My best grade teams - Umpire Jim Cameron 1992 - 2008

Jim Cameron | March 16, 2023

When I was asked to nominate a team of the ‘best’ players I had the privilege of seeing play in Sydney Grade Cricket (as an umpire), I accepted the challenge even knowing the task would be extraordinarily difficult.

The parameters I set myself were only this, no player selected had played First Class Sheffield Shield Cricket in Australia. Little did I realise that this made the task even harder! In the end I ‘selected’ two teams to play in a mythical final at Bankstown Oval, over four days. I also decided that I would umpire the game along with Ian Thomas (Hair and Taufel were away doing test matches). Why wouldn’t I want to be on the field for this match? It would be a cracker!

I apologise to the many players who I’ve not selected, probably because my memory is not as good as it should be, but I’m sure you would all agree these teams are pretty good.

Team 1

1. Michael Cant
2. Nathan Catalano
3. Jeremy Bray
4. Jason Swift
5. David Kelley
6. Ian Moran
7. Shane Stanton – Captain and Wicket Keeper
8. Warwick Adlam
9. Ken Hall
10. Peter March
11. Daniel Jackson

Team 2

1. Nathan Ashley
2. Gavan Twining – Captain
3. Paul Maraziotis
4. Peter Burkhart
5. Michael Gerits
6. Darryl Parmenter – Wicket Keeper
7. Cameron Eve
8. Rob Aitken
9. Shane Mott
10. Paul Goldsmith
11. Robert Smith