Heading into the 2016/2017 Season, University is stacked with young talented cricketers, making a large percentage of the club’s higher grades. This has resulted in a very strong Poidevin-Gray Shield squad where spots for final selection have been highly contested. The University’s Elite Athlete Program, consisting of intense off season training and tours to Sri Lanka, Perth and also a couple of trips to Brisbane has given the many of the players great preparation for the season. The side has been presented with an equally strong pool, battling it out with previous PG premiers; Bankstown and Sutherland who have retained numerous of their players from previous seasons. However with five players with first grade experience, Dugald Holloway, Nick Arnold, Nicky Craze, Kieran Elley and Devlin Malone, the university’s side will have experienced heads leading them throughout the campaign.
Dugald Holloway and Kieran Elley will lead the university fast bowlers cartel and will be well supported by leg spinner Devlin Malone. Second grade opening pair, Kieran Tate and Hayden Kerr will round out the fast bowling attack, followed by the off-speed Jonathon Craig-Dobson. The strong bowling attack is well backed up by its solid batting order, Charles Litchfield and the hard hitting Hayden Kerr will open up and ACT 2nd XI player from last year Kevin Jacobs will bat at first drop. Skipper Nicky Craze, Ryan Danne and Dugald Holloway round out the middle order with young gun Christian Lorenzato standing behind the stumps.
SUCC are aiming to make the PGs finals for the first time since winning the competition in 2010/11. Director of cricket and PGs coach Gary Whitaker is looking forward to a hard and intense round one against Bankstown at University number 1, this Sunday the 9th.