NY Kookaburras Undefeated at 2024 Philadelphia International Cricket Festival

Haverford College Cricket Ground (Est. 1833)

The Kookaburras formed a touring squad to participate in the Philadelphia International Cricket Festival (PICF), an annual cricket tournament played on pristine cricket grounds (many of which have played host to first-class matches) in a city that was once the epicenter of cricket in the United States.

The Kookaburras journeyed to Pennsylvania to participate in the 2024 Philadelphia International Cricket Festival ("PICF") - a cricketing pilgrimage of sorts proudly attended by the Kookas for many years. Touring cricket teams from around the world converge on Philadelphia every year in May to participate in the PICF, an annual invitational cricket competition contested over a number of days at four historically significant and picturesque cricket grounds across the city. Perhaps unknown to many, Philadelphia has a rich cricketing history - while baseball grew in popularity across the rest of the country following the American Civil War, Philadelphia remained the bastion of cricket in the United States for many decades up until around World War I. Philadelphia was such a cricketing stronghold in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that the city maintained a first-class representative team, known as the "Philadelphians", that contested first-class matches against English county clubs and national teams at home and abroad. In fact, the Australian test team toured Philadelphia on six separate occasions between 1878 and 1913, playing a total of 11 first-class matches against the Philadelphians, usually en route home from contesting the Ashes in England earlier in the summer. More than a century later, the Kookaburras would be stepping on to the same first-class grounds once graced by Australian test legends such as Fred Spofforth, Hugh Trumble, Clem Hill, Syd Gregory, Jack Blackham, Charlie Macartney, Warren Bardsley - to name a few.

Match 1: NY Kookaburras 7/144 (20.0) def. Littleton CC 64 (11.5)

The Kookas kicked off their 2024 PICF campaign against the Colorado-based Littleton CC at the Germantown Cricket Club (Est. 1854), the same ground at which Australian Cricket Hall of Famer Hugh Trumble once returned first-class match figures of 13-96 off 45.3 overs opening the bowling for Australia in 1893. The Kookaburras lost the toss and were sent in to bat, compiling 7/144 off 20 overs. Nick Kelland top scored with a rapid-fire 43* off 27 deliveries, while McEwan (20), Leishman (19) and Colebatch (18) made supporting contributions. The Kookaburras bowling unit applied pressure from the outset, managing to bowl Littleton CC all out for 64. Leishman was the pick of the bowlers, returning figures of 5-14 off 4.0 overs. Holub's line and length saw him pick up 2-0 from 2 maiden overs, while Diwan and Gamble picked up one wicket each.

https://cricclubs.com/PICF/viewScorecard.do?matchId=31&clubId=39239

Match 2: NY Kookaburras 5/191 (20.0) def. Royal Automobile Club (UK) 7/139 (20.0)

The Kookaburras remained at Germantown Cricket Club in the afternoon to contest their second match of the tournament against the Royal Automobile Club touring from the U.K. The Kookaburras again lost the toss and were again sent in to bat, amassing 6/191 off 20 overs. Preddey (40* off 21 deliveries) and Leishman (45* off 23 deliveries) led the charge, while Colebatch (36*) and Ventura (18*) made valuable contributions. The Kookaburras opening attack bowled well, but the opposition had soon reached 1/57 before a well effected run-out and some Preddey leg-spin magic managed to contain the total to 7/139 off 20 overs. Preddey was the pick of the bowlers with 3-19 off 4.0 overs, while Colebatch picked up one Pole and strong Kookas fielding effected 3 run-outs.

https://cricclubs.com/PICF/viewScorecard.do?matchId=35&clubId=39239

Match 3: NY Kookaburras 3/163 (20.0) def. Barristers of England and Wales 8/91 (20.0)

