Former Sheffield Shield winning skipper Phil Emery and legendary speedster Brett Lee have today been inducted into the Cricket NSW Hall of Fame at a luncheon on Day 2 of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy’s Pink Test at the SCG.
Emery and Lee become the 53rd and 54th inductees into the prestigious Hall of Fame that includes the likes of Don Bradman, Richie Benaud, Victor Trumper, Alan Davidson, Belinda Clark and Lisa Keightley.
Fittingly, the induction took place in the Steve Waugh Room during the McGrath Foundation’s Pink Test, with Waugh and McGrath inducted into the ‘Hall’ in 2008 and 2011 respectively.
The purpose of the CNSW Hall of Fame is to recognise NSW’s greatest cricketers for their on-field contribution to NSW and Australian Cricket.
Emery was previously honoured for his services to cricket in NSW in 2002 when he was made a Life Member of the NSWCA, a recognition similarly afforded Lee in 2019.
Cricket NSW CEO Lee Germon said Emery and Lee thoroughly deserved their elevations to the Hall of Fame.
“Both Phil and Brett thoroughly deserve their respective inductions into the Hall of Fame as recognition of their outstanding contributions to NSW and Australian Cricket,” Germon, a former New Zealand Test captain, said.
“We are proud of their achievements and know that throughout their careers and beyond they have played an important role in inspiring people to play and love cricket.”
The full list of Cricket NSW’s Hall of Fame can be found below.
Phil Emery
Born on June 25, 1964, Emery grew up on Sydney’s north shore and was a promising schoolboy rugby player and swimmer before focussing on cricket.
He played first grade with Gordon from 1982/83 to 1998/99, and in 172 matches scored 4684 runs at 30.61, with seven centuries and a highest score of 151. Primarily a wicketkeeper, Emery took 271 catches and made 27 stumpings.
From Premier Cricket, Emery moved onto state representative cricket, playing 120 first-class matches for NSW between 1987/88 and 1998/99, second only to fellow Hall of Famer Greg Matthews (135).
He had a record 378 dismissals (332 caught and 46 stumped) during that time, whilst also contributing with the bat, scoring 3284 runs at 26.06, with one century (100*) and 17 fifties
Emery also played in 65 List A (limited-over) matches for New South Wales, scoring 535 runs at 19.81, took 75 catches and made 15 stumpings.
Noted for his strong leadership, Emery captained NSW 33 times in first-class matches, leading the Blues to victory in the Sheffield Shield in 1992/93 and 1993/94. He also skippered NSW to the Limited-Overs Cup title in both of those seasons.
Emery played a single Test, against Pakistan in Pakistan in 1994/95, scoring eight not out and taking five catches and effecting a stumping. He also featured in one ODI on that tour, scoring 11 not out and taking three catches.
Brett Lee
Lee was born in Wollongong on November 8, 1976, and began his cricketing journey with the Oak Flat Rats a few years later. By 16 he was playing first grade for Campbelltown in Sydney’s Premier Cricket competition, where he later went on to play for Mosman.
His ascension to higher honours was swift and after debuting for NSW in 1997/98, Lee played 23 first-class, 29 limited over and seven T20 matches for the Blues.
It was at the international level where Lee shone brightest, becoming one of the biggest stars – and most feared bowlers – of the game.
He played 76 Test matches for Australia, snaring 310 wickets at an average of 30.81, with a best of 5-30. He took five wickets in an innings ten times. He was also handy with the bat, scoring 1451 runs at 20.15, including five 50s, with a top score of 64. When he retired from Test cricket, his 310 wickets were the fourth most for Australia and he is still seventh on the Australian all-time list.
In white ball cricket, Lee played 221 ODIs (380 wickets @ 23.36) and 25 T20Is (28 wickets @25.50). His 380-wicket haul in international one day matches is second only to another CNSW Hall of Fame inductee, Glenn McGrath (381), for the most dismissals by an Australian.
Across his professional career, Lee played almost 500 matches and took more than 1000 wickets, while helping Australia claim the World Cup in 2003 and the Champions Trophy twice (06 & 09).
Individually, Lee won the Allan Border Medal in 2008, has been named in both the ICC Test and ODI Team of the Year and won many player of the series or tournament awards.
Cricket NSW Hall of Fame
2008 (year inducted)
- Richie Benaud OBE
- Sir Donald Bradman AC
- Alan Davidson AM MBE
- Ray Lindwall MBE
- Charlie Macartney
- Arthur Morris MBE
- Billy Murdoch
- Bill O'Reilly OBE
- Bob Simpson AO
- Victor Trumper
- Charles Turner
- Steve Waugh AO
2009
- Warren Bardsley
- Belinda Clark AO
- Mark Taylor AO
2010
- Lyn Larsen
- Stan McCabe
- Mark Waugh AM
2011
- Hazel Pritchard
- Monty Noble
- Glenn McGrath AM
2012
- Denise Annetts
- Fred Spofforth
- Doug Walters AM MBE
2013
- Amy Hudson
- Greg Matthews
- Norm O'Neill OAM
2014
- Brian Booth MBE
- Geoff Lawson OAM
- Margaret Peden
2015
- Mollie Dive OAM
- Arthur Mailey
- Michael Slater
2016
- Belinda Haggett
- Alan Kippax
- Michael Bevan
2017
- Syd Gregory
- Rick McCosker OAM
- Lisa Keightley
2018
- Bert Oldfield MBE
2019
- Archie Jackson
2020
- Lisa Sthalekar
2021
- Brian Taber
2022
- Keith Miller AM MBE
- Sally Griffiths
2023
- Steve Rixon
- Leah Poulton
- Muriel Picton AM
- Tom Garrett
- Herbie Collins
2024
- John Dyson
- Mike Whitney AM
2025
- Phil Emery
- Brett Lee