Week 21 – ‘The Opening Spell’

Addison Sherriff with ball in hand for UTS North Sydney // Adam Cavenor

First ball – Runs, wickets and records!

Earlier in the season, in Round 12 (20/01/2024), 17-year-old Addison Sherriff (born 21/07/2006) scored a century (115) for UTS North Sydney against Sydney.

On Saturday, he finished with 7-32 off 14 overs, two maidens, aged 17 years 219 days.

Sherriff joins Sam Robson and Bob Simpson as the only players to have both a first-grade century and a first-grade five wicket performance before the age of 18!

Robson (16 years 106 days) and Simpson (16 years 321 days) both got their five-wicket haul first, and their century later (Robson 17 years 210 days; Simpson 17 years 249 days). 

Second ball – Bowled: Linfoot!

Gordon Women’s District Cricket Club toppled Sydney University by a margin of 103 runs in their third-grade encounter on Saturday.

Olivia Linfoot found the right line and length on the Koola Park pitch, rattling the stumps on six separate occasions to finish the fixture with figures of 6-9.  

Olivia Linfoot in action for Gordon // Beny Chun

Third ball – Run(s) of form!

St George District Cricket Club’s Vansh Jani has totalled 429 runs across his last four innings at an absurd average of 107.25:

  • Rd 12 - Third Grade v Sutherland | 79 (103)
  • Rd 13 - Second Grade v Blacktown | 56 (62)*
  • Rd 14 - Second Grade v Campbelltown Camden | 146
  • Rd 15 - Second Grade v Penrith | 148 (100)*
    *Limited-Overs match

St George take on Hawkesbury in their final regular season round, with second-grade requiring a win to advance to finals cricket.   

Fourth ball – Gibson, Adams; the heroes of Howell Oval!

Penrith overcame an undefeated first-grade St George outfit at home over the weekend, with Ryan Gibson and Nick Adams combining for 199 runs to power the hosts to a nine-wicket win.

After seven half-centuries this season, Ryan Gibson scored his 15th first-grade century, making 117 (not out) from 133 balls, as Penrith lost just one wicket in chasing down St George’s 239. Nick Adams added 80 (not out) to the unbroken second wicket partnership.

Fifth ball – Rocking Rodgie!

Scott Rodgie took 6-40 as Northern District limited Hawkesbury to 164 and then lost just four wickets in passing that total, in their first-grade match at Asquith Oval.  

It was Rodgie’s fourth five-wicket performance, the best of them, and leaves him two wickets short of 300, to go with over 11,000 runs.

Scott Rodgie celebrates a wicket for the Rangers // Ian Bird

Sixth ball – Sydney secure Ann Mitchell Cup!

Each year, the 50 over match between Sydney University and Sydney is a celebration of the contribution of Ann Mitchell to the two clubs, and to women’s cricket in Australia.

Ann represented NSW 18 times before Team Managing the Australian side at two World Cups. She was President of the International Women’s Cricket Council from 1982-1988, and is a respected cricket journalist and commentator – Sydney University Cricket Club.

On Sunday, Sydney overcame Sydney University by 21 runs. Eva Ragg stood out with 55 runs and 4-32.

Sydney CC and Sydney University CC pose with Ann Mitchell before competing for the Ann Mitchell Cup // PhotographybyJez

Second Over

First ball – “The Caoimhe Bray day”

The Greater Hunter Coast Brewer Shield team have advanced to the semi-final after powering through Sydney in their clash at Townson Oval on Sunday.

Caoimhe Bray produced an historic performance to etch her name further in the club’s record books.

  • Bray’s knock of 146 (143 balls) set a new personal and club batting record and took her passed 1,000 runs for Greater Hunter Coast.
  • She would then collect figures of 4-14 to secure the victory, and in the process become the first Crusher to take 50 wickets.

Greater Hunter Coast won by 139 runs.

Second ball – Pick of the bowlers!

Men’s NSW Premier Cricket’s third-grade bowlers had some stellar showings on Saturday:

  • Darcy Manners 6-15 for Sydney University v Parramatta
  • Isaac Nicholls 5-15 for Penrith v St George
  • Daniel Stickland 5-20 for Northern District v Hawkesbury
  • Jayden Wheeler 5-31 for Western Suburbs v Blacktown
  • Fergus Fergusson 5-41 for UTS North Sydney v Randwick Petersham

Third ball – Tym’s time!

Gordon’s first-grade captain Tym Crawford scored 130 runs off 148 balls, including 2 sixes and 14 fours. This was Crawford’s fifth century of the season.

The last player to do that was Adam Crosthwaite in 2018-19 for UTS North Sydney.      

Fourth ball – Where Sidhaarthaa goes, wickets follow!

Sydney University’s Sidhaarthaa Savelimedu Veeravalli snared 7-78 in a fifth-grade win over Hawkesbury last weekend.

This weekend, he earned a call up to fourth grade, and claimed 5-9 in an emphatic victory over Parramatta.

Fifth ball – Phew! 

Tom Doyle captained Sutherland in their first-grade win against Campbelltown-Camden over the weekend.  

Doyle came in to bat on day one with his side at 2-13 after five overs, and finished on 99 (not out) with the last man in when the umpires called stumps on Saturday.

The next morning, he took a single off the third ball to reach his sixth first-grade century. He finished with 116 runs (154 balls, 4 sixes, 5 fours).

Sixth ball – And only getting better!

Jo Kelly, aged 48 years 112 days, scored 105 in first-grade for St George-Sutherland against Penrith at Hurstville Oval on Sunday.

The only male players who have scored a first-grade century at a greater age are:

  • Warren Bardsley in 1932-33 aged 49y 299d
  • Monty Noble in 1921-22 aged 48y 316d
  • Syd Gregory in 1918-19 aged 48y 272d

Whilst it is known that there have been women who played first grade into their 50s, there are no known records of century makers at a greater age than Jo Kelly.

Credit to St George-Sutherland teammate, Lucy Finn, who snared 5-16 to secure a Slayers victory.

Jo Kelly celebrates a history-making century at Hurstville Oval // Leisa Johns

Official Partners