Ian Fisher - Sydney University Cricket Club Hall of Fame Article
Sydney University Cricket Club | January 08, 2024
Ian Fisher is the supreme example of a player who was initially and strangely rejected and unwanted by the Club and yet who returned to bolster the 1st Grade’s fragile batting, to captain 1st Grade to positions of strength, to inevitably top the aggregates, to inspire his younger charges with tactical awareness and belligerent left-hand batting.
In 1970-71, for example, the side relied almost exclusively on Fisher who scored 851 runs. The next in aggregate was Ian Foulsham with 298. When Ian scored 120 against the strong St George side in 1972, the other ten batsmen dribbled out 94 runs. Against Randwick in 1973, on a soft and grassy pitch, his 119 not out included 97 after lunch in even time. In his 100 not out in 1974 against a Northern District side that contained three NSW bowlers, his second 50 was plundered from only 17 balls of destructive mayhem.
Yet, mystifyingly, the NSW selectors never called on him despite the fact that these were lean years for NSW cricket, despite his batting, despite his uncanny fielding. It was ironic that for five seasons after his retirement from Grade cricket, he served as a selector for NSW during a time of prosperity.
It was not the only time that he proved people wrong. As an Engineering undergraduate in 1957, he had turned up to pre-season practice at University armed with an imposing record in junior cricket in Grafton and abundant natural ability. He was not graded. And was apparently unwanted.
His answer was to flay 1st Grade attacks mainly with his two Clubs, Glebe and Sydney, for the next ten years. He captained Sydney 1st Grade for three seasons before a considerable swallowing of pride preceded University’s offer to him to join the Club as 1st Grade graduate captain. He became (for a time) the Club’s greatest run-scorer in 1st Grade. For his three Clubs, he scored 6849 runs* including 13 centuries in 1st Grade. In all grades, he scored 8608 runs*.
Then, when the Club was threatened with demotion from the Grade competition in 1997, Fisher was at his uncompromising best. He led the Club’s operations during the resurgence, as Chairman of Selectors, as coach of the Club’s inaugural Green Shield side and later as President of the Club.
Since 1979-80, the IE Fisher Trophy has been awarded (often by Ian himself in person at the Club’s Annual Dinner) to the Club’s most valuable 1st Grader.
In 1999, he was elected as the Club’s eleventh Life Member.
Ian’s contribution to University cricket has been significant. His unswerving loyalty and continuing energy in the service of the Club is an example to all who have followed him.
*these figures do not include one-day games played in a separate competition which have now been included in 1st Grade statistics. The figures are still being checked.
