The Cricket NSW Foundation is proud to announce the names of the 12 ‘Tier 1’ male and female cricketers who are set to be inducted into the 19th edition of the Basil Sellers Emerging Player Program for the 2024/25 season, and also the 10 ‘Tier 2’ scholars who will be a part of this program.
This year’s announcement of the scholars follows from last year’s introduction of a two-tier system into the world-class program. The Tier 1 athletes are deemed as having the potential to earn a state or rookie contract in the short term, while the Tier 2 scholars are identified as those having the potential to earn similar contracts in the future.
Founded by Cricket NSW Vice Patron and Life Member, Basil Sellers AM, the scholarship program aims to provide the state’s best emerging cricketers with the skills and opportunities needed to effectively transition to NSW contracted playing opportunities.
The program supports scholars with education, training, employment, and social skills, particularly for rural and regional cricketers who may need to adjust to a city lifestyle.
The Tier One recipients of the 2024/25 Basil Sellers Scholarships are:
Addison Sherriff (North Sydney CC)
Angus Campbell (Bankstown CC / Greater Illawarra Zone)
Bailey Abela (Campbelltown Camden CC / Greater Illawarra Zone)
Caoimhe Bray (Greater Hunter Coast CC / Central Northern and Newcastle Zones)
Callee Black (Penrith CC / Western Zone)
Hayley Zauch (Sydney CC)
John James (Northern Districts CC)
Juliette Morton (St George Sutherland CC)
Lucy Finn (St George Sutherland CC)
Ollie Patterson (Eastern Suburbs CC)
Riley Kingsell (Bankstown CC)
Tara French (Northern District CC / Central Coast Zone)
Athletes in this bracket will receive the Basil Sellers financial scholarship, access to the Basil Sellers Emerging Player Program, as well as an equipment sponsorship offer with Kookaburra Sports.
The Tier Two recipients of the 2023/24 Basil Sellers Scholarships are:
Angus McTaggart (Randwick Petersham CC / Newcastle Zone)
Connor O’Riordan (St George CC)
Ella Briscoe (St George-Sutherland CC)
Eva Ragg (Sydney CC)
Frankie Nicklin (Sydney University CC)
Hanno Jacobs (Western Suburbs CC)
Isabella Malgioglio (Parramatta Womens GCC)
Jake Scott (Campbelltown Camden CC / Riverina Zone)
Jessica Davidson (Sydney University CC / Central Northern Zone)
Luke Callanan (Randwick Petersham CC)
The Tier 2 scholarship recipients will receive access to the Basil Sellers Emerging Player Program as well as an equipment subsidy with Kookaburra Sports.
The Basil Sellers Scholarship program is administered via the Cricket NSW Foundation, under the Youth Development pillar. This pillar aims to increase youth social connection and development through cricket.
Jake Balnave, Head of the Cricket NSW Foundation, essayed the significant impact it has had on emerging, current and past NSW junior cricketing talent. A number of players from past years have gone on to shine at the national and international levels of the game. There has been a total of 172 unique scholarship recipients since the inception of the program in the 2006/07 season. Until this time, 22 earlier recipients of the scholarship having gone on to represent Australia, four have represented other international teams and 75 have represented NSW or Big Bash League teams.
Balnave said: “We are grateful to Basil Sellers AM for his continued and ongoing support to encourage the growth and development of young cricketers in NSW. The scholarship program since its inception in 2006/07, has shaped the lives of so many of our stellar cricketers who have gone on to become some of the world’s biggest names in cricket in subsequent years.
“The calibre of players who have come through the Basil Sellers Scholarship program is amazing. The biggest names in Australian cricket right now, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Ellyse Perry and many more, have been past scholars. Sam Konstas, whose performance has been talked about so much in recent weeks, was still in the scholarship program only last year.”
“Basil’s care and commitment to the success of our cricketers and cricket in NSW is unmatched. We are proud to be the vehicle of the success of the program through the Cricket NSW Foundation, and equally overjoyed to help our cricketers thrive.”
To find out more about the Basil Sellers Emerging Scholarship, read the player profiles of the latest inductees or view the full list of past scholars who’ve gone on to play elite representative cricket; click here.
To make a donation to the Cricket NSW Foundation, click here