Australian Champions: Grade stats for all 16 NSW cricketers who rose to World Cup glory
Since 1987 Aussie cricket teams have won the World Cup on five occasions, but our champions have to start somewhere. Here’s the early grade stats that put 16 NSW stars on a path to world glory.
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They are the stars every NSW cricketer wants to emulate.
The suburban grade sensations, the ones good enough to rise through the ranks to the green and gold, and eventually onto a World Cup podium.
Since Mosman’s Allan Border hoisted Australia’s first World Cup trophy in 1987, there’s been 16 Blues to reach cricket’s pinnacle.
Now, with the 2023 World Cup in India nearing the pointy end, we sounded out Cricket NSW and the king of grade stats, Adam Morehouse, to unearth the early suburban footsteps of our state’s global champions.
ALLAN BORDER
World Cup Titles: 1987
Sydney Club: Mosman 1972-80
1st Grade stats: 90 matches, 2,367 runs at 28.5, 26 wickets at 42.7
Queensland claim him these days, but 15 years before hoisting Australia’s maiden World Cup trophy, a 16-year-old Allan Border buckled up the pads in Mosman’s top grade.
In all, AB hit five tons for the Whales in nine seasons, with a best of 142 against Balmain opening the door to a Sheffield Shield debut in 1976-77.
GREG DYER
World Cup Titles: 1987
Sydney Clubs: Wests 1975-78 and 1983-90, Sydney CC 1978-83, Balmain 1990-91
1st Grade stats: 193 matches, 3,521 runs at 21.1, catches 291, stumpings 31
A longtime cricket administrator, Dyer might not be the highest profile player on the list but his catch to dismiss Mike Gatting in the 1987 final is forever etched in World Cup folklore.
A regular on the Sydney grade scene for more than 15 seasons, the keeper completed 322 dismissals and in 1989-90 scored his only century with a knock of 102 for Wests.
STEVE WAUGH
World Cup Titles: 1987, 1999
Sydney Club: Bankstown 1982-2003
1st Grade stats: 69 matches, 2,585 runs at 48.8, 107 wickets at 17.5
After cracking first grade as a 17-year-old in 1982, it wasn’t long before Waugh’s punishing persistence knocked down the selectors’ door.
Among five top grade centuries, it was his three in 1984 that unlocked more than two decades of first class dominance.
Then in the afterglow of the 1987 World Cup triumph, Waugh helped Bankstown raise the Belvidere Cup, to cap off a memorable ‘87-88 season.
MARK WAUGH
World Cup Titles: 1999
Sydney Club: Bankstown 1982-2004
1st Grade stats: 117 matches, 3,971 runs at 38.2, 118 wickets at 25.9
The fact Mark and Steve made their Bankstown debut on the same day is hardly a surprise, but it was the younger twin who took a tad longer to find his range.
With Steve already wearing the Baggy Blue in late 1985, Junior quickly reunited with his brother after lighting up Petersham Oval with a club-best 177.
In 117 outings, Mark notched eight tons for Bankstown, the last coming in 2003 – four years after his miraculous diving catch in the 1999 World Cup final.
MICHAEL BEVAN
World Cup Titles: 1999, 2003
Sydney Clubs: Campbelltown-Camden 1990-91, Manly 1991-2003
1st Grade stats: 56 matches, 2,420 runs at 52.6, 28 wickets at 36.8
The Canberra born leftie was hard to pin down early on. One year after scoring a ton on debut for South Australia in 1989, Bevan struck the first of six grade centuries in a brief stint with Campbelltown.
His other five were scored for Manly, the last in 1999, five months after returning from England with the World Cup.
ADAM GILCHRIST
World Cup Titles: 1999, 2003, 2007
Sydney Clubs: Gordon 1989-92, Northern District 1992-94
1st Grade stats: 59 matches, 2,397 runs at 47.0, catches 68, stumpings 14
Long before calling WA home, Gilchrist announced himself on the first-class scene during five seasons in Sydney.
Following three seasons with Gordon the left-hander then shifted to Northern District with immediate success, joining Glenn McGrath as the pair debuted for NSW together in early 1993.
Initially picked for the Blues as a batsman, Gilly maintained the rage the following season, blasting four tons for Northern District in a perfect Sydney farewell.
GLENN McGRATH
World Cup Titles: 1999, 2003, 2007
Sydney Club: Sutherland 1989-2006
1st Grade stats: 55 matches, 129 runs at 6.8, 140 wickets at 16.8
No bowler has more World Cup wickets than McGrath and since relocating from Narromine in the late ‘80s, it’s no wonder Caringbah Oval has since been renamed in his honour.
In the three seasons before his Blues debut in 1993, McGrath’s strangling seam for Sutherland yielded eight five-wicket hauls.
But it’s the paceman’s heroics in the 1995-96 decider that are best remembered by the Sutherland faithful.
Against a Bankstown line-up that at the time fielded nine current or future first-class stars, McGrath knocked over the Waugh twins and younger brother Danny with a premiership winning 5-28.
BRETT LEE
World Cup Titles: 2003
Sydney Clubs: Campbelltown-Camden 1993-95, Mosman 1996-2018
1st Grade stats: 87 matches, 945 runs at 17.2, 188 wickets at 19.8
A decade before claiming World Cup glory in 2003, a fresh faced Brett Lee had grade batsman ducking for cover just shy of his 17th birthday.
