O’Sullivan / O’Keeffe Trophy
This Saturday the Students will bring their A game as they look to retain the trophy against a proven one day St George side 🔥
Venue: Hurstville Oval
Date: Saturday 20th February
Time: 10:00am
See you there 📸
Dear Junior Cricketers,
Sydney University Cricket Club (SUCC) is proud to launch its A. W. Green Shield Program for 2021-22 Season, and invites any interested cricketers aged between 14 to 16 years old to register their details.
TRIAL DETAILS:
Friday: 9th April - 4pm to 7pm
Sunday: 18th April - 5.15pm to 8.15pm
Friday: 23rd April - 4pm - 7pm
Saturday: 1st May - 9am -12pm
Friday: 7th May - 4pm - 7pm
Venue: (Indoor Cricket Centre SUFG Grandstand) Regimental Drive Camperdown.
The sessions will include batting, bowling, and certain fielding skill sessions with our professional coaches. This is only the initial training session and will be followed by more intensive sessions throughout the off season.
SUCC may invite a small number of cricketers to attend specialist sessions to assist talented players in developing skills to the level we expect our players to be at. These will be by invitation only, and invitation does not mean those players will be automatically selected in the A.W. Green Shield Program.
We have experienced large registration numbers and unfortunately can only include additional players by invitation only from 3rd March onwards.
anandkaruppiah2020@gmail.com
We look forward to your attendance.
150 years ago, early on the afternoon of Saturday 24 December, two batsmen strode out to the middle of the Melbourne Cricket Ground to open the batting for Sydney University in the first inter-varsity match ever played in Australia. It was only sixteen years since the ground had first been used for cricket; only sixteen years since Sydney University had played its first match; only fourteen years since the Melbourne University Cricket Club had been formed.
Sydney’s Richard Teece, wearing a uniform that consisted of a white straw hat, a blue and gold sash and a nondescript shirt with red checks, faced the first ball from Melbourne’s Harry Jennings. It was Teece, an inveterate organiser, who had arranged the game during a visit to Melbourne earlier in the year. In England, Oxford and Cambridge had had begun their games at Lords in 1827 and it was Teece’s vision, drawing on England’s experience, that now established the two Australian Universities’ contests.
The match began on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day was a day of rest and religious observance, well appreciated by the Sydney players who had set out from Sydney on an arduous journey south earlier in the week. The game resumed on Boxing Day and concluded on 27 December.
The Sydney team included four current or future first class players (Richard Teece, Monty Faithfull, Thomas Iceton and Joseph Coates) but the home side included seven Victorian representatives.
Scores, as was usual at the time, were relatively low but Sydney’s 109 was enough to give them a slender lead of two runs on the 1st innings.
Iceton, Faithfull and Coates scored 90 runs among them in the 2nd innings and Melbourne was set 130 to win.
“[Louis] Goldsmith made a rapid start, taking twenty runs from the first three overs of the innings, and his opening partnership with David Wilkie was worth 57 until Faithfull induced him into a skied drive. Faithfull grabbed two more wickets before stumps on the second day. On the final afternoon, Melbourne still needed 33 runs when its sixth wicket fell, but a vital stand of 30…settled the issue, even though Faithfull caused a late scare before a’Beckett hit the winning boundary.”
If you want to read a more comprehensive account of the game and the scores, what better resource than Bonnell and Rodgers’ ‘Golden Blues’, pp16-18.
But three other aspects of this momentous trip south 150 years ago bear re-telling.
Firstly, on the afternoon of 23 December, the two Universities contested the first Australian intervarsity boat race on the Yarra River over a distance of 3.5 miles. 1500 spectators crammed aboard steamers or lined the river banks and they saw Melbourne’s four man crew (of whom only DW Wilkie played in the subsequent cricket match) defeat Sydney’s all cricketing crew (EA Iceton, bow, E Barton, R Teece and Alan Yeomans, stroke) by four lengths.
Secondly, ‘E Barton’ was later Sir Edmund Barton, a brilliant scholar, a first class cricket umpire, a successful politician who became the first Prime Minister of Australia (still the only member of the Sydney University Cricket Club to serve as Prime Minister of Australia), one of the first judges of the High Court of Australia. But, he was a dismally poor fieldsman and an indifferent batsman. Records of his matches for Sydney University are incomplete but in matches for which records survive, in 74 innings, he scored just 517 runs.
Thirdly, from that 1870 match, two cricket bats still survive.
