It’s with great pleasure that the TravelSim Waratahs announce that former first-class representative and premiership winning captain Tim Cruickshank has been named as the club’s ACA Premier Cricket Program recipient.
The program has been developed by the Australian Cricketers Association to assist in narrowing the gap between grade and first-class cricket. Cruickshank, who is also Manly Cricket Club’s highest run scorer, says he is proud to be able to stay involved at the club and is excited with what lies ahead.
“To spend my career playing at Manly Cricket was a great experience and one I will never forget, but to return in a coaching role is something I’ve always wanted to do,” Cruickshank said.
“To be Manly’s contracted ACA member is something I’m very proud of, and I look forward to giving back to a club which has given me so much. I’m really looking forward to coaching the PG’s (U21’s) boys and hopefully imparting some of my experience onto them and having a really good dig at the competition. It’s a really exciting squad we’ve named and with Ryan Farrell as skipper I think they can certainly build upon last year and go even further.”
Over $1 million has been dedicated to the program allowing Australia’s 87 premier cricket clubs to contract current and former first-class players for three years in playing, coaching or mentoring roles. Current players and Cricket Australia have contributed to the funding, which ACA says will “grow a sustainable program that ensures Premier (grade) Cricket remains the lifeblood of Australian Cricket within the National Player Pathway.”
With Manly already having a proven player pathway in place, the ACA grant helps to take the club to the next level. Congratulations once again to Tim and we look forward to his continued involvement in the club!
