AW Green Shield Centuries

AW GREEN SHIELD CENTURIES

Sydney University CC has been playing in the AW Green Shield competition since 1997-98. In that time, there have been only ten centuries scored by SUCC players. The first was in the first season, by Ed Cowan, who was to play 18 Tests for Australia and to  score 1001 Test runs.

The tenth SUCC Green Shield centurion, Archie O'Hara, scored a commanding 135 not out last Thursday against Bankstown on University No.1 Oval. Archie batted through the innings of 3 for 277, hitting 9 fours and 2 sixes from 158 balls. His 135 is the second highest by an SUCC player in Green Shield. 

Archie O’Hara 135 not out vs Bankstown DCC

The highest was scored by Pradeep Pathirana who plundered 138 not out against Nth Sydney in 2003-04. In 2006-07, Pradeep was to score a majestic 215 in 4th Grade against Parramatta.

The complete list of the SUCC  AWG centurions is:

Pradeep Pathirana  138 no      2003-04

Archie O'Hara          135 no       2024-25

Sam Hinton              127 no       2000-01

Julian Ryan               119            2022-03

Nick Arnold               115          2014-15

Ed Fitzpatrick            112            2015-19

Luke Reynolds           111 no       1999-2000

Ed Cowan                  107 no       1997-98

Nick Arnold              105            2014-15

Jack Bray                  101          2022-23

One more fascinating fact:

One of Ed Cowan's nephews, Charlie Cowan, was in the SUCC side last Thursday that enthusiastically applauded Archie off the ground after his historic innings.

 James Rodgers

RIP Michael (Louie) Lynch

Michael Lynch died in December 2024 aged 69.

Michael, known as 'Louie', Lynch played for the Club from 1976 until 1980 in the lower Grades, scoring 942 runs including a century, 102.

He had been educated at St Aloysius' College and then St Joseph's College, Hunters Hill and had spent four years in the St Joseph's 1st XI as a high-scoring batsman. His performances for the Sydney Club were subsequently outstanding.

While playing for the Club, he studied Chemical Engineering  and, in recent years, had run a successful business in computer software.

The Club's sympathies are extended to his wife, Sue, and to his adult children.

JFR

BERT ALDERSON 100 NOT OUT 24TH DECEMBER 20224

A.H. Bert Alderson

A Century of Cricket and Life.

The former Sydney Grade cricketer Bert Alderson turns 100 on 14th December, 2024. In a long career with Central Cumberland and Sydney University, Bert a left-hand batsman, made over 14000 runs in all grades, with 13589 in first grade,

He played A.W. Green Shield for Central Cumberland, now Parramatta, in 1939-1940 season. Bert also played some Shires and 1st grade that season, while still a student at Parramatta High.

Bert at Merrylands Oval

He played twenty seasons in First Grade at Central Cumberland from 1941-1942 until 1973-1974, plus seven seasons with Sydney University. At Cumberland he amassed 7740 runs @ 28.04. He played until 1973-1974, his fiftieth year.

Bert attended Sydney University to complete his degree in Engineering in Seasons 1951-1952 and 1952-1953, returning as graduate captain of the First XI for five seasons in the 1960’s between 1961-1962 and 1965-1966. For Sydney University he scored 2991 runs at 42.98.

Bert In his whites, about to take the field.

During his career there were no 50 over matches, no T20 cricket or Sunday play but he made over 500 runs in a season on at least eight occasions.Three of these were in his time at Sydney University.

Bert Alderson

Recipient of both Cricket (1951) and Baseball (1961) Blues at the University of Sydney.

Photo arranged by his family during the week leading up to his 100th Birthday celebration

(Thank you Jessica Edwards, Bert’s Granddaughter, for coordinating this)

Bert was awarded a Blue for Cricket at Sydney University in 1951, awarded to undergraduates for outstanding performance. He also played Baseball for Sydney University where he was a fixture for many years as the First Grade short stop. His consistency and high performance were rewarded with selection in the NSW Claxton Shield team in 1961, and he also gained his Blue for Baseball.

Bert the Baseballer

Away from his cricket career Bert Alderson worked for the Holroyd Shire Council, where he became their Chief Engineer. His contribution in the area was honoured with the naming of the Grandstand at Merrylands Oval being named “The Bert Alderson Stand”.

Bert’s Brother Ken also played lower grades for Central Cumberland, and his sons Greg and Doug played for the Club in the 1970’s with some success. Both were left-handed batsmen and right arm bowlers like Bert.

All cricketers will salute Bert on his century of life, particularly those who had the pleasure of playing against him and knowing him.

The Board, Management, Members and Supporters of the Sydney University Cricket Club, wish Bert a very happy 100th Birthday Celebration. May he enjoy good health and happiness in the years ahead.

H.A. 14.12.2024

RYAN McELDUFF 206 NOT OUT

AT THE DOUBLE

RYAN McELDUFF 206 NOT OUT.

Double centuries are rare at any level. The Club's list of  double centuries, stretching from 1853-54 to 2024-25 in Club cricket, Electorate cricket, Grade cricket and Premier cricket, indicates how rare this event is.

