UTS North Sydney Men's Second Grade 2025-26 season wrap

UTS North Sydney District Cricket Club | April 15, 2026

It was abundantly clear that this year’s UTS North Sydney men’s second grade side would be in contention for finals long before a ball was bowled. The squad was deep, balanced, and full of talent, and the energy around the group in pre-season suggested we were building towards something special. As the season unfolded, that belief proved well-founded—although, as cricket tends to remind us, things don’t always follow the script.

Skipper, Robbie Aitken, provides his report on the season that was – and what might have been.

We put ourselves in a strong position heading into the final round, sitting just outside the top six but riding a wave of momentum after four consecutive wins. We were playing excellent cricket, and with a match-up against Sydney University—the team that had just jumped us with an outright win—our destiny appeared to be in our own hands.

Or so we thought.

The coin was tossed into the air on the thatchy, soft University No.1 surface. It bounced, skidded, and then began to roll. Not a short roll, mind you, but a good six or seven metres—I´m certain that Aidan Thomas would insist it was at least that had he been there rather than in first grade. For a moment it looked like it might stay upright, wedged in the spongy couch of the wicket, before it slowly tilted to one side at about 40 degrees. Destiny, it turned out, was not in our hands after all. It was in the hands of an ill-balanced umpire’s anniversary coin. Who could have guessed the heads side was minutely heavier? Along with our hopes, it ended up face-down on a rain-affected, underprepared Uni deck.

It is vexing that a season’s toil can come down to the toss of a coin—but they say it’s character-building. Right? I suppose I’ll call tails next time I see one of those coins.

In the final wash-up, we finished 7th on 56 points, with 9 wins, 2 bonus points, and 6 losses. Ten wins usually secures a finals berth, and we came tantalisingly close. As with any season, there were ups and downs, but from my point of view this was one of the most enjoyable groups I’ve ever been part of. The blend of youth and experience, the depth of our batting and bowling, and the sheer quality of the young men in the team made it a privilege to lead. At times the batting order felt impossible to set and the bowling options impossible to fully utilise—a very good problem to have.

Seb Linnitt on his way to 126 against Sutherland, the team's highest individual score of the season

Statistically, we lost 114 wickets (6th fewest), took 140 wickets (7th most), scored 3533 runs, and conceded 3446. But numbers only tell part of the story. One of the defining features of this group was its attitude. Injured players like Lachie Stewart and Prosha Rahman ran drinks with the enthusiasm of men playing for a contract. The harmony within the squad was exceptional—determined, supportive, and genuinely connected. Even our “young” players, including Tony Cornwell (who is still young compared to the captain), carried themselves with maturity beyond their years. This was a team of high-quality people first, and high-quality cricketers second.

Second Grade cricket is never short on drama, and this season certainly delivered. The side wickets at Bon Andrews became a recurring adventure—between five-wicket hauls and near-death experiences for drivers on the Warringah Freeway, the kit somehow finished the season with only three cricket balls left. Lost balls became a weekly theme, and our ancient, painted warm-up balls often resembled sponges more than cricket balls. Across the season there were several moments that ultimately proved costly in our push for finals. A handful of dropped catches against Randwick Petersham allowed a partnership to build far beyond what it should have, shifting the momentum of a match we had otherwise controlled. At St George, a flurry of late sixes pushed their total just out of reach, turning what could have been a comfortable chase into an uphill battle. We also felt the impact of an inconsistent playing group, with injuries and well-deserved First Grade promotions forcing regular changes to the XI. While these disruptions are part of Premier Cricket, they undeniably affected our rhythm at key points. These moments didn’t define our season, but they did shape the fine margins that separated us from finals cricket.

Despite the near misses, the season was filled with genuine highlights that showcased the depth and quality of the squad. Our batting lineup delivered four outstanding centuries—one each to Joel Austin, Dilraj Singh, Seb Linnitt, and Aaryan Dixit—each innings reflecting composure, skill, and match-winning intent. With the ball, we celebrated five-wicket hauls from Luke Austin, Liam Whitaker, Jaden Sequeira, and Joel, performances that turned games and demonstrated the strength of our attack. Perhaps most pleasing was seeing so many of our players earn First Grade debuts: Liam, Joel, Aaryan, Tony, Jack Feilen, Dilraj, Jaden, and Aidan Thomas all stepped up to the top level this season. Their progression is a testament not only to their talent, but to the environment this group created—competitive, supportive, and committed to improvement. These achievements shaped our season and pointed toward a future full of potential. 

A huge thank you must go to Carla Austin and David Nevell for everything you did this season—from scoring and FrogBox to keeping the boys going with drinks and lollies. You were both genuinely part of the team, and the environment you helped create made a real difference to our performances.

