Bruce Wilkie Collins KC - By James Rodgers

The passing of Bruce Collins KC, a legend of the Sydney University Cricket Club, wILL BE acknowledged at all SUCC matches played on 3 October 2026, followed by a minute's silence.

It is with much sadness that we gather this morning to acknowledge the hugely unexpected passing last Sunday of the club's Co-Patron, Bruce Wilkie Collins.

Bruce was a distinguished barrister, a King's Counsel, and, for 60 years, was one of the more influential members of our club. When he studied at the University, he was awarded a Blue for Hockey and he was 1st Grade cricket cap no469. He scored 4489 runs for the club and after retirement from Grade Cricket, he then scored another 3000 runs for the IZingari Club, as an aggressive batsman whose game was filled with thumping boundaries who could change the course of a match in just a few overs.

Bruce was much-respected well beyond the boundaries of Sydney University Cricket. In a life of unstinting service to the game, Bruce was the inaugural Chairman of the Bradman Trust, a member of the Board of Cricket Australia and of the Board of Cricket NSW and Chairman of the SCA Committee of Management.

He was a Life Member of our club, a Patron of the club's Foundation, a long-serving President of our club and, in recent years, the Co-Patron of the Sydney University Cricket Club.

Bruce's entertaining sense of humour, on and off the field, was legendary as was his prodigious memory. He was an eloquent and persuasive public speaker, never more so than when our club needed him most when we were in great danger of being exiled from the Grade Competition just 30 years ago.

The Club's sincere sympathy is expressed to Bruce's wife, Di, to his family and to all those who were privileged to have played with him and to have been the recipients of his boundless generosity and graciousness. He stood for, and lived by, the best qualities that our great game has to give.

So now let us bow our heads in silence for one minute as we pay this mark of respect for our good and faithful servant and our great friend, Bruce Wilkie Collins.

May he rest in peace.

James Rodgers

Co-Patron, Sydney University Cricket Club.

Bruce Collins KC - RIP

It is with profound sadness that we advise of the death on Sunday 27 September of Bruce Collins KC, our joint Patron.

Bruce came to Sydney from Taree High School and enrolled in Law at Sydney University. He was a cricketer and a hockey player, earning a Blue for Hockey.

The involvement with Bruce Collins in our Club over a sixty year period has been significant. A summary of his many contributions on and off the field, will follow this advice.

We extend our deepest sympathy to Bruce’s wife Di and all of the family.

Our thoughts are very much with you at this time.

SUCC ANNIVERSARIES

                           SUCC AGM 3 September 2026.

We can understand who we are and who has gone before us when we mark anniversaries in our club.

So, this coming season, 2026-27, is the 130th anniversary of events in 1896-97 that lead to the club's withdrawal from the Electoral Competition (now known as the Grade Competition or Premier Cricket).

2026-27 is the 30th anniversary, 1996-97, when the NSW Cricket Board was to vote to exclude our club from the Grade Competition. That decision was rescinded before it could be put into effect.

However, these two anniversaries, the 130th and the 30th, remind us that we can never take for granted our position in Premier Cricket, no matter what has happened previously.  They remind us also that we owe a debt of great gratitude to so many who've gone before us and who've paved the way for us to enjoy our current successes.

In 1896, the club's defence was lead in part by a young medical student and 1st Grader, William Duthie Cargill, who announced that, in the face of the decision made by the NSWCA, the club would withdraw from the competition and would eventually play in the 2nd grade competition in 1897, a situation that would last for 5 seasons. Only 18 years later, Dr Cargill was to die of typhoid.

In 1997, our defence was mounted by so many of the faithful, including Hartley Anderson, Bruce Collins, Alan Crompton, Ian Fisher, Ian Foulsham, Greg Harris, Brendan Hill, Ted Le Couteur. They ensured that the NSW Cricket's Board's decision was overturned so that our current position of strength is now something that we can celebrate. Our current players can be so proud of the fact that we have twice hauled ourselves from the dark times of possible exile. We've hauled ourselves from those days to our current time of glowing, sustained success.

One thought for this coming season: Before every game, let's remember in gratitude all those who've paved the way for us and remember all those who've had such deep affection and enthusiasm for the Club. We can now once again be exceptionally proud of our club.

So, before each game, let's spare a thought in gratitude for those who've gone before us while we now take the field to create more history for our club that's existed since 1864. The club has existed through some dark days, especially 130 years ago, 30 years ago, so that we can now enjoy these days of undeniable enjoyment and success.

James Rodgers

AJ Bartley SC - RIP

A.J. Bartley SC

The death occurred in Sydney on 19 June 2026 of A.J. Bartley SC, a Trustee of The SUCC Foundation.

Tony Bartley was a graduate in law from Sydney University and had supported the Club through the Foundation for a considerable time. He had been called to the Bar in 1972 and took silk in 1998.

He had been in declining health for some years.

The Club sends its deep condolences to his wife Mary Jane.

H.A.