Until last Saturday, there had been 24 instances of double centuries scored by SUCC players. Greg Mail scored three; Nick Larkin two and Steve Hobson two. 20 players had scored at least one double.

On Saturday in 2nd Grade against Blacktown, Ryan McElduff scored the Club's twenty fifth double. He became the twenty first SUCC player to do so and the first since 2013-14 when both Scott Henry, in 1st Grade, and Jack Hill, in 2nd Grade, scored 200 not out.

In 1888-89, the first SUCC double century was scored by the Australian Test player Tom Garrett (who had played in Australia's first Test Match in 1876-77).  Garrett scored 274 in the Club's 1st XI against the Albert Club. Garrett and Herbert Lee put on 348 for the 1st wicket (a Club 1st wicket record that still stands) and University made 635. Garrett finished with 620 runs @52.6 for the season. In his prolific season in 2024-25, Ryan has already scored 599 runs in just six matches.

He is in illustrious company.

James Rodgers

WILL SWANTON - SPORTS JOURNALIST

Will Swanton was SUCC’s 1st Grade wicket keeper and useful lower order batsman in 1988-89 (1st Grade cap No. 571).
Since then, he’s worked as a sports journalist and author, most recently with ‘The Australian’, covering an array of sports.
In that time, he’s received a number of prestigious awards including ‘Sports Journalist of the Year’ in 2017 and a ‘Walkley Award’ for a Features Writer.
This week, at the 20th annual News Awards, Will picked up another well-merited award for his fine writing.

Many congratulations from his old Club.

James Rodgers

RIP Greg Newman

Greg Newman died October 2023

We have learnt only recently of Greg Newman’s death. 

Briefly, his playing record includes: 

1959 Sydney Grammar School 1st XI Premiers 

1957-60. Balmain

1960-61 and 1961-62. University

1960-61. 4ths. 2-0-20-25-12.5. 2wkts for 149

1961-62. PG. no batting recorded. 1wkt for 50

 4ths. 11-1-17-69-6.9. 14 wkts for 277. In this season, he took 4 for 0 in his first over v Randwick. 

1962-63. Returned to Balmain where he played most seasons until 1974-75

1st grade. 33 wkts

2nd grade. 171 wkts

3rd grade 155 wkts

4th grade 72 wkts

Total 431  wkts

Highlights:

1962-63. 4ths. 29 wkts @8.5

1962-63. Won the club trophy for under 21s

1970-71. 2nd grade premiers

1971-72. 3rd grade. 58 wkts @11.2. 6 for 10 v Manly. 

Greg came out of retirement for one season, 1976-77, when he played 4ths for Waverley. 

Played golf at Killara where his brother, Justice Peter Newman, was President. 

Jim Cattlin, who played in the Sydney Grammar School premiership side of 1959 with Greg, remembers him as “a gentle giant of a fast bowler at school…He had the height and could move the ball. A warm hearted and committed team member who was frustrated only if he performed below his best.”

James Rodgers

Obituary Brian Nicholson

I met Brian (Nicko) Nicholson in the early 1980s, shortly before being appointed as Secretary of the SUCC Veterans. Brian was a very handy all-rounder, a much-loved and respected member of the Vets, and a proper gentleman.  As the last man in, I would often join him for the final overs and would, more often than not, run him out.  Invariably, as I approached him to apologise, he would gallantly apologise to me.  For someone who batted and bowled down the order, Brian performed remarkably well.  For example, during the 1986-87 season, in 10 innings, he scored 48 runs, a highest score of 17 with 4 not outs and 5 catches.  Bowling 24 overs, he took 4 wickets for 145 runs. Unfortunately, during that season, Brian was plagued by dropped, sometimes non-attempted, catches; myself a culprit, unable to catch off my own bowling, let alone that of someone else!  Nonetheless, Brian, taking 5 catches, shared the Fielding Award that season with Slips fielder extraordinaire Tom Nevell.

Not only did Brian turn out for the SUCC Vets. He played regularly for the Primary Club of Australia, and indeed attended the 1984 Golden Oldies Cricket Festival in Auckland with the PCA - see photo.  Brian is in the front row, third from the right and among other SUCC luminaries, Tom Nevell, Jim Mackie, Greg Scahill and Geoff Schwartzkoff.  Finally, I am deeply indebted to Brian, not only for taking the blame for my runouts but also for his introducing me to the Right Reverend Denzil Throckmorton-Jones.  Brian was a keen cricket tourist, but while I doubt very much that he ever joined one of Throckers’ cricket tours to unlikely and outlandish venues such as Heard Island, Tristan da Cunha or the Gobi Desert, I have derived much pleasure and infinite amusement from the Right Reverend’s published accounts of his many cricket wanderings, from  “ Six and Out in Samarkand” to “Bringing Home the Bacon in Botswana”.  Those wishing to remember Nicko, the cricketer, should turn their browsers to the following video link of the Primary Club of Australia vs I Zingari at Camden on April 19th, 1984: https://vimeo.com/869480526?share=copy.  Brian appears early in the video as an umpire and at other points.  Please remember that this is a digitisation of a forty-year-old video.

Cyril Latimer