The Basil Sellers Emerging Player Program is a world-class development program, designed to provide our best emerging cricketers with the skills and opportunities they need to effectively transition to NSW contracted programs. The best emerging male and female athletes from across the state are offered a place in the program. Numbers are small to allow for bespoke programming and elite servicing. The program is available to metropolitan and country-based athletes, with a servicing model designed around each player’s individual circumstances. Programs are overseen by a member of Blues or Breakers coaching teams to ensure alignment with elite teams. Athletes are given access to the best coaching, Sports Science and Sports Medicine resourcing and career support. The 2023/24 season saw the introduction of a two-tier system: Tier 1 Athletes who have the potential to earn a state or rookie contract in the short term Receive the Basil Sellers financial scholarship Access to the Basil Sellers Emerging Player Program Equipment sponsorship with Kookaburra sports Tier 2 Athletes who have the potential to earn a state or rookie contract in the future Access to the Basil Sellers Emerging Player Program Equipment subsidy with Kookaburra sports Thanks to the continuing magnanimous support and philanthropy of former Cricket NSW Director, Basil Sellers AM, the program enters its 18th year this season. There has been a total of 156 unique scholarship recipients since the inception of the program in the 2006/07 season. Within that 156, 21 male and female cricketers have gone on to represent Australia in the Test, One-Day or T20 arenas including current Australian Captains Pat Cummins and Alyssa Healy. The 22 scholars to have represented Australia at the highest levels include: Sean Abbott Stella Campbell Nicola Carey Lauren Cheatle Patrick Cummins Hannah Darlington Ashleigh Gardner Josh Hazlewood Alyssa Healy Phillip Hughes Usman Khawaja Phoebe Litchfield Nic Maddinson Erin Osborne Kurtis Patterson Ellyse Perry Gurinder Sandhu Tanveer Sangha Steven Smith Naomi Stalenberg Mitchell Starc Adam Zampa Other graduates of the program include former England Test opening batsman, Sam Robson, South Australian batsman Tom Cooper and former Blues paceman Timm Van der Gugten, who both represented the Netherlands at International level.
