NSW Premier Cricket, formerly and still commonly known as Sydney Grade Cricket is a cricket competition played in Greater Sydney and is highest level club cricket competition in the Australian state of New South Wales. The competition began in 1893 when a number of clubs that had been playing for many years on an ad hoc basis voted to create a formal competition structure.
The NSW Premier Cricket competition is played on turf wickets on Saturdays. It begins in mid-September and continues until the grand final is played on the first weekend of April. Spectators are mostly few and far between at matches, mostly family members, partners or club members. The exception to this is at T20 matches which can attract crowds into the hundreds and occasionally the low thousands. Generally, players for New South Wales are selected from the first-grade competition, and whilst modern day cricketers have few breaks outside the international calendar, when they do, NSW players will often return to play in the first-grade competition.
History Origins The origins of NSW Premier Cricket date back to April 1859, when a public advertisement in the Sydney Morning Herald called on local social cricket clubs to convene with the goal of forming a formal association. This initiative led to the establishment of the New South Wales Cricket Association in December 1859, with one of its principal aims being to organise local cricket more systematically to strengthen the colony's representative team, which had begun competing against Victoria in 1856.
By the 1880s, a loosely structured Sydney club cricket competition had emerged. While some clubs were locality-based—such as Bathurst, Carlingford, Petersham, and Stanmore, the more dominant teams were non-localised, including Albert, Belvidere, Carlton, Incogniti, University, and Warwick. As Sydney's population expanded and municipal councils developed new parks and sporting grounds in emerging suburbs, the infrastructure improved, allowing the NSWCA to further expand organised cricket.
In response to continued growth and the desire for a more community-based structure, the NSWCA voted unanimously on 22 May 1893 to establish a new club competition based on electoral boundaries."Electoral Cricket in Sydney Begins", Sydney University Cricket Club, 2024. Available at: https://www.sydneyuniversitycricket.com.au/current-news/2024/2/27/electoral-cricket-in-sydney-begins This initiative marked the formal beginning of what was then known as 'Electoral Cricket' and later evolved into Sydney Grade Cricket, now known as NSW Premier Cricket, with the first matches beginning on 7 October 1893.
The inaugural 1893/94 season featured eight teams: East Sydney, Glebe, Manly, Paddington, Sydney University, Central Cumberland, Redfern, and Canterbury. The first premiers East Sydney, winners of the 'Hordern Shield'. Although club boundaries were linked to New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorates, Sydney University was allowed to participate despite lacking a corresponding electorate. The competition expanded rapidly, Four more clubs, Waverley, North Sydney, South Sydney, and Leichhardt, were added in the 1894–95 season, increasing the total to 12. The competition's success led to the creation of a Second Grade in 1895–96 and a Third Grade in 1899–1900, laying the foundation for the modern multi-tiered structure of NSW Premier Cricket.
Additionally, in 1921 the NSW Cricket Association decided to expand the first-grade competition to 16 teams with the admission of four news clubs, Marrickville, Mosman, Randwick and St George.
Later history
This competition has grown substantially since its formation and by 1985 the Sydney Grade Cricket Competition encompassed 20 clubs. Since the 1940s there had been a number of club mergers (Petersham with Marrickville and Glebe with South Sydney followed in 1965 by the forced merger of Paddington with Glebe-South Sydney to form Sydney District CC). In 1965 Sutherland joined the competition, followed by Nepean (now Penrith) and University of NSW in 1973. In 1985 Sydney District CC left the competition but 3 new clubs from the outer suburbs of Sydney joined - Fairfield, Campbelltown and Hawkesbury. In the late 1990s there was a push to remove some inner-city clubs from the competition, but although no clubs were forced out, in 2001 Randwick and Petersham-Marrickville (itself the product of a merger in 1951) decided to merge and formed the Randwick Petersham club. Some clubs were renamed to reflect their wider representation (Waverley renamed as Eastern Suburbs, Fairfield becoming Fairfield-Liverpool and Campbelltown becoming Campbelltown-Camden). Finally in 2002 Blacktown were promoted from the second-tier shires competition to bring the number of clubs back up to 20. Each of the 20 clubs fields a side in each of the five senior grades as well as a side in the Poidevin-Gray Shield and AW Green Shield junior competitions.
