SUCC - HAPPY 150th BIRTHDAY – PLEASE SAVE ANOTHER DATE
In 1864, the MCC legislated to allow overarm bowling in cricket for the first time. Wisden (then The Cricketer’s Almanac) was first published in England. An All England XI was touring the colonies of Victoria and New South Wales and played three cricket matches in Sydney against a NSW XXII. Cricket was a popular sport in the colony of NSW. The University of Sydney was fourteen years old and occasional cricket matches involving teams representing the University had been played for ten years. Sir James Martin was the Prime Minister (yes the Prime Minister) of NSW and a fellow of the Senate of Sydney University. The Tyrrells’ family had just released their first vintage wine from grapes grown in the Hunter Valley of NSW. In far off America, the Civil War was raging and Abraham Lincoln was successfully re-elected President of the United States. Also, in April 1864, Sydney University Cricket Club was born.
As at 27 January 2014, Sydney University Cricket Club has completed 11 of 15 rounds in the Sydney Grade Cricket Competition for 2013-2014 and is in first place in the coveted Club Championship. It is already a very strong season for the club and all are striving to complete the season well.
You will shortly be invited to gather for drinks and canapés in the main quadrangle at Sydney University, followed by dinner in MacLaurin Hall, on Saturday 12 April 2014. By then we will know the season results and we will be toasting the past, present and future of this great club and its many contributors and characters. If you are, or are associated with one or more of the fortunate 735 who have been selected in the SUCC First XI since the club was a founding member of the Sydney Grade Cricket Competition in 1893, you will shortly be invited to acquire a commemorative cricket cap featuring the University crest, the year of first selection and your chronological number. For example, Tom Garrett, whose great, great grandson is politician and Midnight Oil legend Peter Garrett, is number 1 and Greg Mail, current First Grade captain and the leading run scorer in the history of Sydney Grade Cricket, is number 686.
I sincerely hope that you have already saved the date 12 April 2014. Please now save the date of SATURDAY 18 OCTOBER 2014, for the gala sesquicentenary dinner at the Sydney Cricket Ground.”
Geoff Pike
Chairman
Sesquicentenary Sub-Committee
SUCC