One was presented to Monty Faithfull. His valiant efforts could not prevent Melbourne’s narrow victory but his captaincy, his 7 for 19 in Melbourne’s 2nd innings and his 37 in Sydney’s 2nd innings provoked generous admiration, expressed in the bat’s gold inscription:
“Presented to HM Faithfull esq by the MUCC, as a mark of appreciation of his splendid bowling in the Inter Varsity Match 1870.”
The bat had been long forgotten until, in 1956, the Sydney University Cricket Club’s President, Captain John Morris, ordered the University No1 Grandstand to be cleared out and Faithfull’s bat emerged from piles of rubble, with the inscription still intact.
The other bat was used by Richard Sly who batted at no8 in the 1870 match. Ten years ago, his great grandson, Terrey Johnson, presented this bat to the Club.
Both bats are currently held in the Sydney Uni Sport and Fitness offices.
150 years ago this week, a tradition of friendly rivalry between Australia’s two oldest universities was established.
And for that, we should remember with fondness the Sydney pioneers:
Richard Teece
Edward Iceton
Thomas Iceton
Monty Faithfull
Alan Yeomans
Joseph Coates
Edmund Barton
Richard Sly
JJ Teece
John Thompson
GE Long
TJ Plomley (scorer) and TP Miller (umpire)
James Rodgers
IMAGES AT FINE LEG. December1986.
The pavilion yawns in concrete behind me.
Once, we stepped out from a ramshackle antique grandstand which cast its white-anted wooden shadows on the turf of ages.
Now white concrete shimmers in chartered squares.
Trees surround the ground but no branch softens this tribute to the utilitarian age.
This lacklustre morning, dry with December heat, holds little interest. I ride the boundary. Is it possible to feel so little enthusiasm half an hour into a game?
Legs stumble. Hands fumble. Arms flail. The throw is wide. Distant flickering flannels back up.
When will I bowl?
Military overs pass by. Runs trickle. Maidens accumulate in fragrance of dust.
Why doesn’t he bowl me?
Which picket was split by Nothling’s rifle shot drive in 1920?
Did Taylor, fleet of foot, scorch this piece of earth during his 253 over sixty summers ago?
Can I bowl now?
We defend in the infield.
I’m left to the humming cicadas in the outfield.
The distant carillon rings out Christmas carols. Deep and crisp and even?
No crispness here. Just lethargic moments.
Bat on ball is a distant thud. They’re playing another game.
When will I bowl?
He signals.
“Next over. This end.”
I walk tall. Roll up my sleeves.
James Rodgers
MATCH REPORT - 1ST GRADE VS BLACKTOWN MOUNTIES AT JOE MCALEER OVAL (50 OVERS)
SUCC 4/228
43.0 overs
D Mortimer 63 (69)
K Tate 3/38/7.3
DEF
Blacktown Mounties 224
49.3 overs
W Tareen 47 (51)
J Fawcett 2/35/10.0
In a weekend celebrating Robbo’s 300th game, which his record is quite spectacular including an incredible 50+ final appearances and soon to add to that this season. A competitive nature and a desire to win. This comes at no surprise, which is well reciprocated around the playing group.
After a winning draw in Nash for the top 6 as we were limited to 5 players and some very bias umpiring towards the bowlers. It was onto the toss where we lost and were sent in to bowl first, which proved a good result as BJ and Cassachino made early break throughs- Probably the best opening bowling combination in the competition. On a wicket that kept us interested, Blacktown put up some resistance. Having built a couple partnerships, whilst our bowlers kept bowling our best balls and asking questions, which kept the momentum in the students favour. Fielding having been one of focuses this season, we managed to get a couple run outs. (update the run out club please Borgy) With some great death bowling in Boozer (Ben Mitchell) and Spud (Tatey), we managed to restrict Blacktown to all out for 224.
Onto our batting innings following a Burrito or a Burrito bowl for some, watching their skinfolds post xmas, Courteous to the Warriors sponsor Zambrero. We lost our first wicket on 30 (Niv) for 14 where he showed some positive signs of what has been a tough season with the bat. Dummer (56) and Morts (63) put on 99 for the 2nd wicket to give the students a good sniff at 6 points. Yet another start for the pair, hopefully saving a couple big ones come the finals series. Duff (12) came out showing intent early to try pick up where he left off last week but found a fielder looking to take the game on. It was onto Bevo himself (TC) finishing on 42no and Mitchell 26no to finish off the chase, seeing us finish 4/228 with 7 overs to spare.
All in all, great day travelling west and spending $3847 on tolls, seeing the students make another LO quarter final.
