Representative Cricket

Indicative of the competitive nature of Test Team selection and given that young cricketers from all over Australia dream that one day an 'Australian baggy green, may be theirs, in fifty years Shire junior cricket has helped four young men achieve that dream.

John Dyson and Andrew Hilditch were SSJCA Players of the Year in 1969/70 and 71/72 respectively. Stuart Clark never gained this coveted award which was awarded to an allrounder in 1990/91, - Craig Haran from St John Bosco Club.

Another player who made the Australian Test team and currently plays for South Australia passed through SSJCA ranks as a youngster. This was none other than Jason Gillespie. Undoubtedly the world's greatest tail end batsman (201n.o.), Jason played for a short time with Illawong Menai.

John Dyson played his way into the NSW Team in 1975/76 and gained test status in 1977 playing against India at the WACA (Perth). In recent years John has achieved success as coach of the Sri Lankan National team.

Andrew Hilditch first played for NSW in 1976/77 and was made State Captain the following season. He made the Australian Test Team in 1979 playing against England. He is currently Chairman of Cricket Australia's selection Board.

Mark Ray was the third player to graduate from SSJCA junior ranks through grade and onto the next rung of the ladder. He made his debut for NSW in the 81/82 season and played against the West Indies juggernaut at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Justin Kenny, a Como Jannali junior, played first grade for the Sutherland District Club before going on to play four matches for NSW in the period '89 to '91 before moving south to play for Tasmania.

As recorded earlier, Kevin Tuite played for NSW in Adelaide as an Under16 player in the Australian carnival. Another SSJCA junior to advance beyond Grade ranks was former Engadine Dragons fast bowler Daniel McLauchlan who toured India and Pakistan with the Australian Under19 team in 96/97. In an Under 19 Australian carnival in Adelaide he recorded the bowling figures of 9 for 11 against South Australia a record that still stands.

In 1988 Tom Iceton, Secretary of the Sutherland district Cricket Club reported, "the fine achievements of Rodney Davison and Darrell Mann, two of the finest young players to come from the SSJCA since Dyson and Hilditch, who were selected in the Australian Under 19 and Under 17 development squads respectively (in fact, this was the second successive season that Darrell gained selection)."

There have been players who have graduated from the SSJCA and gone on to play grade cricket. Not all have chosen, or been chosen by, Sutherland District Cricket Club. Not all have found playing at this level to their liking. Nonetheless, the District Club has been well served over the years with a steady stream of competent cricketers emerging from the Shire's junior ranks.

It is impractical in this history to list all players to have 'gone to Grade' but it is worthwhile to record just how many have achieved a degree of success and made 1st Grade. It should always be remembered that the higher the rungs of the ladder climbed the more difficult it becomes to mount and secure the next rung.

Those who have played first grade for the Sutherland District Cricket Club are: