Grade: 1
Round: 11
Dates(s): 25/1/14
Toss: SUCC
Result: Win
Game scores: SUCC 183 Manly 54
Notables: Nigel Cowell 7-22
REPORT details: As we cruised down the hill on Sydney Road, a typically flat and brown pitch stared back at us from the middle of Manly Oval. Excited at the prospect of renewing old rivalries with Manly, the nashball game had slightly more intensity than normal. Tim Ley had been getting some match management coaching from his mentor Tom Kierath and was even more hard done by than usual.
Mail won the toss (again) and had no hesitation batting on what looked to be a decent surface. None of the batsmen found the going easy as the pitch proved slower and offered more assistance than first thought. We were eventually dismissed just shy of the 50 overs having scratched together 183. High fives and handshakes from the Manly boys at halfway but we thought we had a defendable total.
We were right, very right. Nigel Cowell produced the spell of the season, well supported by Tim Ley bowling into a strong southerly to reduce the opposition to 9 for 17. Nigel finished with career best 7 for 22 And at one stage had 7 for 8 with 4 of them coming from an edge through slips. One Manly batsman looked as if he was considering kicking the stumps over for the second time in the day rather than face up to Nige's pace and bounce.
A rousing rendition of the song (great acoustics in the Manly sheds) and the students had claimed top spot leading into the one day semis. A big weekend looms against two good sides in Northern District and Bankstown.
Grade: 2
Round: Round 11
Dates(s): 25 Jan 2014
Toss: Manly
Result: Sydney Uni won by 3 wickets
Game scores: Manly 150 All Out, Sydney Uni 7-151
Notables: B. Joy 4-15, L.McMahon 4-16, J. Hill 46n/o, S. Hobson 37
REPORT details: Round 11 saw the old arch nemesis Manly travel across the bridge to lock horns with bitter rivals Sydney University. They won the toss and chose to bat and were made to instantly regret this decision as they slumped to 8-59, this was largely due to the persistent line and length display from Ben Joy (4-15) and Lewis McMahon (4-16) who were the beneficiaries of very generous seam bowling conditions. There was ample sideways movement which at times proved hard to control, the ball also seamed greatly which resulted in a major collapse. The innings could have been wrapped up shortly after and a 2pm finish in sight when the last recognised Manly batsman presented an opportunity, unfortunately it went to a fielder still battling demons from the wee hours of the morning and the Manly innings was allowed to continue. Tom Kierath's ability to 'seal the deal' was brought into question by the opposition number 11 batsman, however Captain Two Plates soon snared the final wicket to have Manly bundled out for 150.
The team dispersed during the innings break, some went to support Fourth Grade, others sought refuge in the shade and some were busy performing exorcisms in preparation for what would prove to be a tricky run chase.
The chase started positively with a flurry of sundries and positive stroke play from Ed Arnott (28) helping the Students to 2-55 at a healthy run rate. This start ensured there would be no scoreboard pressure, the only obstacle to victory would be keeping wickets in hand. Steve Hobson (37) began his innings in typical fashion (6,4,4) and combined with Jack Hill (46*) to post a 53 run 4th wicket partnership and at 4-108 it appeared Uni was home. From this point Manly adjusted their bowling tactics and attempted to make it difficult to score freely. This pressure resulted in a few quick wickets and forced the Students to really scrap their way over the line. Joshy Toyer angrily glided a wide ball to backward point and scrambled a quick single to give Uni a tense win. An invaluable victory that we can draw on in March/April when a dogged performance is required.
Grade: 3
Round: Round 11
Dates(s): 25 Jan 2014
Toss: Manly
Result: Sydney Uni won
Game scores: Manly 199, Sydney Uni 7-264
Notables: Max Hope 93& 2/36; Joe Kershaw 57 & 2/29; Jack Holloway 26; Will Clayton 2/28
REPORT details:
An overcast morning and yet another Greentop greeted the top of the table third grade side for their clash against ye olde enemy, Manly-Warringah. A lacklustre game of Rare v Non-Rare Nash was played out on a more than questionable field with the Rares stealing a 4-0 victory. In what must be the Nash blunder of the season, newcomer Joey Kershaw quickly learnt that Jack ‘Eric Bumaway Neymar Ronaldo Mycricket Stat Nuffie’ Holloway’s ability to create pure chaos on the field is far greater than his ability to wear a different bit of SUCC apparel from the past six seasons. That says something.
