In profile: Sam Perry

In profile: Sam Perry

Sam Perry (OA2002) turned his passion for cricket into a career – now hosting a highly entertaining podcast attracting 500,000 weekly listeners.

Sam started his journey at St Andrew’s Cathedral School in 1994 (Year 4). His cricketing prowess led to his selection in the 1st XI in 1999, where he remained for three seasons. In his final season in 2001/02 he averaged 71.50 with the bat, which was almost double the average of the next best player in the team.

Sam ascended to the lofty heights of School Captain in 2002 and in his many speeches, coined the phrase ‘No Regrets’ – which came from Steve Waugh, the Captain of the Australian Test Cricket team at the time. It very quickly became a motto for life at the School and was a precursor to ‘SACS Pride’ which began around 2005.

Sam ascended to the lofty heights of School Captain in 2002 and in his many speeches, coined the phrase ‘No Regrets’ – which came from Steve Waugh, the Captain of the Australian Test Cricket team at the time. It very quickly became a motto for life at the School.

Sam’s passion for cricket led him into a career as a sports journalist, with a particular focus on cricket. His writing has appeared in The Guardian, SMH, The Age, Brisbane Times, WA Today and the Yorkshire Evening Post. Known colloquially as ‘Pez’, he has also had appearances on ABC TV, the Seven Network, BBC, ESPN and FOX Sports.

In 2015, Sam co-wrote a cricket novel called The Grade Cricketer, following development of the eponymous character on Twitter – which currently boasts more than 119,000 followers. A follow-up novel was released in 2017, titled Tea and No Sympathy.

In 2016, Sam established a wildly successful podcast with friend and fellow cricket tragic Ian Higgins, also called The Grade Cricketer. The entertaining podcast interviews cricketers from around the world and boasts more than 500,000 weekly listeners. Sam and Ian are currently taking the podcast on tour, playing to sold-out audiences around the country.

Sam now lives in Melbourne with his wife and two children but proudly returned to SACS for his 20-year reunion earlier this year.

Check out Sam’s interview with Ricky Ponting on The Grade Cricketer podcast