Ben Abbott Retires 2024-25 - Parramatta District Cricket Club
Parramatta District Cricket Club | June 29, 2025
Parramatta’s dashing right-handed batsman Ben Abbott has ‘called stumps’ on a grand career with club, that commenced in traditional fashion via the A.W. Green Shield in 2007/08.
Ben is an entertainer, probably as explosive a batsman as any that have ever played for the club, capable of unleashing ferocious clean-hitting and at ‘full steam’ he burnishes his cricket bat like Thor’s Hammer crushing any bowler who has the audacity to deliver a ball in his direction.
The sturdily built right-hander is a cavalier character – sports a bushy bushranger beard, wears a Viking like pigtail hair style and is branded with a multitude of tattoos – and over the last few seasons the younger sibling of Sean Abbott has established himself as one of the most feared batsmen in Sydney 1st grade Premier Cricket.
In his first season NSW Premier Cricket he started in 5th grade and by season’s end he had played 2nd grade. But whilst finding feet over the next four seasons he rotated between 3rd and 2nd grade. Although he debuted in 1st grade in 2013/14, strong form in 2nd in 2014/15 (419 runs @ 29.93) and 2015/16 (454 runs @ 32.43) validated his credentials as a genuine first-grader and propelled him permanently into top grade from season 2016/17 onwards.
Whether batting in the middle-order or as an opener Ben could be ‘rocks or diamonds’, his whole-hearted attacking approach had spectators ‘glued to their seats’ enjoying his pulverising of opposing bowling attacks or disappointed at not seeing him in dynamic action if he missed out on the day.
Ben’s ability to ‘take the innings forward’ has proved invaluable to the Parramatta 1st grade team and he has played a strong part in the team’s recent successes. In all formats he has plundered 4,570 runs @ 25.53 (H.S. 164) in 1st grade. At his pinnacle in 2019/20 he enjoyed a bumper season carving out 925 runs @ 46.25, demolishing the Gordon bowlers at Chatswood Oval in a Belvidere Cup making 164 runs (10 x 6), and in a double-header Kingsgrove Cup T20 played at Merrylands Oval he became the only player to score a back-to-back centuries in this competition – v. Sydney University he carved out 115 (55 balls, 7 x 6), and v. Bankstown he smashed 126 runs (52 balls, 11 x 6).
Many avid NSW Premier Cricket observers find it astonishing that, in his prime seasons 2019 – 2021, Benny Abbott wasn’t snapped up by any of the Sydney Big Bash T20 franchises. He had potential crowd appeal, hit the ball harder than any other batsman in the grade competition and above all produced some astonishing displays of ravaging opponents bowling attacks.
During his career Ben compiled nine centuries (1st – 4, 2nd – 3rd – 1, A.W.G. – 1).
Ben also has had a very impressive record with Parramatta for being a member of Premiership winning teams:
- A.W. Green Shield – 2007/08
- Poidevin-Gray Shield – 2012/13
- 1st grade Belvidere Cup – 2017/18
- 1st grade Belvidere Cup – 2022/23
- 1st grade Belvidere Cup – 2024/25
Enjoy a happy retirement Ben, it won’t be the same at Old Kings Oval without you and your flashing bat or the hopeful anticipation of whether ‘Ben is on today.’
(By Tom Wood – Parramatta District Cricket Club Historian)
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