Basil Sellers with his players from the Basil Sellers Scholarship Program who have gone on to play Test cricket.

Businessman, Basil Sellers, is well known in cricket circles as a man who has played an enormous role in supporting future NSW and Australian representatives, firstly through the Country Boys Coaching Class and most recently through the Basil Sellers Scholarship Program.

Today was a special day for three graduates of the Scholarship Program with NSW’s most recent Test cricketers, Mitchell Starc, Patrick Cummins and Usman Khawaja, presented watches inscribed with their Baggy Green cap number by Mr Sellers, to commemorate their debuts.

They were joined at lunch by Phillip Hughes and Steven Smith, the first two Basil Sellers Scholarship holders to play Test cricket, as well as Cricket NSW Chairman, Dr Harry Harinath and Cricket NSW Chief Executive, David Gilbert.

The Basil Sellers Scholarship Program aims to:

-          Facilitate the development of young talented cricketers

-          Support a cricketer’s move from regional to city life if necessary

-          Assist the cricketer with education, training, employment and social skills

-          Retain in cricket talented young sports people who have considerable ability in cricket and other sports.

Over 40 male and female cricketers have benefitted from a Basil Sellers Scholarship since 2006, with Phillip Hughes, Steven Smith, Usman Khawaja, Patrick Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Alyssa Healy and Ellyse Perry all going on to play Test cricket, while many more have played First Class cricket both for NSW and other States.  

Click here to find out more about the Basil Sellers Scholarship program.