test after impressing at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

His career as a ground announcer began accidentally in the mid-1990s when the then 19-year-old Hawke offered to work at Hunter Eagles baseball games at McDonald Jones Stadium.

"There was a dad doing the announcing and he was pretty average at it and one of my mates was playing and I was telling my mate I could do it better, though I'd never done it before," he laughed.

"One of my mates said, 'Ring the owner and see if you can do it.' Bold as brass I rang him and asked about the job and he gave it to me straight away, which had more to do with how bad the other guy was as opposed to my credentials."

From there Hawke started announcing National Soccer League games for the Newcastle Breakers and United before joining the Knights in the 2003 NRL season.

Hawke now serves as ground announcer for the Knights, Sydney Roosters, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Cronulla Sharks and Penrith Panthers.

"My most stressful day of the year is when the NRL draw comes out and I do the juggle," he said.

"The Knights always have priority and it's a case of juggling the rest where I can."

During Hawke's more than 20-year career in ground-announcing sport, he's witnessed an evolution in how it's presented to a live audience.

Loud, energetic music is part of most contests, particularly in the Twenty20 Big Bash League cricket and NRL.

However, Hawke said Test cricket has maintained its respect for tradition.

"There's probably more of an NRL vibe around the announcing for BBL and T20 cricket, but Test matches have remained quite traditional," he said.

"Cricket fans don't need to be screamed or yelled at when it's 8.30 in the morning and they rock into the ground.

"There's very much a brand or theme around Test cricket that, like so many other parts of Test cricket, the game and Cricket Australia have maintained, which I think is great."

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