Ashley Burton - ideal role model
Randwick Petersham Cricket Club | June 18, 2026
Ash Burton is an inspirational cricketer. He has all the attributes to inspire. He is dedicated, loyal, patient, committed, enthusiastic and talented. And apart from all that, he is a real team man who works hard on his game, rolls with the punches and enjoys the successes which inevitably follow.
On Saturday 18 October 2025, in the round 4 match against Mosman at Allan Border Oval, he was in the 1st Grade lineup. It was his 62nd match in 1st Grade and 45th in the principal Belvidere Cup competition. He generally batted well into the second half of the batting order, restricting his opportunities. His highest score was 49 against Gordon in the last round of the 2024-25 season.
At 4-128 in the Mosman match, he was elevated to no 6 in the order, joining Param Uppal who was playing well with 33* off just 34 balls. He was off the mark quickly and at 23 off 50 balls, he launched into one of the left-armers, taking 14 off the over including a six. Seven overs later he was on 44 with the score mounting to 4-209. A crunch shot for six and he had made his first half-century in 1st Grade from 85 deliveries. He was on his way.
And on his way he went, confident and looking good. He was soon 75 and helped himself to 18 off an over to get to 93. Singles followed and on 99, just one more was all he needed for a dream come true. A bit of drama followed when a loud appeal for LBW was fortunately turned down against a disappointed paceman, amid gasps from anxious supporters. But four balls later he had that elusive ton–100 off 143 balls.
The score was then 4-305 and his partner Param, had brought up his hundred five overs earlier. The pair then went on the attack, hitting the bowlers to all parts of the historic ground. Off the 80th over, Ash hit a six then four successive boundaries. And when the score had reached 4-361, there was a new entry in the club record books with the 235 runs partnership breaking the 15-year-old record of 232 set in 2010-11. But it all ended there, as Ash was caught on the mid-wicket boundary aiming to hit a six to bring up his 150. He finished with 145 from 170 balls with 18 boundaries and five sixes, overhauling the four sixes he had totalled in his 1st Grade career.
The essence of this story is not just that innings. It is about a performance that was 14 seasons in the making. It’s about staying the journey while climbing through the stages. Perseverance and determination. Ashley Burton has played in every competition in which Randwick Petersham has participated. Something very few cricketers would do or have to do.
Ashley Jack Burton was born at Randwick on 23 April 1996. A pupil at Marcellin College, Randwick, he joined Randwick Petersham as a Green Shield boy in 2010-11, playing alongside players such as Nathan Ellis and Henry Thornton who went on to play first-class cricket and above. He played just four matches and another seven the following year, but in that second season had 12 games in the club’s Metropolitan Cup development team, impressing with a well-made half-century and 13 wickets.
He made his NSW Premier Cricket debut in 2012-13 playing a handful of matches in 5th Grade. The following season, however, he was one of the leading batters in 5s making the semi-final. During that season, he opened the batting for the first time in the second innings, slashing 67 in a score of 1-77 hitting 14 fours along the way.
After a handful of games in 4th Grade, by 2015-16 Ash was a regular in 3rds. His work ethic was noted in the presentation of an encouragement award which shone through in 2016-17 with a 73 against NDs off 86 balls and 5-32 playing Fairfield-Liverpool. He was quite the hero in the Penrith match that season, dismissing his namesake A Burton in the Panthers’ lineup to tie the match.
Over the following few years, Ash alternated between 2nd and 3rd grades. In 2018-19, his 249 at 49.80 in 3s, almost brought him a maiden century when he ran out of partners on 93* off 94 balls batting at number 3. He was even closer the following season when he was unluckily adjudged lbw for 98 in a limited overs match against Sydney at Kensington.
Back in 2nds, his 301 runs in just eight knocks in 2021-22 could not be resisted by selectors and after 11 seasons, he was awarded cap no. 144 in 1st Grade. While opportunities were limited, he was a major player in the defeat of Easts hitting 32 from 41 balls with two sixes. His contribution that summer led to a full 2022-23 season in the top grade. And while he batted towards the tail, he had the thrill of smashing the required 10 runs off the first four balls of the last over to bring up a remarkable win, chasing down Penrith’s huge 8d-359, hitting 32* off 24 balls with 7 fours.
A temporary loss of form saw him with a stint in 2nd Grade over the following two seasons where he took every opportunity to showcase his wares, scoring 592 runs including a 91 against Hawkesbury and a massive 112 to again assist in chasing down a huge score, that time, 8-347 declared by University of NSW. He also smashed 64 from 32 balls against Mosman including 50 off just 20, the fastest half-century in the club.
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Burton was a regular member of the 1st Grade side in 2024-25 which went on to win the Limited Overs Cup competition. That season in a T20 match against NDs, he recorded personal best bowling figures of 4-31 off his allotted 4 overs. He also shared in three of the team’s best partnerships. But it wasn’t the end of his season as Ash ventured off to Cheshire in the north of England to further develop his game where he played with distinction for Cheadle CC in the Cheshire League.
Ash again played the full 1st Grade season in 2025-26, recording his best figures with 350 runs at 31.82. He figured in two of the top 10 partnerships and equalled the fastest half-century of the summer belting 50 off 27 balls against Penrith at Howell Oval. His performances that season took him to 205 Premier Cricket matches with 78 in 1st Grade while his career record jumped to 3,761 runs including 908 in 1st Grade.
Ashley Burton’s cricket career has been one which makes him an ideal role model for youngsters wishing to make a mark in the game. It has been a character-building career. One of hard work, tenacity, perseverance, patience and above all, determination to succeed. And succeed he has.
