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Andrew Balbirnie is the latest Irish player who will play for Randwick Petersham in Australia as part of the ongoing overseas player development partnership between the Sydney based club and Cricket Ireland.
Andrew Balbirnie is the latest Irish player who will play for Randwick Petersham in Australia as part of the ongoing overseas player development partnership between the Sydney based club and Cricket Ireland.

Balbirnie will spend the next three months playing for the ‘Randy Petes’ as he continues his recuperation from surgery on the hip injury which saw him released by Middlesex earlier this year.
Ireland used the Coogee club as their base prior to the 2015 World Cup and have forged a mutually beneficial alliance ever since, which sees Balbirnie following in the footsteps of Barry McCarthy, Peter Chase and Graeme McCarter who have all had spells at the club in recent seasons.

“It’s great to be at such a warm and welcoming club,” said Balbirnie. “It has been a very difficult five-six months for me and to be sent out here and received so well by everyone is amazing.

“Barry McCarthy was a very popular figure here last year and I hope to continue that trend.

“To be able to continue my rehab while training at Coogee Oval and the SCG is exactly what I need to get back on track with my cricket career.

“I’d like to pay huge thanks to John Stewart and Mike Whitney from Randwick Petersham and Cricket Ireland for giving me this wonderful opportunity.”

Cricket Ireland Performance Director Richard Holdsworth welcomed the continuation of the ongoing intitiative saying: “I’d like to thank Randwick Petersham for their ongoing support of Irish cricket. It’s a great programme and is just what the doctor ordered for Andrew.

“I’m sure the spell in Sydney will see him return to the form he showed during last year’s World Cup with half centuries against South Africa and Zimbabwe.”

Balbirnie has made a strong start on Australian soil scoring 53* retired in the 1s/2s trial at Kensington Oval in his first game and followed that with 25 against Fairfield Liverpool last weekend.


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