15 Influential Leaders in Cricket in Sydney Today

Sydney’s cricket community is shaped by people working across governance, participation, performance, professional clubs and grassroots volunteering. The leaders below represent different parts of that wider system, with current public links to the Sydney cricket community.

This is a practical starting point for anyone who wants to understand the people shaping cricket conversations across Sydney. It includes leaders in organisations with different purposes, so the value is in the contrast: what changes when cricket serves communities, pathways, clubs, teams and families?

Last updated: 6 August 2026.

Why these cricket leaders matter in Sydney.

Cricket leadership is not one job. It is the work of building participation, developing players, creating strong clubs, coaching teams and keeping a pathway open for the next person. Looking at those connected roles gives a more useful picture of Sydney cricket than a list of famous players alone.

1. Lee Germon.

Chief Executive Officer.

Lee Germon is Chief Executive Officer at Cricket NSW. The current Cricket NSW executive page names him in that role, and the public profile places the organisation and his work in the Greater Sydney Area. That gives him a system-wide remit across the state game, from community participation to elite pathways and representative cricket.

Read the official role source: https://www.cricketnsw.com.au/executive-leadership-team. Public professional profile: https://au.linkedin.com/in/lee-germon-069269152.

2. Martin Gleeson.

Chief Community Cricket Officer.

Martin Gleeson is Chief Community Cricket Officer at Cricket NSW. His remit sits at the participation end of the game, where clubs, volunteers, juniors and community programmes create the base for future players and supporters. The current executive page and public profile together connect his leadership work with Cricket NSW and the Sydney cricket community.

Read the official role source: https://www.cricketnsw.com.au/executive-leadership-team. Public professional profile: https://au.linkedin.com/in/martinjgleeson.

3. David Misson.

Performance Director.

David Misson is Performance Director at Cricket NSW. The organisation says his brief includes elite teams, pathways, sports science, sports medicine, technology, data and Premier Cricket, which puts performance leadership across more than one squad. His public professional profile also records current Cricket NSW experience, making him a useful name for anyone interested in how the Sydney game develops people and systems.

Read the official role source: https://www.cricketnsw.com.au/news/4482779/david-misson-joins-cricket-nsw. Public professional profile: https://au.linkedin.com/in/david-misson-bb82699b.

4. Brad Haddin.

NSW Blues Head Coach.

Brad Haddin is NSW Blues Head Coach. Cricket NSW appointed him to oversee the Blues programme and help develop first-class and Australian players, bringing an experienced former international wicketkeeper into the state coaching environment. The public professional profile is resolved to Brad Haddin and the official appointment story supplies the current role evidence.

Read the official role source: https://www.cricketnsw.com.au/news/4470634/brad-haddin-named-nsw-blues-head-coach. Public professional profile: https://au.linkedin.com/in/brad-haddin-379326223.

5. Peter Clarke.

NSW Breakers Head Coach.

Peter Clarke is NSW Breakers Head Coach. Cricket NSW appointed him on a three-year deal and described a background that includes work with the Australian women’s team and almost a decade leading University of Queensland men’s first-grade cricket. That mix of high-performance psychology, coaching and development makes his role relevant well beyond match day.

Read the official role source: https://www.cricketnsw.com.au/news/4264612/breakers-welcome-peter-clarke-as-head-coach. Public professional profile: https://au.linkedin.com/in/peter-clarke-b67076127.

6. Rachael Haynes.

General Manager.

Rachael Haynes is General Manager at the Sydney Sixers. The club promoted her into the role after a distinguished playing career, and her current public profile records Sydney Sixers work as well as a leadership background that includes captaining Australia. Her position links the professional club, its people, its community and its long-term culture.

Read the official role source: https://www.sydneysixers.com.au/news/3906261/haynes-appointed-sixers-gm. Public professional profile: https://au.linkedin.com/in/rachael-haynes-42625ba1.

7. Matthew Mott.

BBL Head Coach.

Matthew Mott is BBL Head Coach at the Sydney Sixers. The club appointed him for the next two seasons, giving the men’s programme a coach with a substantial high-performance background across domestic and international cricket. His public profile records the Sydney Sixers role, while the club announcement supplies the current appointment.

Read the official role source: https://www.sydneysixers.com.au/news/4539667/sydney-sixers-appoint-matthew-mott-as-bbl-head-coach. Public professional profile: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/matthew-mott-244126184.

8. Trent Copeland.

General Manager.

Trent Copeland is General Manager at Sydney Thunder. The club appointed the former player to lead the organisation strategically, with a brief that connects professional cricket to community work and the club’s Western Sydney and South Asian relationships. His current public profile records Sydney Thunder work and recent leadership activity around the club.

