Stories

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My best grade team - Greg Bush 1972 to 1996

Over 24 full seasons I was privileged to play with many outstanding cricketers. This team comprises the “best” cricketers in terms of quality/talent. Nine played Test cricket and the other 2 played Shield cricket.

For context I played grade cricket for Mosman from 1972 to 1982, North Sydney 1982 to 1985, Manly Warringah to 1985 to1993 then Petersham 1993 to 1996.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/767/greg-bush/blog/3208/my-best-grade-team-greg-bush-1972-to-1996

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last year

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James Campbell - My Best Grade XI

James Campbell is UTS North Sydney's sixth-highest First Grade wicket-taker in history with 345 poles and counting in a one-club career since he made his debut against UNSW in 2011/12. In all, 81 players have been presented with their First Grade baggy cap since then! Here, James selects his best 11 from those he played with.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/380/uts-north-sydney-district-cricket-club/blog/3207/james-campbell-my-best-grade-xi

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last year

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Arun Kumar Manickavasagam advised the club last season that he will be stepping down as scorer as he will be travelling back to India to help organise his brother’s wedding and will also be doing some travelling there.

Arun saw an advert in the paper and applied for the position as scorer in 2015, he was interviewed by Paul O’Flaherty, Chairman, and Alex Reese, Premier Men’s Coach and began his scoring for the 2015/2016 campaign.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/1832/burnside-west-christchurch-university-cricket-club/blog/3206/veteran-scorer-arun-kumar-manickavasagam-steps-down-from-his-duties

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last year

St George Cricket Club

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Bradman of St George

Don Bradman was born on this day, the 27th of August in 1908 at Cootamundra in country New South Wales in 1908. He was brought up in Bowral, in the Southern Highlands, where he learnt and ‘practiced’ his cricket.

He played for St George for 7 seasons - from 1926-27 to 1932-33 inclusive. He played his first game for St George in November 1926 (in First Grade of course) at the age of 18 and scored 110 run out against Petersham at Petersham Oval against one of the strongest bowling attacks in the competition.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/275/st-george-cricket-club/blog/3202/bradman-of-st-george

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last year

Penrith Cricket Club

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Cosi to the rescue. Penrith Cricket Club 3rd Grade premiership: 2002/2003

Sunday, 6th April, 2003 will go down as a monumental day in the Club's 30-year history. On that day, we were to become, for the first time, the custodians of the WH Mitchell Cup. The headlines should have read WH Mitchell Cup finally reaches the west!" We had achieved what many before had been unable to do - our first Third Grade Competition. The Club had won the last piece of silverware on offer by the Sydney Cricket Association. A team of Champions? No, a champion team!

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/330/penrith-cricket-club/blog/3203/cosi-to-the-rescue-penrith-cricket-club-3rd-grade-premiership-20022003

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last year

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UTS North Sydney interviews Anna Buckle

Anna Buckle is a right-arm seam bowler who plays for Sussex in Tier 2 of the new English county system. She started out playing with the boys from the age of 8, before joining the Sussex pathway at the age of 14. She recently finished a degree in International Relations at Leeds. We asked some questions to get to know her a little better before she touches down in Sydney.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/380/uts-north-sydney-district-cricket-club/blog/3201/uts-north-sydney-interviews-anna-buckle

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last year

St George Cricket Club

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St George First Grade Player No.143 - Kingsley Osborne

Kingsley Osborne's cricketing career began in the Shires in the 1937-38 season when he played as a stylish and consistent batsman and a reliable off spin bowler.

After the interruption of war service he returned with the challenge of playing higher level cricket. His contribution to the Club, whether in the field or on the administrative side, have always been unstintingly and with loyalty and efficiency.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/275/st-george-cricket-club/blog/3200/st-george-first-grade-player-no143-kingsley-osborne

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last year

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With six weeks left until first ball in the 2025/2026 cricket season, we will speak to each of our captains and preview their season ahead. We start firstly with our division 4 Tigers captain Jono Collins.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/1832/burnside-west-christchurch-university-cricket-club/blog/3199/the-preview-bwcucc-division-four-tigers

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last year

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How the Juniors roll: Will Kennedy

With registrations now open for the 2025/26 season, we sat down with Burnside West Christchurch University Cricket Club junior convenor William Kennedy to talk about the club’s ‘Superstar Academy’.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/1832/burnside-west-christchurch-university-cricket-club/blog/3198/how-the-juniors-roll-will-kennedy

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last year

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From the Vault - UTS North Sydney Bears outright Sydney University in 2019

In this match report from the vault, we return to Round 4 in 2019/20 when the Bears First Grade side effected a rare outright win over Sydney University with a clinical performance - a match ranked #2 in our Games of the Season.

UTS North Sydney 7/163 (dec) (R Aitken 44, B Bryant 35, O Knight 35) and 2/148 (J Avendano 78, B Bryant 44*) def Sydney University 111 (J Aitken 3/6, J Campbell 3/26) and 196 (M Alexander 4/49 R Aitken 2/36 W Graham 2/36, J Campbell 2/55)

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/380/uts-north-sydney-district-cricket-club/blog/3197/from-the-vault-uts-north-sydney-bears-outright-the-sydney-university-in-2019

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last year

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Anu Raj - every opportunity counts

Since joining the club a few seasons ago, Anu has proven herself as a force on and off the pitch. Her weekends are filled with cricket; playing 3rd grade on Saturday and on Sunday, supporting her daughter, also playing for the Bears. We asked her a few questions to hear more about how she rediscovered her love of playing cricket.?

