Overview
Cricket is a sport with immense history at Sydney High, being the most prestigious GPS Summer Sport dating back to 1906. Like all summer sports, it is played over Term 4 and Term 1 (cricket season), with matches on either Saturday mornings, usually starting at 9am, or Saturday afternoon, starting at 1:30pm. Sydney Boys High is unique as it is not only an academic selective school it is also the only public school among the nine members of the Athletics Association of Great Public Schools (AAGPS) – which means we are part of an exclusive group that competes at all levels in a variety of sports and activities and is arguably one of the highest standard school boys sport competitions in the world.
High Cricket Program
Cricket is a particularly demanding sport that requires great technical skill, strength of character, concentration, commitment and physical endurance. We aim to produce well rounded young men and realise maximum enjoyment for all involved and showing respect for each other, promoting the values of team work, co-operation and leadership. In addition cricket helps young men learn to accept both success and failure graciously; they become aware of the need to co-operate with others, using the best qualities of each individual to contribute to the greater advantage of the whole group; the importance of time management; personal effort; commitment; goal setting; self-discipline and cooperation. Sydney Boys High values Cricket because of the life lessons learnt as we are concerned with the development of the whole person, turning our young boys into young men. These attributes transfer off the pitch and into the classroom, with studies showing boys who commit to extra-curricular activities such as cricket are better prepared and disciplined for school work and the HSC.
Our school has world-class facilities for both training and matchday purposes. We play on turf pitches, similar to those used at the international standard, on the majority of weekends – in addition to high-quality synthetic wickets. Our home ground located in Centennial Park and is called McKay Oval, containing cricket change rooms, toilets, kitchen and two large tents. We have access to four indoor nets, with a nets storage shed, two bowling machines and other cricket equipment. These nets are also equipped with floodlights, allowing us to train at all times of the day and during bad light.
November and December feature the annual exchange visit for the East Coast Cup against Brisbane State High School for our Year 7 and Year 8 representative team and the annual Summer Exchange playing for the Barberis Cup against Melbourne High School and Brisbane State High School for Year 9 (Under 16) representative players. Additionally our 1st XI participate in the annual 5 Highs National Carnival. State selective high schools from around the country, Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, take turns to host this prestigious national cricket event. SBHS players are regularly selected in the Australian 5 Highs team with some even going on to represent Australia, such as Sam Robson who has played seven international test matches.
Currently at High, we have over 180 cricketers in 16 teams. Our coaches aim to improve individual performance as well as teamwork – there are three training session for most teams, usually on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday (one of these sessions is during school sport). Activities practiced in training include fielding/fitness, centre wicket (real-life game scenarios) and net sessions. We employ skilled coaches that are able to consistently help and improve our boys in their cricket performance. They are often Old Boys or regional cricket players that have experience in the SBHS system.
High Achievements
At High, we have had great success in the GPS competition, winning the premiership on seven occasions – 1933, 1934, 1938, 1968, 1979, 1982 and 1994. Our second-grade team also won a premiership in 1981, and in more recent times, Sydney High went on to represent NSW in the national championships. In 1980 we won the prestigious CHS Knockout Tournament, The Alan Davidson Shield, captained by one of our current MIC Cricket, Mr David Smith. In 2014-15 season we won the South-East Regional Final.
Staff
MIC Cricket: Mr D Smith SmithD@sbhs.nsw.edu.au