Damien Mortimer
MATCH REPORT - 2ND GRADE VS BLACKTOWN MOUNTIES AT UNIVERSITY OVAL 1 (50 OVERS)
SUCC 243
49.2 overs
C Litchfield 90 (92)
R Greaves 2/45/9.0
DEF BY
Blacktown Mounties 7/251
50.0 overs
H Singh 108 (139)
A Riaz 4/43/10.0
MATCH REPORT - 3RD GRADE VS BLACKTOWN MOUNTIES AT JIM HANSHAW OVAL (50 OVERS)
SUCC 193
46.0 overs
ND Tanner 55
AM Wilkinson 4/31/10.0
DEF BY
Blacktown Mounties 9/228
50.0 overs
GK Ganeshkumar 75
M Jones 2/28/6.0
MATCH REPORT - 4TH GRADE VS BLACKTOWN MOUNTIES AT ST PAUL’S OVAL (50 OVERS)
SUCC 5/264
48.2 overs
B Dilley 86
A Cowan 5/61/10.0
DEF
Blacktown Mounties 261
49.3 overs
M Narvel 110
B Grayson 2/59/10.0
4s came into this round hot off a great win against Penrith and ready to do the job again. By pure luck, Nash went to the oldies this week, and saw some classic off-the-ball slide tackling from Dilley. A big alpha move from the 4s top scorer to show his intent for the day, along with a fine header to seal the game. 4s lost the toss and were sent into the field, taking 1 wicket early before Blacktown settled in. Some good work from Ned at first change to keep the batsmen working hard.
A well fought 1st session, yielding 1 wicket for not many runs. Blacktown went about their business with both batsmen passing 50 in a wicket-less session to put themselves on top after 35 overs. The last session began with Blacktown looking to up the ante, as one of their batsmen made his century. A big total looking on the cards before Brazel got the breakthrough wicket and end a 148-run partnership. Soon after, Ned dismissed the centurion to bring uni back into the contest. 4s then showed their dominance, and why they are on top, with good work in the field and with the ball, taking 6-50 to dismiss Blacktown for 261.
Smash combining very well with Shez, taking 5 wickets in his first bowl for 3 years. Matt Powys had 4s off to a flier early, followed by a strong 100+ run stand between Dilley and Sidhu. From such a solid base, 4s looked comfortable through the run-chase. Dilley finished with a career-best of 86, while Sidhu made his top score for the club with a great 46. More support from Barrett followed, as 4s drew closer to the total. Step up Smash. At 5-210, needing just over a run a ball, Cowan and Coelho put on a display, sending the ball over the fence multiple times to seal the victory with an over-and-a-half to spare.
Great team performance, with lots of players stepping up for 4s. A great lead into the second half of the season, and a great feeling of confidence for the team.
MATCH REPORT - 5TH GRADE VS BLACKTOWN MOUNTIES AT WHALAN OVAL (50 OVERS)
SUCC 176
45.4 overs
J Veitch 55 (73)
J Veitch 2/19/6.0
DEF
Blacktown Mounties 150
49.2 overs
C Govekar 47
T Hayes 2/8/3.0
The 5s boys made the journey out to Whalan the past weekend to take on Blacktown in a one dayer, with skipper Tommy Lamont starting off the day well by securing the boys the most premium of cases. After winning the toss we chose to bat first, with Veitchy starting our innings off nicely, making a good 55. Support from Tommy in the middle helped with the boys making a 96 run partnership, with Tommy contributing 35. We finished up with a total of 176.
Our bowling innings went well with Muz and Lew starting us off with a quality opening spell. Pressure in the field created a run out to claim our first scalp, and then we turned to spin through the middle overs. The three leg spinners, Rav, Prak, and Veitchy, all went away with 2 a piece, and did a great job putting us in a solid position. Lew and Kirky cleaned up the tail, to secure us a good win.
A great effort with bat, ball, and in the field. 3 J Veitchy, 2 R Ganesh, 1 P Sharma.
Thomas Lamont
MATCH REPORT - METRO GOLD VS BLACKTOWN MOUNTIES AT ST PAUL’S OVAL (50 OVERS)
SUCC 8/272
50.0 overs
R Dinesh 68 (58)
J Rinka 3/29/4.0
DEF
Blacktown Mounties 8/236
50.0 overs
R Ferdinands 62* (55)
M Wright 3/36/10.0
MATCH REPORT - METRO BLUE VS HAWKESBURY CC AT BENSON’S LANE NO.3 (50 OVERS)
SUCC 135
48.0 overs
S Khalkho 34
J Hennessey 3/28/8.0
DEF BY
Hawkesbury CC 160
42.0 overs
D Brahmbhatt 36
J Foote 3/22/5.0
After a long drive out to Richmond, the metro blue boys were extremely keen for another game, searching for another win against the lower ranked Hawkesbury after having 4 consecutive wins on the trot. After playing some Nash and fielding practice, captain jack Hennessy went to do the toss. Jack won the toss and elected to bowl first on what looked to be a green and good bowling wicket.
