Basil Sellers Scholarship Program

Sydney Uni athlete, Lawrence Neil-Smith, was recently inducted to the Basil Sellers Scholarship Program during a presentation held at the SCG.

Neil-Smith started at Sydney Uni Cricket Club as part of the Green Shield program in 2014/15 and has worked his way into the Club's second grade side in 2016/17. Neil-Smith also recently gained representative honours in the NSW Metro U/19 and the Australian U/19 preliminary World Cup squad. 

The 2017/18 scholars are the latest group to benefit from the generous program, where young male and female cricketers are able to concentrate on pursuing their cricket career. The program aims to reduce the financial burden of families, including the cost of travelling to and from training, relocating to Sydney from regional areas and assists with the cost of secondary and tertiary education. 

Former scholars such as Steve Smith, Usman Khawaja and Pat Cummins have showcased the talent that has come from the program. 

The Club is very proud of Lawrence and looks forward to some outstanding results on the field in 2017/18. 

Kershaw puts Sydney on top in Colombo

A fiery opening spell from fast bowler Joe Kershaw put Sydney University on top in the opening stages of its Red Bull Campus Cricket Finals match with Pakistan's Jinnah Government College in Colombo today.

Sydney University invited the Pakistani representatives to bat first, and Kershaw justified his captain's decision by removing opener Mohammed Alam with his fifth delivery.  Kershaw's first over was a maiden, and Hayden Kerr followed with a mean opening over that allowed just a single run.  Kershaw maintained such control over the batsmen that he bowled his four overs in a single spell, returning the phenomenal T20 figures of 4-1-5-1.

Hayden Kerr, already enjoying an outstanding tournament, struck twice inside his first three overs, and when Dugald Holloway removed Pakistan Under-19 all-rounder Hasan Mohsin with his second delivery, Pakistan was deep in trouble at four for 19.

Pakistan is fresh from a crushing victory over India on the first day of the tournament.  Live scores can be followed at: http://www.batsman.com/pages/all/Pakistan-v-Australia---Colombo-Colts-Cricket-Ground-(11-Sep-2017)_1ac2c8cd-49de-4c49-96d9-82cdba034a16_M.aspx

Kerr shines in a tight contest in Colombo

Hayden Kerr's destructive and inventive 73 was the highlight of the opening match of the Red Bull Campus Cricket Finals in Colombo yesterday.

Sydney University, representing Australia in the eight-nation contest, was drawn to play its first match against South Africa's North-West University, a formidable side packed with several domestic first-class players.  Kerr, who made his First Grade debut for University only last season, opened the batting against two first-class bowlers, Jovuan Van Wyngaard of Western Province and North-West's John-Pierre Le Roux.  Undaunted by reputations, Kerr blasted 73 from only 39 deliveries, driving, pulling and ramping 12 fours and a six. 

When Kerr was dismissed in the twelfth over, University was 3-111 and well-placed to build a formidable total.  But leg-spinner Dyllan Matthews, who has also played first-class cricket for North-West, put a brake on the innings with three wickets from his four overs, andSydney University's 9-157 fell a little short of the team's expectations.

Both of the South African openers, Wihan Lubbe and Janneman Malan, have scored first-class centuries, and they gave their side a fantastic platform by taking 58 runs from the first six overs.  But Devlin Malone (1-29) came back strongly, Will Lawrance allowed only 20 runs from his four overs, and Dugald Holloway (1-25) removed the dangerous Edrich Lubbe (who has scored a first-class hundred for Gauteng).  Kerr completed a fine match by snaring two wickets with his left-arm seamers as the South Africans were forced to fight all the way to the finish.

Sydney University showed tremendous grit against formidable opposition, and today moves on to play Pakistan's Jinnah Government College Nazimabad, Karachi.

1st Grade pre-season tour to Brisbane

This weekend will see our first grade squad join our Red Bull squad in Brisbane as they once again compete in the One Day Quad series against Melbourne, Adelaide and Queensland Universities. 

