Fergus O'Neill
{{Short description|Australian cricketer (born 2001)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = Fergus O'Neill
| image =
| fullname = Fergus Patrick O'Neill
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|01|27|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Tauranga, New Zealand
| batting = Right-handed
| bowling = Right-arm fast
| role = Bowler
| club1 = Victoria
| year1 = {{nowrap|2021/22–present}}
| clubnumber1 = 17
| club2 = Melbourne Renegades
| year2 = {{nowrap|2023/24–present}}
| clubnumber2 = 69
| club3 = Nottinghamshire
| year3 = 2025
| clubnumber3 =
| columns = 3
| column1 = FC
| matches1 = 32
| runs1 = 904
| bat avg1 = 21.92
| 100s/50s1 = 0/2
| top score1 = 70*
| deliveries1 = 6,129
| wickets1 = 130
| bowl avg1 = 19.63
| fivefor1 = 7
| tenfor1 = 1
| best bowling1 = 5/19
| catches/stumpings1 = 10/–
| column2 = LA
| matches2 = 17
| runs2 = 113
| bat avg2 = 16.14
| 100s/50s2 = 0/0
| top score2 = 25*
| deliveries2 = 852
| wickets2 = 26
| bowl avg2 = 26.69
| fivefor2 = 0
| tenfor2 = 0
| best bowling2 = 4/22
| catches/stumpings2 = 4/–
| column3 = T20
| matches3 = 10
| runs3 = 54
| bat avg3 = 10.80
| 100s/50s3 = 0/0
| top score3 = 16*
| deliveries3 = 201
| wickets3 = 10
| bowl avg3 = 24.10
| fivefor3 = 0
| tenfor3 = 0
| best bowling3 = 3/16
| catches/stumpings3 = 3/–
| date = 22 April
| year = 2025
| source = https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/fergus-o-neill-1304286 ESPNcricinfo
}}
Fergus Patrick O'Neill (born 27 January 2001) is an Australian cricketer who plays domestic cricket for Victoria. He made his List A debut for Victoria against Western Australia in the 2021–22 Marsh One-Day Cup, and his first-class debut in the 2022–23 Sheffield Shield against South Australia.{{cite web |title=Fergus O'Neill |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/2512/2512039/2512039.html |website=CricketArchive |access-date=28 October 2023}} In the 2023–24 Big Bash League season he was signed by the Melbourne Renegades.{{cite web |title=O'Neill snaps up final list spot |url=https://www.melbournerenegades.com.au/news/3808202/oneill-snaps-up-final-list-spot |website=Melbourne Renegades |date=4 December 2023 |access-date=4 January 2024}}
Early life
Born in Tauranga, New Zealand, O'Neill was raised in Victoria.{{Cite web |date=10 December 2024 |title=NCCC News: Fergus O'Neill: From landscape gardening to the Green and Golds |url=https://www.trentbridge.co.uk/news/2024/december/fergus-oneill-from-landscape-gardening-to-the-green-and-golds.html |access-date=2025-04-04 |website=Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club}}
Career
In 2014, O'Neill and his father Peter O'Neill both scored centuries in the same North West Metro Cricket Association match for the Flemington Colts. Peter retired not out on 106, while Fergus was eventually caught for 104.{{cite web |last1=Michell |first1=Tim |title=Flemington Colts father-son combination Peter and Fergus O'Neill reach centuries in the same NWMCA match |url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/sport/flemington-colts-fatherson-combination-peter-and-fergus-oneill-reach-centuries-in-the-same-nwmca-match/news-story/bbdb2662e13113f82d3032c127a0c620 |website=Herald Sun |access-date=15 November 2022}} Fergus attended Maribyrnong College, a sports secondary school in Melbourne.
A bowling all-rounder, O'Neill plays for Melbourne in Victorian Premier Cricket. In 2019 he took a hat-trick against Monash, finishing with career-best figures of 6/25.{{cite web |last1=Amy |first1=Paul |title=Premier Cricket: Melbourne swing bowler Fergus O'Neill flattens Monash with hat-trick |url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/inner-south/sport/premier-cricket-melbourne-swing-bowler-fergus-oneill-flattens-monash-with-hattrick/news-story/594d1410cbf683b15fdd1fd1f0790721?amp |website=Herald Sun |access-date=15 November 2022}} In the 2021–22 season he received the Paul Sheahan Club Champion Award for his all-round performance, averaging 19.31 with the ball and 42.33 with the bat that year.{{cite web |title=Vine and O'Neill crowned Club Champions at MCC Cricket's night of nights |url=https://mcc.org.au/whats-on/latest-news/2022/may/vine-and-oneill-crowned-club-champions-at-mcc-crickets-night-of-nights |website=Melbourne Cricket Club |access-date=15 November 2022}}
O'Neill's performances in Premier cricket earned him a List A debut for Victoria later that season, as well as a first-class appearance for Victoria the following season in which he took four wickets on debut, including the wickets of Australian Test players Alex Carey, and Travis Head (twice).{{cite web |last1=Hatzoglou |first1=Max |title=How three teammates lifted Shield debutant from 'all over the shop' first spell to four-fa |url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/sport/how-three-teammates-lifted-shield-debutant-from-all-over-the-shop-first-spell-to-fourfa/news-story/386a2c8f58635913afcb9b3227209d7a |website=Herald Sun |access-date=15 November 2022}} In Victoria's victory over South Australia in the 2023–24 Sheffield Shield, he took five wickets in each innings.{{cite web |title=16th Match, Adelaide, November 28-December 01, 2023, Sheffield Shield |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/sheffield-shield-2023-24-1391768/south-australia-vs-victoria-16th-match-1391785/full-scorecard |website=Cricinfo |access-date=1 December 2023}}
O'Neill was named 2024–25 Sheffield Shield player of the season after taking 38 wickets at an average of 21.07.{{cite web|url=https://www.cricket.com.au/news/4238440/fergus-oneill-wins-sheffield-shield-2024-25-player-of-the-season-year-award-38-wickets-victoria-final-votes?|title=O'Neill crowned Shield's best, tipped for bigger opportunities|publisher=cricket.com.au|accessdate=22 April 2025}}
He signed for Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club to play in the opening four rounds of the 2025 County Championship.{{cite web |title=O'Neill Joins Notts For Opening Championship Rounds |url=https://www.trentbridge.co.uk/news/2024/december/oneill-joins-notts-for-opening-championship-rounds.html |access-date=10 December 2024 |website=Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/c0mvw1ynp8ro|title=Notts sign Australian fast-bowling all-rounder O'Neill|date=10 December 2024 |publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=10 December 2024}} O'Neill took 5/81 in the first innings of his debut match against Durham.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/cd02e1nnjdmo|title=Notts batters build solid platform against Durham|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=8 April 2025}} In his third outing for Nottinghamshire, he claimed new First Class career-best figures of 5/19 in the first innings against Warwickshire.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/ckg5kv8r9zlo|title=Hutton and O'Neill help Notts dominate Warwickshire|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=22 April 2025}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{cricinfo|id=1304286}}
{{Victoria cricket team squad}}
{{Melbourne Renegades current squad}}
{{Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club squad}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:ONeill, Fergus}}
Category:Australian cricketers
Category:Nottinghamshire cricketers
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
Category:Melbourne Renegades cricketers
Category:People educated at Maribyrnong College
Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen
{{Australia-cricket-bio-2000s-stub}}