Do you have a young Ellyse Perry or Josh Hazlewood in your midst?
Nominations are now open for the 2026 Waratahs Ian Campbell Scholarship, with The Tahs of Armidale again calling for local clubs and schools to put forward promising young cricketers from across the Armidale district.
Now in its second year, the scholarship is open to a boy or girl under the age of 16 who is playing in competitions governed by the Armidale District Cricket Association and is nominated by an ADCA-affiliated junior or senior club. The award recognises outstanding skill, promise and attitude, along with a strong desire to compete at higher levels of the game.
The scholarship provides access to short-term training programs, high performance coaching and development pathways, including opportunities made possible through The Tahs’ ongoing relationship with Sydney Grade Club Manly Warringah District Cricket Club.
President of The Tahs of Armidale Andrew Davis said the partnership with Manly Warringah continued to create valuable opportunities for regional players.
“We are very pleased to have established a strong connection with Manly Warringah,” Mr Davis said. “David Gainsford and the team at Manly Warringah are again keen to support the successful Scholarship candidate in 2026, and beyond.”
The inaugural recipient of the scholarship in 2025 was East Armidale Cricket Club player Brooke Moran, who made full use of the opportunity. Brooke trained with Manly Warringah’s women’s squad and also undertook a one-on-one coaching session with Manly Warringah, Sydney Thunder, NSW and Australian representative Hannah Darlington.
Mr Davis said the scholarship was structured to fit around Brooke’s existing representative commitments, including her selection in the NSW Girls All Schools under 15 squad at the School Sport Australia Championships last September.
Following the program, Brooke was invited to continue engaging with Manly Warringah’s development pathway and recently played with the club’s under 18 women’s team in the Brewer Shield competition at Manly Oval. While her side went down by nine wickets, Brooke returned figures of 0/12 from six overs against top-level opposition.
The Tahs have increased the value of the scholarship for 2026 to $2,500, with $1,500 paid in the year of award and a further $500 paid in each of the following two years as the player progresses through their development and representative pathway.
“We recognise that the cost of travel to take up development pathway and representative opportunities can be a challenge for many talented young country cricketers and their families, and the scholarship can help to reduce that barrier,” Mr Davis said.
The revised structure has already been applied to last year’s awardee, with The Tahs contributing $500 towards Brooke Moran’s participation in the NSW CHS girls under 15 national championships in Perth this month. Brooke earned selection after being named player of the tournament at the NSW CHS championships.
Member clubs of the Armidale District Cricket Association, both junior and senior, as well as schools, are encouraged to nominate suitable candidates.
Nomination forms and further information are available through ADCA member clubs or by contacting The Tahs directly via email thetahs@gmail.com
Nominations close at 5 pm on Thursday, 30 April 2026.
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