MATCH OVERVIEW 

THE WINS

·        Round 2: 8 wicket T20 win against Hawks where Joel snared 5 for 23 to give us an early mark from Benson’s Lane. Some incredible catches were taken.

·        Round 4: A patient run chase (Tony 83, Mitch 81, Robbie 41*) against Campbelltown after grinding hard with the ball (Liam 5/63 off 33.3 overs) saw us take the points.

·        Round 5: A demolition of Wests with the ball by Jaden and Luke after the batters toughed it out after getting the worst of the conditions. A very rewarding result!

·        Round 7: A one day century for Joel, with some good support from others (Aaryan 65 and Robbie 59*), saw us clock up 300 against Mosman. The spinners, led by Whits (4/56), ensured the opposition fell short by 43 runs.

·        Round 9: A century by Aaryan (118*) and contributions (Dilraj 76, Robbie 48) from all the batters saw us set 345 from our 50 overs against Fairfield. They came out swinging and only fell 22 runs short after being contained by our bowlers (Robbie 3/53 off 10).

·        Round 11: We thrashed UNSW after Jaden (5/36) and Luke (3/41) skittled their batters. Tony (48*) and Seb (24*) made short work of the 97 set for us to chase. Early marks for everyone!

·        Round 12: The match at Waverley was washed out after we knocked over the Easts top 3 and the umpire made off with our precious match ball in the deluge.

·        Round 13: Penrith didn’t stand a chance after we posted 6-381d. We probably could have gone on to score 500 on a surprising well playing green top. There was a parade of run scorers (Seb 54, Joel 82, Robbie 77, James A 42*) but Dilraj was the star of the show with an untroubled 105. Liam led the bowling with 3 for 36 and Joel and Jaden chipped in with a couple each to leave Penrith 213 runs adrift.

·        Round 14: Seb (126) and Dilraj (77) were superb against Sutherland. Not a good idea to drop short to either of these chaps. The boys from the Shire never got close as Whit took 3 for 32 and Luke, James A and Aaryan chipped in with a couple each.

·        Round 15: Gordon won the toss and immediately began to crumble after Jaden skittled two blokes in his first over. He and Whit finished with 3 wickets apiece and we were set 127. After limping past the total, we chucked them back in to bat as a few teams below us were chasing outrights. Jaden and Whit repeated a dose of 3 wicket hauls before Gordon set us an unlikely total. We had a crack at the outright with the bat, but the laundry list of injuries and the runs required equation proved too difficult in the end.

THE LOSSES

·        Round 1: A 30-run loss to Parra in the first T20 round. Parra schooled us in how to play on a side wicket, targeting the short side with the bat and executing yorker after yorker to shut down a hundred run partnership (Jack 64 and Dilraj 63) in our chase. 

·        Round 3: Manly got away from us with the bat and put on a 200 run partnership, followed by a late 6 hitting onslaught that left us chasing 345. We ended up falling 47 runs short after a great opening stand from Jack (90) and Dilraj (62) gave us a platform to be in the chase.

·        Round 6: Butter fingers against Randwick cost us the win, despite an outstanding performance from Luke (6 /83 off 17) and an impressive 80 from Seb.

·        Round 8: The batting didn’t fire after St George set us a target of 296, with Seb (69) and Robbie (53) giving us a bit of a sniff at victory.

·        Round 10: We were humbled by Sydney (or Balmain to the old folks). The Bears were never in the hunt with the bat after restricting them to 263 with the ball (Jaden 3/45 and Robbie 3/41).

·        Round 16: Lost the toss against Sydney Uni on a deck that looked like a failing undergrad horticulture student’s half-finished group assignment after the week’s rain. Joel (45), Tony (27) and Lachie (27) offered stout resistance, but we would need plenty of early wickets with a modest total of 140. Jaden and Whit gave us a bit of a sniff, but we were never in the hunt with an improving wicket. We were sent back in and our batters showed Uni just how lucky they were to win the toss as Aaryan (66) and Joel (80) belted their military mediums around the campus.

PLAYER REPORT CARD

Dilraj Singh: An opening bat with a lot of gears and leading run scorer in our batting lineup. He was at ease when thrashing the new ball to the boundary in the power play of short format matches or constructing an inning and a platform for the team in two day games. He played numerous high class innings this season including an impressive century against Penrith. His excellent form secured a taste of first grade this season. Dilraj caught well and was very useful with the ball, often bowling tidy overs at key times into the short end at Bon Andrews. No easy feat! The value of his bowling in short form cricket should not be underestimated. I am certain we will see a lot more of him in first grade next season.