Tom Crawford and Tom Foreman opened the bowling for Sydney uni and were met with some very aggressive Hawkesbury opening batsman. Tom foreman got the first breakthrough for us with a beautiful in-swinger in his second over. During the middle period of the game, Hawkesbury started to get away from us with some tough chances going down in the field but we were brought back into it through some outstanding bowling by jack Hennessy (3-28 off 8) and Sanjiv khalkho ( 2-23 off 9) as well as Tom Crawford (1-34 off 10) and Tom Foreman (2-25 off 10) and an unbelievable run out that came from nowhere from Azhar Saeed.
The metro blue boys finished well with the ball and in the field, restricting Hawkesbury to 160. Nathan Gibbons and Joel Ritchie opened the batting for Sydney Uni but didn’t get off to the start we needed with Nathan Gibbons being run out in the second over. At number 3, Reuben Kapoor came in and started off a nice little partnership with Joel Ritchie, steadying the run chase again before Joel Ritchie departed for 18 being given out unluckily lbw.
After this wicket our middle order wasn’t quite able to establish a partnership losing a few quick wickets until Jack Hennessy and Sanjiv Khalkho combined for a steady 21 run partnership, Sanjiv top scoring with a nice 34. Unfortunately, Sanjivs 34 wasn’t enough to get the metro boys home, being bowled out for 136, 24 runs short of the target. All in all, it was a great effort from all the boys with everyone contributing, just unlucky to not be able to get the job done.
Nathan Gibbons
MATCH REPORT - POIDEVIN-GRAY VS CAMPBELLTOWN-CAMDEN CC AT RABY OVAL 1 (50 OVERS)
SUCC 67
28.0 overs
B Mitchell 17 (21)
N Radhakrishnan 3/18/10.0
DEF BY
Campbelltown-Camden CC 7/68
26.0 overs
J Isakka 24 (36)
W Salzmann 4/22/9.0
MATCH REPORT - 1ST GRADE VS PENRITH AT UNIVERSITY OVAL 1 (50 OVERS)
SUCC 4/239
45.2 overs
R McElduff 66* (67)
D Holloway 3/23/9.2
DEF
Penrith 235
49.2 overs
C Weir 95 (86)
H Railz 1/23/5.0
MATCH REPORT - 2ND GRADE VS PENRITH AT HOWELL OVAL (50 OVERS)
SUCC 119
33.4 overs
M Hope 30 (37)
H Clark 3/34/9.3
DEF BY
Penrith 199
48.3 overs
SG Finemore 41 (60)
J New 4/37/10.0
MATCH REPORT - 3RD GRADE VS PENRITH AT ST PAUL’S OVAL (50 OVERS)
SUCC 178
48.0 overs
JI Toyer 49
S Anandarajah 4/21/10.0
DEF
Penrith 153
43.0 overs
M Becker 36*
A Burton 5/48/10.0
MATCH REPORT - 4TH GRADE VS PENRITH AT BILL BALL OVAL (COOK PARK) (50 OVERS)
SUCC 9/190
50.0 overs
B Dilley 40
P Brazel 40
AM Wilkinson 6/11/7.5
DEF
Penrith 74
32.5 overs
C Potter-Jugovac 16
D Dent 2/16/7.0
MATCH REPORT - 5TH GRADE VS PENRITH AT CAMPERDOWN PARK (50 OVERS)
SUCC 136
43.4 overs
H Cain 28 (93)
M Shanahan 2/36/10.0
DEF BY
Penrith 5/187
50.0 overs
O Sultana 52 (73)
R Wilson 3/23/10.0
It was a real sunny day as 5s rolled into Camperdown without a frown, reminiscing on last round’s crushing victory over Eastern Suburbs.
Nash went to the bottom 5 on the back of an inspired goalkeeping performance from M. Miles and an outrageous top-corner, outside-the-box effort from Shanahan which made a Karius of Cain.
Sending Penrith in on a quagmire of a pitch, Foreman (0-36), Miles (2-36) and Shanahan (2-35) created chances and dealt some blows to the batsmen, but failed to make the inroads anticipated on such a greentop. Nevertheless, the scoring rate was kept down by Ganesh (1-10) and Kirk (0-12) and continued pressure saw wickets fall at consistent, if not frequent, intervals. Dropped catches and looseness in the field allowed Penrith to sneak to 5-187 after their 50 overs.
