Manly Warringah all-rounder Bertie Foreman has joined an illustrious list of English cricketers to win the O’Reilly Medal, awarded to NSW Premier Cricket’s first-grade men’s player of the year.
The talented off-spinner, an England Under-19 and Sussex representative, finished the competition as the leading wicket-taker with 50 scalps at 17.16 including three five-wicket hauls, helping Manly qualify for this weekend’s grand final against St George. He was named player of the match on five occasions throughout the summer with best bowling figures of 7-38 against Penrith in Round 16.
“The standard is probably better than I expected it to be,” Foreman told Fox Cricket this week.
“Australian batters play spin very differently to how English players do; there’s a lot less sweeps and they’re a lot more conventional. A lot of the time I find they like to hit hard and they like to hit straight.
“A lot of it is trying to get them to do something that they’re not comfortable doing, and then it almost becomes a game from there. You can try and get under their skin a little bit and vary up your paces.
“I just enjoy the game of trying to get someone out, and over here it’s been a little bit different going about it because of how they play, and I’ve loved exploring that challenge.”
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Sharing the umpire-voted award with Gordon’s Tym Crawford, Foreman becomes just the sixth Englishman to receive the prestigious accolade, alongside Mason Crane, Ian Salisbury, Mike Gatting, Geoff Boycott and Tony Greig.
The O’Reilly Medal has added significance for Foreman’s family, who hosted former England captain Greig when he first moved to Brighton from South Africa in the 1960s. Foreman’s grandfather Denis was another South Africa-born Sussex cricketer who also played 212 matches for Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club.
“It’s always nice to have your name next to those greats of the English game,” Foreman said.
“It’s a very special moment for my family as well, especially with my name next to Tony Greig.
“When Tony came over it was kind of like an easy set-up for them having someone that can relate to home.
“He was always Uncle Tony to my dad.”
Greig and Boycott both represented Eastern Suburbs during their Sydney grade cricket tenures in the 1970s, followed by fellow England captains Kevin Pietersen (Sydney University), Andrew Strauss (Mosman) and Nasser Hussain (Randwick Petersham).
Over the last couple of decades, there’s been an influx of English cricketers venturing down under to challenge themselves in Australian conditions, including Ashes players Rory Burns, Scott Borthwick, Mark Stoneman and Tim Bresnan. Five members of England’s current Test squad have competed in NSW Premier Cricket — vice-captain Ollie Pope, openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, bowler Ollie Robinson and young gun Harry Brook.
According to Foreman, English cricketers are encouraged to spend the off-season refining their craft in foreign conditions, with Sydney seemingly the most popular option.
“I feel you’re always going to come back a better player,” Foreman explained.
“You learn how to deal with different environments and different conditions.
“The advice I was given was just to embrace it and enjoy it. I just came out here with the mindset that I want to get better and I want to learn the game as much as I can.”
Foreman enjoyed a breakout 2023, touring Australia at the start of the year as a member of England’s Under-19 squad. He helped the national team clinch its first Youth Test victory in Australia since 2003, taking five wickets and scoring an unbeaten half-century during a four-day contest in Brisbane.
The left-handed batter made his one-day debut for Sussex in August last year, scoring 35 (44) and taking 1-40 against Worcestershire, but he’s still waiting for an opportunity to prove his worth in the County Championship.
“Cricket’s a numbers game. It’s a business like anything else,” Foreman said.
“If you put the right numbers, then you get rewarded with starts and results.
“I’m not a big long-term thinker. I like to take everything as they come.
“The summer out here has definitely helped me grow and develop as a player, and hopefully I can take this good form into the county season.
“I just want to play well in every game that I play in, and win every game that I play in. Then the rest of it takes care of itself.”
Foreman carried drinks during Steve Smith’s brief stint at Sussex ahead of the 2023 Ashes, training alongside the superstar cricketer in May last year.
“He’s pretty good at cricket, isn’t he? There’s no two ways about it,” Foreman said of the Australian vice-captain.
“Lovely guy, always open to a conversation. He’s an exceptional cricketer.”
When asked if he’d managed to knock over Smith in the nets, Foreman paused before sheepishly confessing: “See now, this is going to get me into trouble. Yes, once, and I do hold onto that.
“Definitely one to tell the grandkids about.”
Foreman has spent his Australian summer wandering around the northern beaches and playing golf with NSW Blues rising stars Oliver and Joel Davies.
The 19-year-old has resided in a Collaroy Plateau property with three Manly teammates, flying back to England next week ahead of the County Championship. He was meant to return home earlier this month, but Sussex has allowed the teenager to remain in Sydney for Manly Warringah’s finals campaign.
Foreman had an opportunity to train alongside the Blues this summer, where he sought advice from fellow off-spinner Chris Green, also picking the brains of Sydney Sixers tweakers Todd Murphy and Steve O’Keefe during the Big Bash League.
“I feel like I’ve learnt about myself and the game of cricket,” Foreman continued.
“I definitely feel like I understand the game a bit better, but still have a long way to go.”
It’s been a successful summer for Manly Warringah, with four grades qualifying for their respective grand finals. The squad is packed with state representatives, including Steve Waugh Medal recipient Jack Edwards, Blues bowler Ryan Hadley and the Davies brothers.
Manly’s first-grade side qualified for the grand final after securing draws against Gordon Northern District, batting out nearly 275 overs across two weekends without needing to bowl a delivery.
“Not going to lie, our groundsmen have just rolled out the M1 at Manly Oval,” Foreman laughed.
The grand final against St George gets underway at Silverwater’s Cricket Central on Saturday morning, with Manly Warringah needing nothing less than a victory to secure the Belvidere Cup for the first time in nearly a decade.
“A few of the lads could go off the grid for a week or so (if Manly wins),” Foreman continued.
“I would love to come back and play for Manly next year.
“I’ve already opened talks with Manly … they’ve treated me so well this summer.”
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