Smash continued his excellent form with the toss (2/11) as the Units got sent in on a fresh strip of green which got even Bomber excited. Coming off a stellar century in Fours, Rig Ryan continued his positive approach, opening the stick in his beloved Blue and Yellow Baggy and Woody Allen glassed that reeked of “Please Bump Me”. After a steady start, Max ‘Popey, Mario, Two First Names, The One Day a Week Paleo, Hand of God’ Hope entered the crease and continued his ‘more ass than class’ batting approach that surprisingly hasn’t worked very often this season. He found some healthy support in the form of the Skipper, who proceeded to smoke 25 off a good 12 balls and Joe Kershaw. Kersh proceeded to get off the mark with a huge horn over mid-on. After a few technical sight screen difficulties which saw five blokes moving one screen and ended up with the batters not bothering to get them moved, a 106 run partnership between the Country lads set the students up for a big last 10 overs. Even when the Better looking version of Henry Clark fell for 93 and JK for 57, a few late order cameos including one from Kieran ‘The Bra Boy’ Tate saw the SUCC lads finish with a more than competitive 9/264 off their 50 sets.
Needing a good start, Bomber, coming off a ‘special’ Friday night pepsi of his own, bowled with genuine wheels down breeze whilst Joey showed why he is a promising recruit for the club, displaying an abundance of play and misses from the Manly Openers who struck an uncanny resemblance to Nigel Thornberry off Nickelodeon’s ‘The Wild Thornberries’. Popey then continued his excellent form in the field for 2013/14, and being sick of clapping them all year, thought headbutting the Kookaburra might be a better option. Suspicion was raised that it may very well be a new variation of Logsy’s two touch technique.With a few early wickets and possibly the worst set of pads in the Sydney Grade Competition on the Manly number 3 batsmen (to which Rig strongly let him know that they were genuine youths and he was only ever getting out LBW, to which he did) and the score at a delicate stage of 4/80, Manly began to regroup with a strong middle order partnership. Enter the Captain of the Rare XI, Will ‘Jim’s Mowing’ Clayton. Clayson bowled with supreme precision and consistency, eventually being rewarded with the key wicket of the skipper. Coming off a hefty 18 run first over, Ronnie ‘Wiz Dope Fresh Khalifa’ tied the run rate back in Uni’s favour. His trademark zoota, was head and shoulders above a Manly batsman, who was dismissed foolishly trying to cut, pull, slog of some kind and was hit on the back pad in front of middle.
All in all, a very consistent team effort was produced by the Uni Boys, the good Ooolllllll’ Uni boys, to get up over the arch-enemy. We now look forward to getting back into the two-dayers, where we remain undefeated.
Grade: 4
Round: 11
Dates(s): 25/01/2014
Toss: Manly
Result: SUCC won by 6 wickets
Game scores: Manly 8/213 def by SUCC 4/214
Notables: Tom Hill 4 wickets, Suda 81, Maddocks 45 n.o., & Devaraj 43
REPORT details: The much sought after battle between Manly & SUCC meant there was another highly prized scalp for the 4th grade students. Momentum of recent rounds resulted in the young student battalion turning up to the Uni no.2 fortress primed and ready. We were greeted by a lush outfield , the fabled flat Uni.2 surface, and a Manly side of a similar make up.
After winning 3 from 3 tosses, the wily skipper decided this toss might just be the right one to lose (stroke of brilliance) and the students were in the field. Enter Tom "Benny" Hill and the back slaps & neknominate banter was quick to follow. The young quick showed great skill and control with the new ball taking 3 wickets and getting the group of to a fantastic start. The other bowlers all followed up Tommy's lead and the students were in a strong position at the 40 over mark with Manly at 8/140. Some good lower order hitting put a slight halt to the uni boys momentum and gave the Manly bowlers 213 to defend in the afternoon.
Despite my lack of finger nails as I type it must be said that the students chase was very well measured and craftily anchored by the veteran, Suda Sivapalan. Suda batted beautifully with all his partners and was involved in one 100+ partnership and another 50+ partnership. Suda both bludgeoned and blunted the youthful Manly attack and was very well assisted by Andrew "pool parties aren't my thing" Devaraj and Jack "Boy Wonder" Maddocks.
All in all a very strong performance against the 3rd ranked side of the comp and this certainly confirms the SUCC 4s as the competition smokey.