About the Kookaburras

Established in 1987, the New York Kookaburras are a cricket club for Australian expats.

The New York Kookaburras (“NYKCC”) are more than just a cricket club - we are at the center of the Australian community in the Big Apple. We provide an opportunity for Australian expats living in New York to connect with fellow Australians and play cricket as part of a community-oriented club. The New York Kookaburras welcome players of all skill levels - whether that be at the highest level or players that haven’t picked up a cricket bat since primary school. We welcome friends and family to become part of the club - we have an active social calendar throughout the year in which players and non-players alike come together to meet new people and strengthen the ties of the Australian community in New York.

The New York Kookaburras play cricket matches in the following three competitions / formats:

World Series League (“WSL”)

• The NYKCC compete in the WSL - an annual cricket league consisting of eight clubs from the New York, New Jersey and southern Connecticut area

• Matches are a 35-over per side format and take place most Saturdays between May and September each year

• The NYKCC began competing in the WSL in 2021 and won its first WSL premiership in 2024

Philadelphia International Cricket Festival (“PICF”)

• The NYKCC field a touring team each year in the PICF - an annual four-day cricket festival made up of teams from around the world that convene on Philadelphia In early-May each year to participate in the annual cricket festival

• Matches are a 20-over per side format and are held throughout Philadelphia at historically-significant and picturesque cricket grounds that hosted first-class matches involving touring Australian teams at the turn of the 20th century

NY Ashes, Kepler Wessels Trophy, and More

• The NYKCC plays annual matches against other NY expat communities and other cricket clubs throughout the United States

• In 2024, we reclaimed the NY Ashes after beating the NY England expats and successfully defended the NY Kepler Wessels trophy after beating the NY South Africa expats in a T20 match contested under lights

Club History

The Kookaburras have a rich history playing cricket in New York and across the United States for nearly 40 years

Founded by Drew de Carvalho and with the help of then Consulate General Chris Hurford, the Kookaburras played their first match in Central Park against a NY England side.

Since then, the Aussies have played matches against other local clubs and international expat sides. Annual matches have risen from four per year to now competing annually in the World Series League, Philadelphia International Cricket Festival, contesting annual expat matches, and playing against various other teams, with clubs from across the United States and abroad keen to play against the New York Kookaburras. The history behind a number of these annual fixtures include:

In 2004, the first Gregory Cup match was played against Merion Cricket Club. 

The first Australian national team to play in Philadelphia was captained by D.W. Gregory in 1878. That Australian team played the Gentlemen of Philadelphia (GOP) XI at the Germantown CC, whose ground was then located in Nicetown, PA, on October 3, 4 and 5. The Australian team was on its way home, via the USA, having made the very first tour of England by an Australian national team that summer. That match was drawn. The Australian national team made subsequent visits to play cricket vs the GOP XI in 1882, 1893, 1896 (when the teams played their first match at Merion, at the Haverford ground), 1912 (when another game was played at MCC at Haverford), and 1913 (when two matches were played at Merion CC).

In 2004, the Gregory Cup cricket match was the idea of then Australian Consul General in New York, Mr. Ken Allen. Mr. Allen would put together an ‘Australians in NY’ cricket team to play at Merion CC at Haverford, against a Merion CC team. In earlier years the Australian team was known as the "Consul General's XI". In recent years, the Australian team has toured as the "New York Kookaburras". The trophy, named the "Gregory Cup", is Britannia ware metal and was an award for cricket originally made in 1883.

David Anstice, Chair of the Merion Cricket Committee

In 2012, the first annual New York Chappell-Hadlee match was played against NY New Zealand.

In 2015, when the Cricket All-Stars matches were played in the USA to promote the sport, T20 games were played at the Mets Citifield in Flushing. The Kookaburras hosted the retired stars of international cricket around the Big Apple, brushing shoulders with the likes of Shane Warne, Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Wasim Akram and Glenn McGrath. In the same year, the Kookaburras began awarding bottle green baggy caps to players. Over 100 Australians have earned their New York Baggy Green caps playing for the New York Kookaburras.

In 2017, the Tom Culp Cup against Philadelphia Cricket Club and the Dick Clark Cup against Columbia Cricket Club were initiated.

In 2018, the Kookaburras were invited to play in the prestigious Philadelphia International Cricket Festival, which is played on some of the most distinguished country club facilities in north east America against teams from around the world.

In 2021, the Kookaburras played their inaugural league season after being invited to join the New York WSL.

In 2024, the Kookaburras claimed their first WSL premierships after joining the league four years earlier.

Kookaburra Player Numbers

Since 2015, the New York Kookaburras have awarded baggy green caps to the following players:

We welcome players of all skill levels. Keen to get involved?