Membership nos: The Cricketers’ Club of New South Wales has approximately 100 active cricketers. The Club also has a golf section. Of these 100 players, approximately 30 members play for the Club on Saturdays, and another 70 on Sundays and in mid-week games.

C&S Competition: In the City and Suburban competition on Saturday afternoons, the Club plays about 24 matches a season. These are generally about 35 overs a side, although by agreement, they are sometimes extended to 40 overs. The C&S "competition" does not have a formal league table and not all clubs in the competition play each other. Nevertheless cricket is played in a competitive manner, and at its best, would probably equate to the standard of 3rd-4th Sydney District Grade Cricket, although considerably shortened. In recent seasons, the Club has lost very few C&S games. All matches are on turf wickets. The Club's home ground is at Camperdown Park, Mallett Street, Camperdown.

Masters (i.e. 0ver 40s) games: On Sundays, the Club plays eleven fixtures in a competitive over 40's "Masters" league, in which the Club's position has varied from league winners to bottom. These are 40 over a side games. Six bowlers must be used, and batsmen must retire on scoring 40 runs. These games are played approximately once a fortnight.

Classics (i.e. over 50s) games: Commencing in the 2008-2009 season, the Club plays in an expanded over fifties Veterans competition. The rules are very similar to the Masters except that batsmen retire at 30*. The Competition is played on alternate Sundays to the Masters.

Other Sunday games: The Club also plays about fifteen other competitive but "friendly" fixtures, on grounds varying from major national grounds such as the M.C.G., S.C.G., the Gabba, Telstra (Olympic) Stadium and Bradman Oval, Bowral, to small country grounds such as Mandalong, Mudgee and Crookwell. Opposition includes teams such as the Melbourne Cricket Club, The Sydney Cricket Club, Queensland Cricketers' Club, the Primary Club, Lords Taverners, Hong Kong (Australia), I.Zingari (Australia), Lindfield, Craigmoor Portwiners, Molonglo, the Army (Victoria Barracks) and usually a couple of overseas touring sides. These are generally full day games of about 45-50 overs a side. In February 2004, the Club was invited by the S.C.G. Trust and Cricket N.S.W. to represent the Civilian population against the Military in a game to commemorate 150 years of cricket at the S.C.G.

Overseas tours: Every winter, the Club generally runs an overseas tour and has undertaken twenty two such tours in the past twenty one years, with an tour to Tasmania planned for January 2010 and to Italy in September 2010. The Club is always looking for players interested in such tours.

Golf: The golf section traditionally used to play once a month on a Sunday morning; steps are currently being taken to revive traditional fixtures and expand-more details are on this web site under "Golf". Currently 5 annual fixtures are played.

Premises: The Club no longer has its own premises in the City but is closely affiliated to the New South Wales Sports Club at 10-14 Hunter Street Sydney and also has informal affiliations with the South Sydney Graphic Arts Club at 182 Coward Street Mascot. Both Clubs have generously allowed C.C.N.S.W. members to use their facilities from time to time.

Reciprocal Clubs: The Cricketers' Club has many reciprocal clubs throughout the world-see full list on link below. If any member is thinking of calling on or staying in a reciprocal club, they should contact the Club Secretary (currently Adrian Hawkes) for a letter of introduction. 

Application for membership: Any person interested in joining the Club should download the Membership Application Form and contact the Club Secretary - see contacts.

Patron: Mike Whitney is the Club Patron

“True to the Blue”

New South Wales-Why the name?

Originally part of “New Holland”, It became known as “New South Wales” after Cook’s exploration in 1770 of the east coast of what was then called “New Holland” and is now called “Australia”. Whether Cook personally at the time called it New South Wales, and if so, why, is still a subject of doubt and scholarly speculation. Possibly Cook originally called it “New Wales”, by analogy with the islands of “New Britain”, which had originally been part of New Guinea. What is certain is that the name of New South Wales emerged later after he had dispatched his Journal to the Admiralty. Why “Wales” and why “South Wales” will probably never be known.

Royal Blue –why the colour?

When inter-colonial cricket commenced in the 1850s, the Victorians wore dark blue trousers and white shirts. NSW wore white trousers and light blue shirts. They became known as the “Light Blues”. In 1904-5, the colour changed to Royal Blue. The colour remains Royal Blue and the NSW team still remains known by its traditional name as “the Blues”.

Comparison to “the Green and Gold”

“The Blues” can trace their origin approximately 40 years before the adoption of the traditional Australian “Green and Gold”, which were not adopted as national colours till the Australian tour to England in 1899 nor for home Tests until after Federation in 1902. Prior to that time it had been customary in home Tests to wear the colours of the State in which the match was played-i.e.-dark blue in Victoria and light blue in NSW.

The first Australian touring team to England in 1878 wore black and white; the 1880 team – faded magenta and black; the 1882 team wore the colours of the 96th regiment-red, black and yellow. That then changed to the red white and blue of the Melbourne Cricket Club, although once, the light blue caps of the East Melbourne Club were used. By 1890, the team had adopted dark blue blazers and caps, with gold trim with, for the first time, the Australian Coat of Arms. It was the 1899 team to England that first adopted the Green and Gold, but it was not until 1902 at the MCG that the Green and Gold were worn in a home Test. Thus the Royal Blue colours adopted by the Cricketers’ Club of New South Wales arguably have an older provenance, dating back to the 1850s, than the national colours which only date to the turn of the century.

The Emblem-Why the Cross of St George?

The emblem is taken from the Coat of Arms of the Colony, originally designed in 1875-6, and subsequently formally granted by King Edward VII in 1906 and described as: “Azure, a Cross Argent, voided Gules a lion passant guardant and on each member with a Mullet of eight points Or “. [I.e.- a red cross with a golden lion at the centre and stars at each point.]
The gold crossed bats need no explanation. The cross of St George is English as is the lion, and not Welsh. The design comes from the British Royal Navy White Ensign, with whom its co-designer Captain Hixson, President of the Marine Board was closely connected.

The connection is with England or perhaps Britain as the home country, not with Wales. It remains the official Coat of Arms of New South Wales

• APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP 2009-2010
• CCNSW ASSOCIATED CLUBS as at 11.06.09

Tasmania Tour report has been added to Match Reports

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Revisions to Fixture List 2010...Read More

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Remaining Social games this season: Make a note in your diaries now of the following games.. Read More

ITALY TOUR
8-28 SEPTEMBER  2010

21 days in ‘Bella Italia’ in private 50 seater coach + guide.

10 cricket games and plenty of time to see the sights.

Rome-Tuscany- Milan- Lake Como- Bologna and Venice.

Staying in 3 - 4 star hotels; twin occupancy including breakfast.

50 seater coach for camaraderie +

Games being organised through Italian Cricket Association and Italian agent specialising in cricket tours.

See www.mir-italy.com

Approximate cost €EUROS1600- €1900 pp (depending on final numbers)

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CCNSW is now on Facebook