Following a short stint with Campbelltown-Camden, Lee continued to create havoc for Mosman in an association that would exceed 20 seasons.
In all, Binga snared four five-wicket hauls in first grade, with three of his top ten performances delivered on the Village Green at Kensington – all before his Aussie debut in the 1999 Boxing Day Test.
MICHAEL CLARKE
World Cup Titles: 2007, 2015
Sydney Clubs: Wests 1997-2016
1st Grade stats: 62 matches, 2,473 runs at 41.2, 39 wickets at 34.0
Ambitious and light on his feet, Clarke’s genius was identified well before he turned out for Wests as a 16-year-old.
Oddly, all five of Pup’s top grade tons came after his NSW debut in December, 1999.
He kicked on to lead Australia to World Cup success in 2015, but his best in the black and white took place within a golden fortnight a decade earlier.
After cracking 146 at Pratten Park, he then headed to Old Kings Oval, blasting an unbeaten 205 against Parramatta.
NATHAN BRACKEN
World Cup Titles: 2007
Sydney Clubs: Bankstown 1994-2000, Sydney Tigers 2000-05, Easts 2005-10
1st Grade stats: 97 matches, 556 runs at 15.0, 207 wickets at 17.7
A journeyman of the Sydney grade scene, after winning a title with Bankstown in 1999-00, Bracken spent the next decade with stints at Sydney and Easts.
In late 1998 the left-armer was on the cusp of Shield selection, and forced the selectors’ hand following a comprehensive 6-14 at Pratten Park.
Noted as a short-form specialist, in the lead up to his ODI debut in 2001, Braken warmed up for Sydney (formerly Balmain) with two bags of 5-25 at Drummoyne Oval.
SHANE WATSON
World Cup Titles: 2007, 2015
Sydney Club: Sutherland 2012-20
1st Grade stats: 24 matches, 1,187 runs at 49.5, 2 wickets at 47.0
By the time Watson followed the love of his life to Sydney, the Queensland all-rounder was already established on the international stage.
In 2012, at 30, he padded up for Sutherland in the first of 24 appearances.
Across nine seasons he reached triple figures on four occasions, including a best of 184 at Glenn McGrath Oval, with each ton coming in a three-year window following the 2015 World Cup victory.
DAVID WARNER
World Cup Titles: 2015
Sydney Clubs: Easts 2003-12, Randwick Petersham 2013-19
1st Grade stats: 116 matches, 4,565 runs at 46.1, 32 wickets at 45.2
A rare breed, Warner stormed onto the international scene before making his Shield debut. That was back in 2009, six years after he first turned out for Easts as a 16-year-old.
Warner blasted five grade tons before his Aussie call-up. The last four, including a grade-high 186 not out at Sutherland, coming in a hot streak 12 months prior to selection.
Of his 11 grade centuries to date, three have been made with current club Randwick Petersham. And in World Cup events, no Australian has scored more centuries.
STEVE SMITH
World Cup Titles: 2015
Sydney Club: Sutherland 2005-18
1st Grade stats: 96 matches, 4,153 runs at 50.7, 121 wickets at 30.3
Never one to take half measures, the Shire local made Sutherland’s top grade at 16 before earning a Blues cap just over two years later.
That was in January 2008, following a 12-month onslaught where he wouldn't be denied.
After plundering an unbeaten 119 against Wests in early 2007, the busy right-hander added another three centuries and a 98 to kick start his journey in the top flight.
The most recent of his nine grade centuries was made at Hurstville in 2018.
BRAD HADDIN
World Cup Titles: 2015
Sydney Clubs: Northern District 1998-2016, Easts 2003-12
1st Grade stats: 104 matches, 4,379 runs at 47.1, catches 104, stumpings 17
Haddin first turned out in Canberra’s premier competition a couple of weeks shy of his 16th birthday, then headed to the big smoke at 20.
A year after joining Northern District, he earned Shield selection after lighting up Petersham Oval with a knock of 126.
Forced to cool his Aussie jets behind Gilchrist, in total, the gloveman made 104 first grade appearances across two clubs, clubbing nine tons with a best of 191 for Northern District in 2001.
MITCHELL STARC
World Cup Titles: 2015
Sydney Club: Wests 2007-14
1st Grade stats: 47 matches, 339 runs at 15.4, 74 wickets at 18.7
Starc’s thunderbolts were destined for higher honours from an early age. In 2007 at just 17, the left-armer rocked St George, announcing himself with a devastating 7-74.
They remain the speedster’s best return in grade cricket, and in the 16 years since, among international duties and self preservation, he has only made 47 appearances.
JOSH HAZLEWOOD
World Cup Titles: 2015
Sydney Club: St George 2009-18
1st Grade stats: 26 matches, 114 runs at 11.4, 38 wickets at 19.1
They do things differently out Tamworth way, and a young Hazlewood was no different.
Handed a rookie state contract before he’d turned 18, the relentless right-arm paceman turned out for NSW before his grade debut.
That was put on ice until almost a year later, when he finally collected a Saints cap in September, 2009.
Sparingly used in the grade ranks, to date Hazlewood’s only five-wicket haul was taken against Easts (5-18) back in 2013.
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