Surrey's Matt Nicholson is currently having a great summer downunder. Playing for New South Wales, Matt has excelled with both bat and ball.

Click here to see Matt's Surrey TV player profile.

In five matches so far this 2007/08 Australian season, he has scored 288 runs at an average of 57.6, as well as capturing 13 wickets at 22.1 runs each. In mid October he picked up his highest first class score with 106 not out from 209 balls including 14 boundaries, against Western Australia at the WACA ground. Just a few days ago, against Queensland at the Brisbane Cricket Ground, he scored 80 from 109 balls in New South Wales' impressive 260 run win.

With four matches to play, three of these at their home, the Sydney Cricket Ground, New South Wales are equal on top of the Pura Cup ladder with Victoria. Both teams have 26 competition points and then follows Western Australia (20), South Australia (14), Tasmania (6) and Queensland (4). The Pura Cup is now the name of the old Sheffield Shield.

Matt played his lone Test for Australia in the 1998/99 Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground against England. He took four wickets in that match and his three wickets for 56 runs in England's second innings was Australia's best. He bowled Surrey team-mate Mark Ramprakash in the England second innings and picked up Nasser Hussain both times. England won a very tight game by 12 runs.

Matt made his first class debut, playing for Western Australia in November 1996 at Perth against the touring West Indies. The home team included Test men Adam Gilchrist, Mike Hussey, Brad Hogg, Justin Langer, Damien Martyn and ex Surrey man Brendan Julian, but the Windies won by nine wickets. Matt bowled 31 overs in the first innings taking three for 94 which was the best of the local bowlers.

At the moment Matt has played 112 first class games taking 390 wickets at 28.9 runs each with his fast medium deliveries. He has scored 2,792 first class runs with three centuries at an average of 22.2 and taken
64 catches.

He has played with Western Australia, Australia A, Australia, Northamptonshire, New South Wales and Surrey during his first class career. He also toured Zimbabwe in October with Australia on their five match, one Test tour. The only match he played on this tour was against the Zimbabwe President's XI, but he did not bat in either innings and did not take a wicket from his 15 overs. The breakdown of his statistics is as follows:

Western Australia (1,165 runs, 142 wickets), Australia A (7 runs, 4 wickets), Australia (14 runs, 4 wickets), Northamptonshire (454 runs, 46 wickets), New South Wales (912 runs, 150 wickets), Surrey (240 runs,
44 wickets).

By Barry Ross

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