In recent times some clubs have started broadcasting scorecards in real-time on the Cricket Australia website. Some clubs also have detailed video and photographs each weekend. Most but not all clubs actively update their website and have information across a variety of social media platforms.
Sydney grade cricket also has a history of welcoming budding, current or former first-class and Test cricketers from around the world. Players are primarily sourced from England's county competition. In 2015/16, there were over 10 players in the competition plying their trade in the first-grade competition. In the late 1990s and early 2000s Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Strauss amongst others played seasons in Sydney. Such is the strength of the competition that some well-known players have been known to play multiple matches in second grade.
To address shortcomings in players making the transition from first-grade to State cricket, two seasons ago a different type of ball was introduced into the first-grade competition. This ball is the same used by state players but had not previously been used due to its cost (A$150 each). While the ball is still a four-piece ball, its seam is less pronounced and more difficult to swing. Bowlers, in particular fast bowlers, have had to work much harder at getting wickets. Since its introduction scores within the competition have increased. There have been higher team and individual scores (400+ scores by teams are not the rare occurrence they once were).
In the 2016/17 season, the competition changed its name to NSW Premier Cricket. The name change was part of a Cricket Australia initiative to standardise the naming of the elite men's cricket competition within each state's capital city.
Clubs Current clubs Colours Club Established First season Home ground First-grade premierships Note Bankstown 1951 1951/52 Bankstown Oval7 (1958/59, 1987/88, 1993/94, 1994/95, 1999/2000, 2006/07, 2015/16) Nicknamed the Bulldogs, and originally known as Bankstown-Canterbury until 1999. Blacktown 1894 2002/03 Joe McAleer Oval0 Nicknamed the Warriors, Blacktown participated in the Sydney Shires Competition before entering the Sydney Grade competition in 2002/03. Campbelltown-Camden 1985 1985/86 Raby Sports Complex0 Nicknamed the Ghosts, the club won its first title (the first grade limited overs crown) in 1986/87. Eastern Suburbs 1894 1894/95 Waverley Oval8 (1902/03, 1920/21, 1921/22, 1922/23, 1944/45, 1975/76, 1991/92, 2003/04) Nicknamed the Dolphins, they were founded as the Waverley District Cricket Club in 1894, it changed its name in 1996 to reflect a broader regional basis. Fairfield-Liverpool 1985 1985/86 Rosedale Oval2 (2001/02, 2005/06) Nicknamed the Lions. Gordon 1905 1905/06 Chatswood Oval6 (1910/11, 1923/24, 1945/46, 1947/48, 1989/90, 1990/91) Nicknamed the Stags. Hawkesbury 1985 1985/86 Bensons Lane Complex0 Nicknamed the Hawks. Manly Warringah 1878 1893/94 Manly Oval5 (1949/50, 1957/58, 1973/74, 1988/89, 2014/15) Nicknamed the Waratahs, they were originally known as Manly from 1893/94 to 1894/95 and from 1921/22 to 1950/51 and Middle Harbour from 1905/06 to 1920/21. Mosman 1908 1921/22 Allan Border Oval5 (1929/30, 1933/34, 1935/36, 1938/39, 2021/22) Nicknamed the Whales. North Sydney 1894 1894/95 North Sydney Oval5 (1898/99, 1904/05, 1907/08, 1912/13, 1931/32) Nicknamed the Bears. Northern District 1925 1925/26 Mark Taylor Oval6 (1948/49, 1962/63, 1966/67, 1985/86, 1986/87, 1992/93) Nicknamed the Rangers. Parramatta 1843 1893/94 Old Kings Oval 6 (1899/1900, 1932/33, 1964/65, 2017/18, 2022/23, 2024/25) Formerly known as Central Cumberland until 1983. Penrith 1973 1973/74 Howell Oval3 (1978/79, 1982/83, 2018/19) Like the local rugby league team, the Penrith District Cricket Club are nicknamed the Panthers, they were known as Nepean until 1978. Randwick Petersham 2001 2001/02 Coogee Oval1 (2019/20) Nicknamed the Randy Petes, they won the first grade premiership in 2019/20, following on from 7 titles won by Randwick and 4 by Petersham-Marrickville, the clubs who merged in 2001. St George 1911 1921/22 Hurstville Oval18 (1939/40, 1940/41, 1941/42, 1942/43, 1952/53, 1960/61, 1965/66, 1968/69, 1969/70, 1970/71, 1984/85, 1996/97, 2000/01, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2012/13, 2023/24) Nicknamed the Saints. Sutherland 1965 1965/66 Glenn McGrath Oval2 (1995/96, 1997/98) Sydney 1897 1900 Drummoyne Oval5 (1915/16, 1936/37, 1967/68, 1998/99, 2020/21) Nicknamed the Tigers, they were originally formed as a lower-grades club but were promoted to first-grade after a merger with Leichhardt, who competed in first-grade from 1894 to 1899, they were then known as Leichhardt-Balmain from 1900 to 1903, Balmain from 1904 to 2000, and UTS-Balmain from 2001 to 2006. Sydney University 1864 1893/94 University Oval9 (1909/10, 1911/12, 1913/14, 2002/03, 2004/05, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2013/14, 2016/17) Nicknamed the Students, it was a foundation member of the grade competition in 1893. University of NSW 1973 1973/74 David Phillips Sports Field2 (1976/77, 1980/81) Nicknamed the Bumble Bees. Western Suburbs 1895 1895/86 Pratten Park11 (1903/04, 1905/06, 1914/15, 1919/20, 1928/29, 1946/47, 1956/57, 1959/60, 1963/64, 1971/72, 1972/73) Nicknamed the Magpies, they were originally known as Burwood until 1913.
Former clubs Colours Club First season Last season Home ground First-grade premierships Note Canterbury 1893/94 1894/95 ? 0 East Sydney 1893/94 1899/00 ? 1 Glebe 1893/94 1964/65 Wentworth Park 5 Known as Glebe-South Sydney from 1951/52 onwards, it later merged with Paddington to form Sydney. Marrickville 1921/22 1950/51 Marrickville Oval 1 Merged with Petersham to form Petersham-Marrickville in 1951. Paddington 1893/94 1964/65 Trumper Oval 9 Merged with Glebe-South Sydney to form Sydney in 1965. Petersham 1907/08 1950/51 Petersham Oval 1 Merged with Marrickville to form Petersham-Marrickville in 1951. Petersham-Marrickville 1951/52 2000/01 Petersham Oval 4 Formed as a merger between Petersham and Marrickville, it subsequently merged with Randwick to form Randwick-Petersham in 2001. Randwick 1920/21 2000/01 Coogee Oval 7 Merged with Petersham-Marrickville in 2001. Redfern 1893/94 1915/16 Redfern Oval 0 South Sydney 1894/95 1899/00 ? 0 Sydney 1900/01 1924/25 ? 3 Sydney 1965/66 1983/84 ? 0 Formed as a merger between Glebe-South Sydney and Paddington.
Competition format The competition consists of 20 clubs who field one side in each of the five grades. In the 1st Grade competition, each side plays every other side over a total of 19 rounds. All other grades play only 15 rounds, thus missing out on playing 4 teams each season. The additional 4 rounds that are played by the 1st Grade sides are generally one day matches that take place on Sundays (won by Sydney University in 2010/2011).