Over the weekend, Sydney Uni Cricket took its first clean sweep of the year during Round 8 of the NSW McDonald's Premier Cricket Competition against Fairfield-Liverpool. All players across the Club's 6 teams performed outstandingly as they head into some well-deserved time off over the Christmas break and into the new year.
Congratulations to all players on their achievements during the 2017-18 season so far. We wish you all the best over the Christmas break and look forward to a successful remainder of the season in 2018.
MATCH RESULTS
1ST GRADE
Sydney Uni 6-314: N Larkin 136, H Kerr 62, T Cummins 43*
Fairfield-Liverpool 9-267: L Robertson 2-29, T Ley 2-43, D Malone 2-68
The students turned up to a sweltering Rosedale Oval keen on grabbing an all important win to round out the first half of the season. Nash ball was gain a hotly contested affair with the batsmen going down in dubious circumstances. Onto the fixture and Uni won yet another toss and quickly elected to bat. The return of Nick Larkin to the top of the order settled some nerves as he settled into his work. It was his opening partner Hayden Kerr however, who again led the early charge with some clean ball striking. Kerr passed 50 for a 4th time this season before being dismissed for a well made 63. The dynamic right hand bat as truly brought another dimension to the uni side up the top of the order in white ball cricket. Fingers crossed he stays off the Christmas ham and continues his form into 2018.
Upon HK's dismissal bowling all-rounder Ed Cowan joined Larkin in the middle and immediately began to put the Fairfield side under immense pressure with a brilliant display of running between the wickets and backing up. Such was his enthusiasm that the heat eventually got to him as he was dismissed for a quickfire 30. By this stage Larkin had well and truly settled into his work and provided the much needed backbone to the uni innings. Another handy contribution by Tim Cummins (43*) along with some brutal stroke play to the end the innings saw Uni eventually finish on 6-314. Larkin solid throughout the innings only to be dismissed on the final ball for a breath taking 136. Nick now joins Ed Cowan on 12 First Grade hundreds for the club. A remarkable and well deserved achievement for a player who has worked tirelessly at his game.
Defending 314 for a place in the top 6 before the break, Tim Ley (fresh off his engagement to fellow mid-tier member Briony Campbell) got the students off to the perfect start trapping Srivastava in front for a duck. Hayden Kerr chipped in with the 2nd wicket as the score had moved to 64 in just the 12th over. Enter the spin twins who quickly settled into their work strangling the batsmen. It was Malone who grabbed the big breakthrough after a sharp piece of work behind the stumps saw Critchley stumped for a quickfire 49. Not to be outdone - Tedro Cowan deceived up and coming batsmen Luke Ohrynowsky with some delicious flight to have him well caught in the outfield by fellow twin Malone.
With uni looking well on top at this stage it was only the heat that provided a real threat. Tim Cummins had to see out the remainder of the game from the sidelines as the mercury went through the roof. With 10 men on the field Liam Robertson chipped in with some vital breakthroughs to halt any hopes Fairfield had of a victory. From that moment Devlin Malone and Joe Kershaw returned to grab a couple of freebies as the students claimed a hard fought victory and celebrated well into the night. See you in 2018 for what promises to be a closely contested run to the finals.
2ND GRADE
Sydney Uni 5-300: N Craze 162*, A Shaw 43, J Larkin 35
Fairfield-Liverpool 8-211: B Joy 4-25, J Craig-Dobson 2-35
3RD GRADE
Sydney Uni 0-113: B Larkin 72*, M Powys 41*
Fairfield-Liverpool 112: J Lawson 4-33, L Whitaker 3-27, J Toyer 2-24
What a difference a week makes. After a couple of lean (nude) rounds the Units travelled to the outer suburbs hungry to take some points against the Lions going into the festive period. Fairfield Oval was the venue, and on a bright sunny day we were greeted by a good pitch that promised plenty of reward for the batsmen who applied themselves. Despite my repeated comments during the week that we would be treated to multiple (mixed quality) baseball contests on the adjoining diamond, lamentably it was not to be, and we had the 3-hectare complex to ourselves.
In a move that shocked your scribe, everyone was bright eyed and bushy tailed and on time, so young had the extra man in Nash which they used to good effect, coming away with a hard-fought victory to end the year on a high. Much soul searching and time in the Nash nets for your scribe over the next 3 weeks, it was another absolutely horrific performance from one who was once rightly considered in the top handful at the club (circa 2006) but now appears to be languishing in an extended dotage (2010 – present).
At any rate, it was back to type as I lost the toss and the units were asked to field. A solid start from the Lions built a platform but this was rapidly undone by the devastatingly rare spin partnership of Leggie and Whit. The spin twins took wickets at both ends (including a catch each off the other’s bowling) to rip the heart out of the Lions’ middle order, with a relatively stable 2/63 becoming 9/97. Toyerbald chimed in at the start and the finish, taking as many wickets as he went through playing shirts (2) and also effecting a comical run-out after, in the words of Wood, performing “the worst drop he has ever seen”… All out 112, and on a road that was never going to be enough, the only questions being how many overs it would take, and how many wickets would be lost. The answers were not many and nought, respectively.