Read the official role source: https://www.sydneythunder.com.au/news/3906258/trent-copeland-appointed-thunder-gm. Public professional profile: https://au.linkedin.com/in/trent-copeland-a0410b33.

9. Andrew Flintoff.

BBL Head Coach.

Andrew Flintoff is BBL Head Coach at Sydney Thunder. The club appointed him through the end of BBL17 and framed the move around building a modern high-performance environment. His public professional profile is resolved to Andrew Flintoff, while the current Thunder announcement supplies the Sydney coaching role.

Read the official role source: https://www.sydneythunder.com.au/news/4512181. Public professional profile: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/andrewflintoff.

10. Lisa Keightley.

WBBL Head Coach.

Lisa Keightley is WBBL Head Coach at Sydney Thunder. The club re-signed her through WBBL13 after recording 17 wins and two finals across her first three seasons, extending a coaching relationship built around high-performance women’s cricket. Her public profile records a long high-performance career and current cricket leadership work.

Read the official role source: https://www.sydneythunder.com.au/news/4522001/keightley-re-signs-as-wbbl-head-coach. Public professional profile: https://in.linkedin.com/in/lisa-keightley-465773a3.

11. Ashleigh Gardner.

Captain and allrounder.

Ashleigh Gardner is captain and an allrounder for the Sydney Sixers. The current player page lists her as captain, while her public professional profile places her in Australian, NSW Breakers and Sydney Sixers cricket. Her leadership sits at the intersection of performance, visibility and the growth of women’s cricket in Sydney.

Read the official role source: https://www.sydneysixers.com.au/players. Public professional profile: https://au.linkedin.com/in/ashleigh-gardner-05b515218.

12. Ellyse Perry.

Allrounder.

Ellyse Perry is an allrounder and long-standing leader at the Sydney Sixers. The club has described her as one of the game’s all-time greats and re-signed her for a further three seasons, while the current player page records her Sixers role. Her influence is visible in performance, club identity and the next generation of women’s cricket.

Read the official role source: https://www.sydneysixers.com.au/news/4287712/perry-to-be-a-sixer-for-life. Public professional profile: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/ellyse-perry-8bb4a427.

13. Lauren Cheatle.

NSW Breakers Captain.

Lauren Cheatle is NSW Breakers Captain. Cricket NSW appointed her after nearly a decade in the Breakers set-up, noting her experience across state and Australian cricket. She represents the kind of leadership that is built through continuity, responsibility and a clear connection with the Sydney pathway.

Read the official role source: https://www.cricketnsw.com.au/news/4355719/cheatle-to-lead-breakers. Public professional profile: https://au.linkedin.com/in/lauren-cheatle-3714b3238.

14. Tahlia Wilson.

Wicketkeeper-batter and vice-captain.

Tahlia Wilson is a wicketkeeper-batter in the NSW Breakers leadership group. Cricket NSW has identified her as a senior contributor and previously confirmed her as vice-captain, while the current public profile connects her with cricket and community sport. Her influence comes through consistency, communication and the development of a strong women’s pathway.

Read the official role source: https://www.cricketnsw.com.au/news/4534458/nsw-breakers-202627-wncl-schedule-confirmed. Public professional profile: https://au.linkedin.com/in/tahlia-wilson.

15. Heidi Vanderlem.

Community cricket volunteer and club leader.

Heidi Vanderlem is a community cricket volunteer and club leader connected with Emu Plains Cricket Club and the Nepean District Cricket Association. Cricket NSW recognised her as Cricket Australia’s National Volunteer of the Year after eight years of service, with leadership spanning teams, committees and junior cricket. Her story shows how much of Sydney cricket is built away from the professional scorecard.

Read the official role source: https://www.cricketnsw.com.au/news/4503877/heidi-vanderlem-recognised-as-cricket-australias-national-volunteer-of-the-year. Public professional profile: https://au.linkedin.com/in/heidivanderlem.

A practical next step.

If you are researching Sydney cricket, start with the official club and Cricket NSW pages linked above. Roles and squads can change, so check the current source before making a professional decision.

Final note.

This is a recognition directory, not a ranking or a claim that these are the only influential people in Sydney cricket. Part Two can extend the list when stronger current evidence is found.

About the author.

Jonno White is a Brisbane-based leadership consultant, keynote speaker and Certified Working Genius Facilitator, and the author of Step Up or Step Out. He works with schools, corporates and nonprofits around the world. To enquire about a keynote, workshop or facilitated leadership session, email jonno@consultclarity.org.