Dilraj Singh

Seb Linnitt: My advice to any opening bowler would be to avoid bowling anything even remotely short to Seb! He arrived in Australia on the eve of the first round, but it didn´t take long for the selectors to realise what a talent this young man is. Seb looked composed and in control every time he walked to the middle, finishing the season with nearly 500 runs in a dozen innings at an average of 41. He was constantly in the mix for first grade selection, but I was very pleased to keep him with us and pile on the runs. Seb´s bowling was always tidy and accurate and he was keen to field in high traffic areas, with his energy levels always exceeding his workload. He is a young man with a temperament very suited to professional cricket.

Jack Feilen: Jack started the season with a bang and scored runs from the get go. This momentum and maturity, a culmination of the work from previous seasons, saw him elevated to first grade and he was met with immediate success. A natural opener, Jack is very at home against the new rock and can be depended on to get the innings off and running. It was pleasing to see his growing confidence against the spinners and the ability to adapt and implement strategies to keep the scoreboard moving. Jack always brings positivity and energy to the field and is a guy you want in your team in a tight situation. Jack had an excellent season despite being hampered by a number of injuries. I´m sure we all look forward to having you back on the park fit and healthy next season.

Tony Cornwell: Tony is a great man to have in a team and thrives on being in the contest. He knows his own game inside out and projects confidence when he strolls to the crease. Tony has a safe pair of hands in the slips and took numerous great grabs in the slips to the joy of the quicks and spinners alike. Never one to muck around, Tony took several bowling attacks apart and was particularly damaging in short format matches, launching many bombs into the park or onto the expressway, making a considerable dent in the white ball budgets of opposition clubs. Tony earned a spot in ones on the back of some outstanding form, a reward for effort and performance that is a feature of any successful cricket club.

Tony Cornwell in full flow

Joel Austin: Joel is a true allrounder who consistently made match winning contributions with the bat, ball and in the field. This season, Joel had a safe pair of hands under a high ball and a golden arm when it came to taking a wicket in his first over or breaking a dangerous partnership. I had the fortune of being in the middle with Joel as he brought up a hard hitting century against Mosman, and being a part of match winning partnerships was a common thread for him through the season. Joel received a taste of first grade, receiving limited opportunity, but will undoubtedly make that grade his home in the immediate future.

Aaryan Dixit: A great addition to the club this season. Aaryan quickly found his feet and started churning out runs. He particularly came into his own when the one day games allowed him to go through the gears, building an inning and then exploding in a flurry, like his century against Fairfield-Liverpool. Aaryan is sharp in the field, with a rapid first few steps that stopped many a would-be short single runner in his tracks. He gets good revs on his offies and bowled a number of important spells. This combination of skills saw him get a run in the first grade team, a just reward for performances. I look forward to seeing Aaryan´s continued evolution next season.

Aidan Thomas: He made a number of important contributions in the first half of the season, often going in early when life and movement made batting challenging. Always showing grit and determination, Aiden consistently did a job for his team, getting through some tough times and setting things up for the batters following him to enjoy the fruits of his efforts. He played an important role in getting us across the line at Campbelltown on a wearing wicket that made the practice decks at Bon Andrew seem like a walk in the park by comparison. Aidan threw himself around in the field every game and helped others around him to lift. This team and club first mentality didn't go unnoticed and Aiden was rewarded with a first grade cap in the final round of the season.

John Nevell: John started the season with the third grade captaincy, but a pile of runs and a vacancy in the wicket keeping department meant that he was forced to step down from that role to bolster the second grade middle order and take over the gloves. John´s aggressive style of batting provided a number of bright, rapid scoring innings in the latter overs, often nudging our total into a healthy, defendable area with shots all around the park. Unfortunately, keeping comes with its risks and John battled through finger troubles until it got the better of him. He bounced back from this to regain his place in the team before suffering a further hand injury whilst making an unbelievably committed attempt at a half chance in the outfield. John is a determined and resilient young man who will undoubtedly bounce back bigger and better next season.

Samad Khan: Samad played a handful of games at the beginning of the season before representative duties called him back to Hong Kong. A free flowing left handed batsman, Samad was equally at home improvising to push along the run rate at the top of the order or farming the strike with the tail in order to rescue a teetering innings after a collapse. He has a good set of hands and bowls with good variety in short format cricket. I look forward to seeing more of Samad if Hong Kong can spare him for a bit.

James Aitken: A delayed start to the season for James, due to what he describes as some long service leave generously gifted by the SCA. The talented all-rounder showed glimpses with bat, ball and in the field in the limited number of matches that he played. He especially demonstrated his utility against Penrith and reminded everyone in attendance why he has in excess of eight thousand first grade runs to his name, scoring with freedom and taking the match well out of the opposition´s reach. James continued to nip the ball around, posing problems for even the most organised batters, whilst his hands remained as safe as ever. James shows great potential and can only improve in coming years.