The Kookaburras contested their third match of the festival against the touring Barristers of England and Wales at the Merion Cricket Club, where Australian test legends Charlie Macartney and Warren Bardsley scored first-class centuries in the same innings against the local Philadelphians in 1913. The Kookas won the toss and decided to bat first against the Barristers. The Kookas put on 3/163 from 20.0 overs thanks to some power hitting from Preddey (43* off 29 deliveries) and Kelland (40* off 26 deliveries), with supporting contributions from Leishman (17*) and McEwan (16). Accurate bowling and strong fielding from the Kookaburras saw the Barristers contained to 8/91 off 20.0 overs in pursuit. Wickets were shared among Leishman (2-11), Colebatch (2-11), Gamble (1-14) and Maguire (1-15).

https://cricclubs.com/PICF/viewScorecard.do?matchId=40&clubId=39239

Match 4: Wandering ANZACs 8/155 (20.0) lost to NY Kookaburras 3/111 (14.0) (DLS)

The fourth match of the PICF took on particular significance as the Kookas sought to avenge their only loss at the prior year’s festival at the hands of the Wandering ANZACs. The Kookas lost the toss and were asked to field first at Haverford College’s historic cricket ground (home to the CC Morris Cricket Library, the largest collection of cricket literature and memorabilia in the Western Hemisphere). The Kookas got off to a flying start with the Wandering ANZACs on the ropes at 5/32 in the 9th over. However, some solid partnerships and power hitting from the middle order saw the Wandering ANZACs recover to post a total of 8/155 off 20.0 overs. In response, the Kookaburras saw solid batting contributions across the board - Kelland (34), Loughnan (33), Colebatch (14), Leishman (13*), Preddey (13) - to reach 3/111 of 14.0 overs before looming clouds moved across the ground resulting in a wash-out. Though confident of chasing down the opposition’s total in any event, the Kookaburras won the match under the Duckworth-Lewis system to claim their 4th win of the festival from as many matches.

https://cricclubs.com/PICF/viewScorecard.do?matchId=48&clubId=39239

Match 5: Haverford College 9/126 (20.0) lost to NY Kookaburras 4/127 (14.2)

Following their DLS victory against the Wandering ANZAC’s, the Kookaburras remained at the historic ground as the weather cleared ahead of the club’s fifth match of the PICF against home team Haverford College. Having won the toss and electing to bat, the students got off to a flying start, reaching 61 without loss after 9 overs. The Kookas’ skipper turned to the guile of Nick Slade, whose off-spin effected the breakthrough on just his 2nd ball. Accurate bowling in the 2nd half of the innings built pressure on the middle and lower orders to keep the opposition to 9/126 off 20.0 overs. Slade was the pick of the bowlers with 3/11, with the rest of the wickets shared among Loughnan (2/15), Gamble (1/9) and Holub (1/21). In response, the Kookaburras managed to chase down the total with relative ease, reaching 4/127 in the 15th over. Runs were shared among the Kookas’ top order: Leishman (34), Slade (27), Gamble (21*), Ventura (20), Colebatch (14).

https://cricclubs.com/PICF/fullScorecard.do?matchId=50&clubId=39239

The Kookaburras enjoyed a successful tour down to Philadelphia, claiming victory in each of their five matches. On top of this, Kookas’ all-rounder Richard Leishman (128 runs at a strike-rate of 185.5 and 9 wickets at an average of 8.33) took home the PICF Player of the Tournament award, beating out hundreds of players from around the world. In addition to enjoying on-field success, the touring Kookaburras made the most of all the festival had the offer - developing long-lasting friendships with fellow cricketing enthusiasts from around the world, enjoying festival and team dinner events, and even managing to get in a round of golf at one of Philadelphia Cricket Club’s pristine courses (at which the U.S. Open was contested in 1907 and 1910). The Kookaburras are ever grateful for the opportunity to participate in the PICF and all that it has to offer - from playing on pristine grounds with rich cricketing history to mingling with fellow cricketers from around the world. The Kookaburras extend a huge thank you to all the PICF officials, umpires and volunteers as well as the festival host venues: Germantown Cricket Club, Haverford College, Merion Cricket Club, and Philadelphia Cricket Club.

Angus PalmerMay 5, 2024