Wayne Holdsworth


Wayne John Holdsworth was an Australian first-class cricketer who played for the New South Wales Blues. He was a right arm pace bowler and took 188 wickets for NSW at 32.13. His best season came in 1992/93 when he took 53 first-class wickets. In this season he became the first player in the history of Sheffield Shield cricket to take seven wickets in an innings in three consecutive matches. The tally included career-best figures of 7/41, which he took in the Sheffield Shield final against Queensland, which NSW won. He was rewarded with a spot in the 1993 Ashes touring squad and although he didn't play a Test he did take a hat-trick against Derbyshire in a warm up match and played a one-day match against Ireland, and took 3 for 13 off 6 overs. He also represented Australia B on a tour of Zimbabwe in 1991/92 under Mark Taylor and for Australia at the ICC Under 19's World Cup in 1988 which Australia won. In the season 1989/90 he was chosen for the Prime Minister's XI game against Pakistan and has been selected in a Northern Territory Invitation XI, Bradman XI and Australian Masters XI teams.
The stockily-built "quick" struggled to recapture his form and a consistent place in the NSW team following his tour of England and played his final first-class match in 1996. Nicknamed "Cracker", in his début First Class game, he took a wicket with his first ever ball for New South Wales in 1989 and also another wicket and a dropped catch in his first over.
He is all time wicket record holder at Bankstown in Sydney Grade with 511 First Grade wickets at 21.23 He also was leading season wicket taker for Bankstown in the 1986/87, 1995/96, 1997/98, 1999/00 and 2000/01.

Personal achievements