Gregory Mark Harris - Order of Australia Medal

The Kings Birthday Honours List-announced on 7th June included the following citation.

Order OF Australia Medal -OAM

Gregory Mark Harris, for Services to Sports administration. Clovelly NSW.

Greg Harris is a Graduate in Arts from Sydney University, majoring in Pure Mathematics and Government. He was awarded a Blue for Rugby Union Football and also represented New South Wales in both Rugby Football and Australian Football.

Greg Harris was appointed as Secretary of Sydney University Sports Union, now called SU Sport And Fitness, circa 1989 and had a long tenure in the role. There were many significant highlights, several of which we will mention here.

 A study tour to the US with SUSU President Bruce Ross and the late Ian Fisher led to the establishment of the Sports Scholarships Programme, a significant step in the growth of elite sports at Sydney University.

In the mid 1990’s there was a move by the NSW Cricket Association to restructure Sydney Premier Cricket. This would have resulted in a reduction of Clubs including the Universities.

A SUCC Task Force was formed to address the changes and Greg Harris played a strong role in having the decision over turned.

With the formation of the SUCC Foundation, led by EB LeCouteur and some changes driven by Greg Harris a new focus on player recruitment emerged. Club performance grew and in 2000 Greg Harris attend the three day Belvedere Cup Final, won by SUCC after a gap of 87 years.

The smile of satisfacrion on the face of Greg Harris at this victory was that of the ultimate team player!

Greg Harris was elected a Life Member of SUCC in 2008.

News of the Kings Birthday Award has been without exception welcomed and appreciated by his friends and colleagues. We join in the congratulations.

HA

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Billy Makin - Puzzles Aplenty by James Rodgers and Pat Rodgers

It is likely that few readers will know the name of Billy Makin. Yet this is a man who on resuming the game after a two-year gap early in his career performed so well in local cricket that he was described as ‘Champion’; and who top-scored for New South Wales on his debut in 1910, a meteoric rise after playing Second Grade cricket only eight months earlier. But this sudden elevation was followed by an equally sudden fall: he played no first-class cricket after two matches in his debut season, and four years later dropped out of First Grade cricket, although for reasons impossible now to determine, he did not enlist when the First World War started. More than a decade later, he reappeared at Grade cricket, playing for the St George Third Grade side with much success, although he remained at Third Grade level.

Equally puzzling is the fact that despite having a first-class mind, he was apparently content to work at a relatively lowly level in the office of the Registrar General in Sydney. He qualified for the Bar in 1938, but never served as a barrister, making him, in the authors’ words, ‘Sydney’s most overqualified clerk’.

There are indeed ‘puzzles aplenty’ in the life of Makin, and at this distance the authors have a difficult task in finding answers. Makin’s private life was unhappy, and hence there appears to be little in the way of correspondence or family records to help fill the gaps. But while there are sometimes no definitive explanations for the mysteries of Makin’s life, they serve to underline that despite his relative obscurity, he is a fascinating subject for a biography. It should be noted that the hardback edition of this book, a limited edition of only fifteen copies, sold out before publication, hence only softback copies remain.

JR

Ex SUCC Player Imran Khan

Imran’s 1000 days of solitude

Imran Khan has now been in solitary confinement for over 1000 days.

On Thursday, his sister Aleema Khan, who along with supporters has been staging a weekly protest outside the prison where the former Prime Minister is being held, filed a petition to the Islamabad High Court claiming the brutal treatment is illegal and amounts to torture.

Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper released details of the motion filed on behalf of the detained former politician and cricket captain.

According to the petition, the PTI founder informed his counsel during court-mandated meetings that his wife, Bushra Bibi, is also being kept in solitary confinement for 24 hours a day at the same jail. The petition stated that neither television, books, nor any reading material is being provided to him, and lawyers are being prevented from meeting him for legal consultations or executing powers of attorney. Moreover, the PTI chairman, secretary general, and other office holders of the party are not being allowed to meet him.

The petitioner argued that no court has sentenced the 74-year-old former prime minister to solitary confinement in either the Al-Qadir Trust Case or the Toshakhana-II case. The petition alleged that jail authorities have kept him in isolation for approximately 22 hours daily for the last six months without any legal sanction.

A cruel hoax was perpetrated earlier in the week when a video appearing to be from one of Pakistan’s news stations appeared online, claiming there were moves to free Imran from prison.

There are some very ordinary people in the world.

Aleema, meanwhile, called on supporters to join her weekly protest at the jail on Tuesday.

“Imran Khan is not only our brother, but also the leader of PTI, so we said that we need all of you. Come here and increase the pressure so that Imran Khan can receive treatment in a proper hospital…Imran Khan had carried out a sit-in for 128 days. He spent day and night on the streets. Everyone will have to show a little courage. This is a difficult time, and we are doing whatever we can.”

Remember, you can help keep some attention on Imran’s cause by wearing one of these. You may not look as good as Greg Chappell, but you will feel as good inside.

Greg Chappell

Acknowledgment to Peter Lalor