- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
It’s been well reported Jackson Bird is the first former St Ignatius College at Riverview pupil in the famous school’s 132-year history to don the baggy green.
What hasn’t been well reported is Bird has become only the fourth former pupil of a Sydney GPS school to do so in 80 years.
Legendary batsman Stan McCabe, a former St Joseph’s College pupil, played his 39 Tests between 1930 and 1938.
McCabe’s 232 on the 1938 tour of England was described by Don Bradman as the greatest innings he ever saw. It took just four hours, with the last 72 blasted in just 28 minutes.
Then there was a drought until Jimmy Burke, Sydney Grammar, came on the scene in 1951 to play 24 Tests to 1959.
After a duck in his first innings, Burke scored a Test ton in the second innings on debut to join the elite.
Another drought until 1994 when keeper-batsman Phil Emery, from Shore, replaced the injured Ian Healey for one Test in Pakistan.
And now Jackson Bird.
Having been through the GPS system myself, the facilities are first class and many have gone on to play first grade district cricket in Sydney, and for NSW, but not become Test men. Those stats make no sense.
In 1924 Johnny Taylor (Newington) set an Australian 10th wicket record of 127 with famous leggie Arthur Mailey at the SCG against England that still stands.
Taylor made 108, Mailey an unbeaten 46. Australian won by 193 runs.
Taylor played 20 Tests between 1920 and 1926.
Two more Newington old boys played Test cricket – Tom Garrett with 19 caps between 1877 and 1888 and Edwin Evans with six Tests between 1881 and 1886.
Sydney High has provided two Test men – the famous Sydney Gregory between 1890 and 1912, with 52 Tests, and Hanson Carter with 28 Tests between 1907 and 1921.
Shore’s only other cap was Jack Gregory with 24 Tests between 1920 and 1928.
Just 10 Australian Test caps from GPS schools in the history of the grand old game. But 132 Wallaby caps in the same period. Go figure.