Cain (28) and Kirk (14) made a bright start against the new ball, but had their scoring reined in before Kirk was dismissed with the score at 43. Advancing to 2-85, Uni were close to breaking the back of the chase, but a combination of scoreboard pressure and poor shots combined to trigger a collapse which saw 5s fall well short of the target, dismissed in the 44th over for 136.
MATCH REPORT - METRO GOLD VS PENRITH AT RANCE OVAL (50 OVERS)
SUCC 9/113
50.0 overs
S Arvind 34
Y Dalvi 3/12/6.2
DEF BY
Penrith 156
47.2 overs
L Astill 62
KM Penney 3/18/5.0
MATCH REPORT - METRO BLUE VS RANDWICK PETERSHAM GOLD AT RANCE OVAL (50 OVERS)
SUCC 6/110
33.2 overs
R Kapoor 31*
T Crawford 4/25/10.0
DEF
Randwick Petersham Gold 108
47.0 overs
J Segal 12
E Khoo 12
A Bhat 4/21/10.0
WHERE DID WE COME FROM?
On Saturdays 1st and 8th April 1854, Sydney University played its first recorded cricket game.
‘Sydney University’, fielding a team of undergraduates whose ages ranged from 15 to 21, played ‘The Garrison’, a team of soldiers lodged at Victoria Barracks.
The game took place on a field behind the Barracks in Paddington, known variously as ‘The Military Cricket Ground’ or ‘The Garrison Ground’. Later, it would be known as ‘The Military and Civil Ground’. Later still, the ‘Association Ground’. Now it is on the site of what we know as ‘The Sydney Cricket Ground.’
Conditions for the game were primitive. The pitch was uneven, the bats rough-hewn, protective equipment unheard of, the bowling underarm or round arm. There were no boundaries. Each ‘notch’ had to be run.
University’s John Kinloch, “sending down a fairly fast ball with spin from the leg”, hit the stumps of the first four soldier batsmen and The Garrison was dismissed for 49. Beginning the reply, University’s openers were two 16 year olds, Rodney Riddell and Marshall Burdekin.
It appears that Riddell faced the first ball.
Who was this this holder of such a singular distinction in the Club’s long history?
Rodney Stuart Riddell was the son of the Colonial Treasurer, Campbell Drummond Riddell (1796-1858) and Caroline Stuart (1810-1898). Educated at Mr William Cape’s School at Darlinghurst (where Riddell’s opening partner, Burdekin, had also been to school), he was one of the first students admitted to the University of Sydney in October 1852, having passed the matriculation exams. Candidates were examined in Greek (‘The Iliad’ book 5 and ‘The Anabasis’ book 1), Latin (‘The Aeneid’ book 1 and Sallust’s ‘Bellum Catalinae’) Arithmetic and Algebra (Euclid book 1).
Riddell, however, did not complete his Arts degree. His great grandfather, Sir James Riddell, was the first baron of Ardnamurchon, Argleshire in Scotland and the hereditary title was eventually to pass to his great grandson. In the meantime, Rodney Riddell became a professional soldier, serving in the New Zealand wars in the 1860s, then as a Captain of the 7th Foot in the Afghan War 1878-1880. He succeeded to the Baronetcy in 1883, was knighted, and served as Honorary Lieutenant Colonel Sir Rodney Riddell in the Sudan campaign of 1885.
When he died in 1907 without issue, the Baronetcy lapsed.
What of his batting partner, Marshall Burdekin?
He was one of the first from Sydney University to be conferred with a Master of Arts in 1859. He became a barrister and a member of the Legislative Council of NSW before his death in 1883.
And what about the game?
The Garrison made 49. University totalled only 33 but Riddell’s 14 was a substantial score before he was caught by Private Hartnett. Kinloch took at least four wickets in the Garrison’s 2nd innings of 35 and University scraped home by two wickets.
Which university cricketer bowled the first ball in the Garrison’s innings 166 years ago?
In all probability, 21 year old John Kinloch, born in Dublin of Scottish heritage.
Who faced the first ball in University’s innings?
In all probability, 16 year old Rodney Riddell, later the fourth baron of Ardnamurchon in Scotland.
In 2020, who opens the batting in University’s 1st Grade side?
30 year old Nick Larkin who has represented Ireland.
And who opens the bowling?
31 year old Ben Joy, born in England.
James Rodgers