NSW Under 19 Cricket team 1983-84
Cricket NSW | February 19, 2023
Back Row – Jack Wilson (Manager), Justin Kenny, Jason Horn, Steve Liggins, Richard Stobo, Gavin Robertson, Stephen Funnell, Glenn Tobin, Ted Cotton (Coach)
Front Row – Mark Patterson, Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh, Mark England (Captain), Brad McNamara, David Moore, Mark Waugh
Comment from Brad McNamara
Great memories! Some characters in that outfit.
Has there ever been a better U/19 team in terms of senior representation?
- 9 of 14 went on to play Sheffield Shield Cricket
- 4 Captained NSW
- 4 Played Test cricket for Australia, 3 over 100 Tests - 404 Tests in total (your 4 made all the difference Riddler!)
- 2 long time Captains of Australia
- A West Indies Head Coach!
Notwithstanding countless grade Cricket honours.
Special mention to our old mate Glen Tobin who is no longer with us.
Has there been a better U19 team you ask? Let me see. 9 overs, 0 maidens 1 for 109. 😳 …in 1983 that was a tough day at the Punt Road.
Excellent comment by Brad McNamara, himself a vital part of this talented group. The conversion rate to First Class and international cricket is extraordinary; unmatched as far as I'm aware.
Interestingly, the group started out in the 1970s, as the inaugural Metropolitan U13 Coaching Squad in the rejuvenated NSWCA Metropolitan Talent Development program.
The plan of the program was to provide regular squad coaching sessions, combined with team competition experience (interstate, where possible) as a means of preparing future NSW and Australian players.
The initial squad was coached by Peter Horwitz, former Gordon DCC left-arm orthodox bowler, from the Horwitz Grahame publishing house. With his strong business background, Peter proved to be a great mentor for the prodigious talent in the initial group that included Steve & Mark Waugh, Brad McNamara, Gavin Robertson, and Glen Tobin (captain of the squad's trip to Tasmania in its first year, now unfortunately deceased, as Brad noted).
Under the planned program, the squad was revised each year, to form select metropolitan coaching squads at the U14, U15, and U16 year levels, in preparation for the national U16 competition (later to be changed to the National U17 championships), and then on to the U19 Youth level with opportunities for international youth competition.
The initial squad set such a high bar for future groups that it's hard to imagine such a powerful group of players ever emerging.
But, what a challenge... and you can never say never!