Robbie's 500th and Coverage

The Bears and St George marked Robbie Aitken's 500 game milestone at North Sydney Oval on Saturday with a presentation ahead of play. Bears’ President, Pat Lindsay, Craig Hambleton of the SCA and Cricket NSW CEO, Lee Germon, all spoke of Rob's immense contribution to the club and Premier Cricket, both on and off the field, before Rob was presented by a special baggy cap by the club and a plaque by Cricket NSW.

In paying tribute to Rob on behalf of the Bears, Pat said, "Rob is a once in a lifetime player for this club. You cannot write the history of North Sydney District Cricket Club without a lengthy chapter about Rob Aitken." He outlined Robbie's extraordinary statistics but highlighted how much more to Robbie there is beyond the stats. In particular, Robbie is not slowing down and is playing some of the best cricket of his career, he is a wonderful teammate and clubman, and has a deep passion for cricket and respect for Premier Cricket.

Craig Hambleton said that the milestone is a testament to Robbie's passion for the game, and his competitiveness and dedication. He also highlighted that Robbie is not only the the first in NSW but the first in Australia to play 100 First Grade matches in Premier Cricket. Lee Germon described the milestone as an "incredible feat" and noted that Premier Cricket is the lifeblood of the game in NSW, highlighting the contribution that Robbie has made to hundreds of players' careers.

The match itself was an extraordinary win for the Bears against a star-studded St George side, with Robbie a key contributor, conceding only 32 off his 10 overs. At the conclusion, both teams joined in a guard of honour as Robbie left the field after the handshakes.

During the last week, Robbie's feat has been celebrated in the Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, The Daily Telegraph, on the Fox Sports and Cricket NSW websites and, of course, in the club's own media. In particular, we released a documentary with interviews with club and teammates past and present, which shows the influence Robbie has had at the Bears - as well as sharing a few funny stories!

You can catch up with all the Bears' media coverage here.