Sullivans’ big day out: Torquay cricket trio enjoy day out with bat and ball

Nigel, Jack and Pat Sullivan enjoyed a day out on the pitch last weekend for Torquay Cricket Club, with the trio playing key roles for their respective sides.

The club’s Fourths captain and father of the trio Nigel Sullivan walked off the field on Saturday after smashing 90 runs not out, humbling thinking he had the family bragging rights sewn up for the day.

However, in the Tiger’s Firsts, 18-year-old fast bowler Jack would star with the new ball, rolling Murgheboluc’s top order with 6-27.

Not to be left out, 15-year-old all-rounder Pat made 48 not out in the Under 17s before backing it up with 5-19 for the men’s Seconds in the afternoon.

“We were all on a high on Saturday night, the three of us,” Nigel Sullivan said.

“We had a bit of a celebration down at the clubrooms. It was a thrill, especially because all of our teams had won.”

Youngest brother Henry also crafted a nice innings before Nigel stepped in during the fourths match.

“I actually retired him early, so he probably could have made a reasonable score as well,” Nigel said.

“He did take a blinder of a catch near the boundary running backwards though. I don’t reckon any of the adults in the team would have taken it.”

Nigel said he had thoroughly enjoyed getting back into the game as an adult after giving the game away as a 15-year-old.

He said he was proud to have now played senior grade with all three of his sons.

 

 

“I got sick of sitting on the sidelines watching and thought I might as well have a crack myself, and I’ve absolutely loved every minute of it,” he added.

“The trouble is, I normally only get a year or a year-and-a-half with each of them, because they get too good too quickly for me!”

His eldest Jack is likely to have played his only outing for Torquay for the season, having decided to step into Premier Cricket with Melbourne.

The young gun has also recently returned from a winter of cricket in England, primed to make his mark at a top level.

“It felt different to previous years,” Jack said.

“I don’t think I’d really made much of an impact in the Firsts previously, so I’m happy I could walk away with something to remember.”

Nigel, Pat and Henry will pad up again for Torquay this week against Geelong City, while Jack pulls on the Melbourne colours against

Kingston Hawthorn.