The squad has a mixture of new and old faces with Liam Robertson taking the reigns in the absence of usual skipper Nick Larkin.  Liam will be joined by the experienced heads of Tom Kierath, Tim Ley, Josh Toyer and Ben Larkin. Rounding out the middle order will be Damien Mortimer, Ben Trevor-Jones and James Larkin.  As usual with these pre-season tours we are excited to expose a handful of young guns to first grade cricket, and Liam Whitaker, Jonathan Craig-Dobson and Kieran Tate are champing at the bit to prove themselves against the best of grade cricket. We are also pleased to welcome Tim Cummins to the club after making the move from Penrith during the off-season, Tim will make his debut for the club during the tour.

FIXTURE LIST

Friday 25th

Sydney University v Melbourne University 

Adelaide University v University of Queensland

---

Saturday 26th

Sydney University v University of Queensland

Melbourne University v Adelaide University

---

Sunday 27th

Sydney University v Adelaide University

Melbourne University v University of Queensland

---

Full Squad

Liam Robertson (c), Ben Larkin, Ben Trevor-Jones, Damien Mortimer, James Larkin, Jonathan Craig-Dobson, Josh Toyer, Kieran Tate, Liam Whitaker, Tim Cummins, Tim Ley, Tom Kierath 

RIP: Phil Blazey

The Club is saddened to hear of the death of Phil Blazey aged 75.

Phil played cricket and baseball with Sydney University and represented Northern District in 1st and 2nd Grades from 1963 until 1987, scoring 2655 runs and taking 373 wickets.

A full obituary will appear soon on the website and in the 2017-18 Annual Report.

Mail Receives Further Accolade

Sydney University Cricket Club stalwart, Greg Mail, received the honour of Life Membership of Sydney Cricket Association at its Annual General Meeting at the SCG last night. 

Greg's record in NSW Premier Cricket makes him arguably the greatest Premier Cricket player in history with 22 years in first grade, 44 centuries, 72 fifties, 15,242 runs and five First Grade premierships.  

Along with Greg's immense numbers in NSW Premier Cricket, he has been a guiding voice for the players on the SCA Committee of Management for a number of years, and one of the most respected cricketers in Australian Premier Cricket.

Greg joins fellow Sydney University Cricket members the late Mick O'Sullivan (2002), former Chairman James Rodgers (2004) and current Chairman Max Bonnell (2016) as Life Members of the SCA. 

Former Australian Test player, Sydney Uni batsman and great mate, Ed Cowan, battled through the man flu to give a heart felt endorsement of Greg's nomination. 

Greg's impact on not only Sydney Uni, but the entire NSW Premier Cricket competition has been immense, striving for excellence and bringing out the best from team mates and opponents alike, whilst forming friendships all across Sydney cricket ovals.

Greg thanked a number of players who helped shape his cricketing career including former Sydney Uni all-rounder Ian Moran and current Sydney Uni batting coach, Grant Lambert. 

He was especially thankful to the cricketing community that he has become a part of throughout a two-decade long career. 

Sydney University Cricket Club congratulates Greg on this achievement and thanks him for his years of dedicated service to making this club the powerhouse that it is today. 

Red Bull Campus Cricket World Finals squad heads to Brisbane

With the 2017 Red Bull Campus Cricket World Finals under a month away our squad head to Brisbane for a pre-season tour on Friday the 25th of August.  

The squad heads north for four games over the weekend; three Twenty-20 matches and one fifty over game.  Arriving Friday morning the squad shall play Toombul District Cricket Club in an afternoon T20 and then again on Saturday in a one day game.  The tour will then conclude with two Twenty-20 matches against Northern Suburbs Cricket Club on the Sunday. 

The squad is led  by Jack Holloway who said that they cannot wait to get in the middle for some well needed centre wicket practice before departing for Sri Lanka.  Holloway believes "quality match practice will leave us in good stead before taking on some of the best university cricketers from around the world." Vice-captain Joe Kershaw echoed Holloway's thoughts, stating "I am raring to go, we've been training for months and I just can't wait to get out on the field and start taking poles again"

SQUAD

1.     Jack Holloway (c)

2.     Joe Kershaw (vc)

3.     Charles Lichfield

4.     Devlin Malone

5.     Dugald Holloway

6.     Harry Gibson

7.     Hayden Kerr

8.     Henry Hunt 

9.     Kieran Elley

10.     Nicky Craze

11.     Sam Brandwood (Wk)

12.  Sam Wood

13.  Vince Umbers

14.  Will Lawrence