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/380/uts-north-sydney-district-cricket-club/blog/3195/anu-raj-every-opportunity-counts

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last year

St George Cricket Club

Gordon District Cricket Club

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Keeper / Batsman Harry Scowen played in the 2021-22 Green Shield Premiership and last season moved to the city to resume his cricket career with St George. Starting in 2nds Harry scored a wonderful century against Mosman. This saw him rewarded with his 1st Grade debut where he became St George 1st Grade Player No.485. Let's find out a little more about this promising young cricket as he prepares for his first full season of NSW Premier Cricket.

Let's go in between ball with HARRY SCOWEN

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/275/st-george-cricket-club/blog/3192/in-between-balls-with-harry-scowen

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last year

Gordon District Cricket Club

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Photo of the Gordon District Cricket Club Poidevin Gray Shield team of season 2020-21.

Having sailed through the competition undefeated, the team finished as Joint Premiers with Parramatta after a couple of washouts in the final.

Key players included:

Callum Bladen: 7 wickets @ 19.4
Josh Claridge 266 runs @ 53.2

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/297/gordon-district-cricket-club/blog/3191/gordon-district-cricket-club-poidevin-gray-shield-2020-21-joint-premiers

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last year

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Photo of the Gordon District Cricket Club 1974-75 Poidevin Gray Shield premiership winning team.

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last year

Penrith Cricket Club

Parramatta District Cricket Club

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Penrith Cricket Club Tribute to Paul Thomas - 1999-2000

Season 1999/2000 marks the end of the playing career of Penrith's most successful bowler. Paul "Stabba" Thomas has achieved remarkable things during his playing career spanning some 21 seasons. After initially finding it difficult to make the First Grade team due to the presence of the great Ken Hall, Thommo finally got his chance when Ken left the club in 1988. He was never to play Second Grade again. Along the way Thommo became the Club's highest wicket taker (597 wickets which stands to today 2025)

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/330/penrith-cricket-club/blog/3189/penrith-cricket-club-tribute-to-paul-thomas-1999-2000

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last year

Graham Mackie

Yamba, NSW, Australia

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Bob Simpson RIP: hard but fair, always for the game

I was lucky to be chosen in two Tooheys Cup games in two different regions of NSW state—firstly in the Far West Competition and secondly in the Far North Coast Region.

I don’t have to remind everyone of the enormous contribution Bob Simpson made to Australian cricket but will just dwell on the impact he made on NSW Country Cricket.

Bob and Steve Rixon were pioneers in the cricket coaching of many junior players in NSW country, but one of their greatest attributes was the playing of these matches in the bush involving current Test and Shield cricketers,

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/192/graham-mackie/blog/3188/bob-simpson-rip-hard-but-fair-always-for-the-game

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last year

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Liam Gillies is one of the unsung heroes of the Parramatta District Cricket Club, he loves his cricket, loves his club and loves the vital role he plays in strengthening the club through his captaining and mentoring of the many youngsters filtering into it through Fifth grade.

Over the past five years Parramatta has morphed into one of the most successful clubs in the NSW Premier Cricket competition, it is winning competitions, and the splendid work accomplished by Nick Bertus, Luke Dempsey and Paul Giumelli in the Parramatta Cricket Academy and A.W. Green Shield operations has yielded a multitude talented young players who have further bolstered the club’s ranks.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/406/parramatta-district-cricket-club/blog/3187/liam-gillies-ndash-the-mentor-parramatta-district-cricket-club

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last year

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Mitchell Hay has established himself as an ever-reliable option behind the stumps at international level.

His form for Canterbury and the Black Caps over the past 18 months saw him be rewarded with one of New Zealand Cricket's central contracts for the 2025/26 season, which will increase Hay's resources to develop his craft all year round.

The 24-year-old thought he'd be a chance, but admits the phone call from then-Black Caps' coach, Gary Stead, was very exciting.

"I got a call while I was in Bangladesh for the New Zealand ‘A’ tour from Gary Stead. So that was cool," Hay says.

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/1832/burnside-west-christchurch-university-cricket-club/blog/3184/mitch-relishing-making-hay-on-the-biggest-stage

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last year

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At the North Sydney Bears' 2022 AGM, Patrick Lindsay was unanimously elected as the club's 50th Life Member, in recognition of well over a decade of dedication to the club. This has continued since, with Pat serving two more years as President and remaining a tireless Committee member and player, inspiring and guiding the younger members of the club in the lower grades.

We re-print below Rob Lavery's speech recommending Pat for Life Membership (all stats correct as at July 2022 - numbers have increased since then!).

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/380/uts-north-sydney-district-cricket-club/blog/3183/patrick-lindsay-north-sydneys-50th-life-member

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last year

Paul Ryan

Founder