The safe hands of James Aitken bag yet another catch

Lachlan Stewart: Lachie is a talented gloveman and a quality bat. However, due to injury, we didn´t get to see as much of either talent as the team would have liked. A broken finger in Round 4 saw him sidelined for a sizable chunk of the season, but to Lachie´s great credit, he turned up each week, helped with warmup, ran drinks and encouraged his mates. He made an immediate impact with the gloves upon his return, reeling in some impressive snares and whipping the bails off to send numerous twinkle-toed batters packing. Lachie is an asset to have behind the stumps, and is a brilliant help in getting the angles right for field placements. He thinks about the game and is the engine room for the team on the field. Whilst not receiving the opportunity to play an extended innings due to the form of the top order, Lachie had the chance to get some time in the middle in the last few rounds, where he showcased his resilience and stroke play against a variety of bowlers. I look forward to seeing what Lachie has in store for us next season if he can remain injury free.

Luke Austin: ¨This kid bowls good wheels. Are you sure he´s still at school?¨ I´m pretty sure this was my initial reaction upon seeing Luke for the first time. An impressive young man who started the season with buckets of potential and has developed into a disciplined, quality opening bowler who is already one of the fastest in the club. Luke consistently took key early wickets, despite often charging into a headwind in his initial spells. His six-wicket haul against Randwick-Petersham dragged us back into the match, but the way his heavy ball hurried batters into false shots was an ominous sign of what awaits future openers. Luke also made some very important contributions with the bat to help us to get across the line, especially when pitch conditions were at their worst. As I write this, I recall the way Luke's deliveries whistled through a gale force wind at Waverley Oval and then smacked into the keeper's gloves still on the way up and I know without a doubt that Luke is a young bowler to watch in coming seasons.

Luke Austin celebrates his 6-fa at Coogee Oval

Liam Whitaker: Arguably the best spinner in the club. Liam combines guile, accuracy and variety to shut down batters before knocking them over. His supreme fitness allows him to be a live-wire in the field and bowl extended spells in even the most inhospitable of conditions. Liam is the man you throw the ball to when you need to find a breakthrough or lock down an end when the run rate is getting out of hand. He took a bundle of wickets this season in seconds, but did not receive the extended stint in the top grade that seemed inevitable. Liam was always positive with the bat, but did not make the impact that he would have wished for. However, his positivity and energy makes him an asset in any team.

Jaden Sequeira: Jaden is a bowler who just has a knack of taking wickets, even when batters are set and nothing is happening. However, he is a particular nightmare to bat against if there is anything at all in the deck. Jaden thinks about his plans and is able to execute them with great effect, usually bowling damaging spells that set us up to win the match. He made some well thought out tweaks to his run up this season that improved his ability to bowl long spells whilst maintaining intense pressure on batters. It's little wonder that he ripped through some decent top orders this season and bagged a number of outstanding hauls, making him the leading wicket taker in seconds. Elevation to first grade was inevitable, finishing with very tidy figures and bowling exceedingly well by all accounts. Well done on an outstanding season!

Prosha Rahman: I must admit that one of the great pleasures this season was watching the reactions of batters at the beginning of each of Prosha´s bowling spells. He would trot up to the crease and then unleash against the unsuspecting batter. The look of shock on their faces was priceless as he used his immense upper body strength to whip the ball past the batter before they knew what was happening. Prosha was a valuable part of the fast bowling group this season, with the ability to both move the new rock and hit the block hole in death overs. His season was a little curtailed due to a lower leg injury, but I envisage him making a considerable impact once again next season. Prosha´s value didn´t stop at the bowling crease, with an incredible aptitude for calculating ball-by-ball run rates, not to mention a willingness to help out his mates by turning up week in and week out to run drinks whilst out with injury. He's a great man to have in your team and a wonderful addition to the club.

James Edwards: James was called up to do a job in short format matches this season. He was asked to bowl tough powerplay overs, usually into a raging headwind and often into an impossibly short side at Bon Andrews. Sounds like fun, right? James always stepped up to the task, contributing cheap overs whilst not reaping the reward in the wickets column. His spell against Mosman was particularly impressive, shutting down their aggressive top order and going at three runs per over. He demonstrated movement, variety and the ability to adjust his length when batters were looking to score quickly. James moves well in the field and can be relied upon to give maximum effort close to the wicket or when patrolling the boundary. He looks to score freely when batting and is willing to bat for the team. I look forward to seeing his continued evolution as a player.

Robbie Aitken: An enjoyable season was had by yours truly. A great bunch of blokes to spend 96 overs in the dirt with. It was a pleasant change to not miss a single match this season and make some useful contributions.