Ryan Hackney – The Consummate Opener

Parramatta District Cricket Club | September 11, 2025

At start of the 2021/22 season Ryan Hackney, then a young NSW contracted player, transferred his allegiance from the Penrith District Cricket Club to Parramatta, in search of a new challenge and to enhance his prospects of NSW first-class selection – in both these pursuits he was ultimately successful.

Ryan is the consummate opening batsman – in many ways the old style opener who blunts the attack – at the crease the left-hander is quiet in demeanour, fully switched on to the job ahead, unruffled, possesses loads of concentration and loves batting for long periods.

From the moment he ‘took up residence’ at the head of the Parramatta batting order he fortified it, steadfastly laying the platform for the launching of each of the team’s innings – his reliability brought a new dimension to the batting lineup and enabled them to establish team totals that allowed Parramatta’s young inexperienced bowling attack to have some room to learn and grow. His efforts with the bat greatly assisted in turning the Parramatta team into the competitive and successful force in has been over the past four seasons.

In his first season at Parramatta 2021/22 Ryan was in rich form compiling 745 runs @ 49.67 (H.S. -113) that led to him winning two of the club’s most prestigious awards – the ‘players’ player award’ – The Cumberland Medal, and the Doug Walters Batting award for being the club’s leading run-scorer for the season.

 2022/23 proved to be a champagne season for Ryan Hackney, he batted with a resolute assurance that enabled him to scale new horizons and, in the process, amass 1,043 runs @ 52.15 (in all formats) – the second player to Nick Bertus to achieve this milestone. His batting was a prime factor in Parramatta winning the prestigious Belvidere Cup, during that campaign he set a record for a Parramatta player in that competition of 961 runs, became only the fifth two-blues batsman to score four centuries in a season (193*, 144, 130, 118) and earnt himself another profusion of awards:

·      The Bill Anderson Memorial Trophy – Cricketer of the Year (Parramatta).

·      Cumberland Medal

·      Doug Walters Batting Award.

·      NSW Premier Cricket – Premiership Ring.

·      The Benaud Medal – for the Player of the match in the Belvidere Cup Grand Final.

His outstanding club form earned selection in the NSW 2nd eleven, where he performed well, and was rewarded with selection in the NSW State team against South Australia in the concluding round of the Sheffield Shield competition. In this match he demonstrated, to all and sundry, his capability as a classy opener by making 78 in the first innings and 104 in the second dig.

But it was Ryan’s brilliant batting deeds performed through the 2022/23 Finals series that registered strongest with the Parramatta faithful who were fortunate enough to be at these matches.

Almost coming straight from his Sheffield Shield match, he struck a solid half-century against St. George at Old Kings Oval in the Qualifying final, then in the Semi-Final also held at Old Kings against a strong Randwick team he lifted the ante and struck an accomplished 130 runs (328 balls) to help steer Parramatta into the Belvidere Cup Grand Final at NSW Cricket Central.

Hackney receives the Benaud Medal.

In the Grand Final Ryan Hackney produced ‘the innings of a lifetime’ – a showcase of technique, concentration, application, fitness and class he batted for two and a bit days. Sydney University were simply batted out of the game.

Hackney’s endeavours saw him undefeated on 193 runs – he became the first batsman to ‘carry his bat through an innings’ in a NSW Premier Cricket First Grade Grand Final, his 435 balls faced was the longest innings ever played in NSW Premier Cricket

Despite missing several matches in 2023/24 due NSW State commitments he again turned in yet another resolute season for Parramatta – churning out 724 runs @ 51.71 (H.S. – 95). Yet again he claimed the Doug Walters Batting Award.

The 2024/25 saw Ryan continue his outstanding batting feats with the club and he was the backbone of teams batting lineup on the way to another Belvidere Cup triumph, he secured one end and allowed the other players to bat around him. His efforts yielded another avalanche of runs – 922 @ 54.24 (H.S. – 130). His collection of trophies at Parramatta was boosted by yet another Cumberland Medal, Doug Walters Batting Award, a second Premiership ring and a Club Championship cap.

This fine cricketer was very well liked by both players and officials at Parramatta and will certainly be missed in 2025/26, when he will be playing in Adelaide in an endeavour to further his first-class career.

In just four seasons at P.D.C.C. he:

·      Made 3,434 runs @ 52.03 – including six centuries

·       Won two Belvidere Cup Premierships,

·       Won four Doug Walters Batting Awards,

·       Established a club Belvidere Cup batting aggregate record (961 runs)

·      Won one ‘Bill Anderson Memorial Trophy’ – Cricketer of the Year.

·      Won three Cumberland Medals.

Quite an impressive four seasons body of work.

 

By Tom Wood – Parramatta District Cricket Club Historian

BeaconPoint Wellbeing Clips - The Issue Parents May Underestimate