After a sumptuous pork roll ($3 each, god knows how that little bakery ever stands to make any profit with those razor thin margins) openers Larkin and the newly promoted Powys set about ticking off the runs. Larkin in particular was disdainful, batting as he liked as the poor bowlers were dispatched to all parts of complex including a magnificent straight 6 off a medium pacer. It has often been said that Chip has the full range of shots, but he has the supreme patience to not use them (I said it to at least 4 different groups of people on Sat arvo/evening, and it’s probably been said by someone else once) and indeed it was the case on the day. Joe Dirt for once was the slow and circumspect partner, and his run a ball 41* was overshadowed by Chippers masterful 72*.
To chase the total none down in 16 overs was a pretty comprehensive display, and the Units retired to the shade at No1 in good time to tuck into a few of TK’s ice-cold premiums (Stone and Wood, delicious) and prepare for the xmas party. Multiple stories emerged from the evening’s festivities, and these are quite obviously not suitable for publication in this forum. Suffice to say a good night was had by all.
We go to the break poised in 7th and with 3 tough fixtures early in the new year we have an opportunity to test ourselves against the best and hopefully leapfrog some teams above us at present and get back to where we belong.
4TH GRADE
Sydney Uni 5-101: T Fullerton 39*
Fairfield-Liverpool 100: AJ Grant 4-23, A Peek 3-24, R Browne 2-13
5TH GRADE
Sydney Uni 9-245: A Wilkinson 49*, R Bulger 38, J Robertson 36, H Storey 35
Fairfield-Liverpool 148: M Miles 3-23, M Phoebus 3-25, R Bulger 2-39
METRO CUP
Sydney Uni 3-138: J Dimas 47, N Mortimer 40*, R Rahman 29
Randwick Petersham Green 133: M Shanahan 5-32, A Kirubanandan 3-16
A home game and some welcome general lineup stability for Metro this week against our recent arch rivals Randwick Petersham Green. Fortunately an official umpire is appointed for the match, saving the Uni captain a trip to the doctor for blood pressure medication...for now. The toss is won and even though the pitch looks good, the once bitten twice shy Student captain decides to have a bowl and continue our excellent time with the ball from last week.
Ashwin Kirubanandan takes the new rock and has this scribes vote for the most improved player on the Uni scene from preseason to Christmas. Ashwin is bowling with real pace now and there is genuine thought and intent behind every ball bowled. He is also a gun fielder and developing nicely as a batsman as well. Ashwin picks up the pesky Randwick skipper for 0 in the first over with a beautiful in dipping ball that rattles the stumps. Music to our ears and a great way to start putting doubt in all their batsmans minds. Ashwin's day ended up with figures of 3-16 off 8 overs.
Mighty Max Shanahan holds up his end picking up the other opener for a duck as well, with a great take from Julian Dimas who most likely stole a catch from his fellow gripper Muhammad. There was some middle order resistance from Randwick and a 60 run partnership to which you can only say well played, as it was not easy against our attack. It's also a good lesson to us that we still have to earn our wickets even against the slightly weaker teams and never get complacent.
Max had a day in the sun combining with Julian Dimas at short mid-wicket for 2 more freakish catches and was on a hatrick at one point. Juilain's efforts in the field were pretty influential. He's a smart cricketer with amazing hands and offers regular tactical insights to the captain. Max finished with lifetime best figures of 5-32. Max is a hard trainer and we're all happy the long hours in the nets is baring fruit on the field for the left armer.
There was a little wag in the tail with the opening bowler having a swing against our spiiners but our Nepalese Nightmare spinner Om Prakash Sah picked up the final wicket caught behind to Cade.
Randwick finishing all out 133 off 39.5 overs. The captains broken record once more played the same old song at the break.. "The Job's Only Half Done".. It's an oldie but a goodie..
Openers Rahman and Ghumann set about the task and were dependable as usual putting on an opening stand of 43 before Mo was out caught for 12. A slight hiccup in the innings occurred with Rakin falling for 29 with the score still on 43. From then on it was smooth sailing with Dimas and Nick Mortimer combining for a 78 run partnership. Some great and controlled power hitting from the pair and it wouldn't be a day out at Paul's without a couple of lost balls in the infamous construction zone. Dimas eventually caught just short of 50 on 47.
Morts is joined by Gibbo and the final 12 runs are scored passing the Randwick total in just 17.1 overs. Morts 40 not out doubling his run total for the season and a platform built for after Christmas.
As Kermit the frog once sang "It's Not Easy Being Green" and that just about sums up the day/season for the Randwick Green side. We were just a little more polished and experienced than them in all aspects of the game this season in our two outings against them. The opposition captain was overheard after the match observing that Uni "had a team of opening bowlers". A rare glimpse into how others might see our team at present.
Part 1 of the season done and dusted and an exciting new chapter after Christmas with it all to play for going into the break 3rd place on the ladder. A great place to be especially with the amount of lineup changes we've had so far.
Thanks to everyone who's been involved with the club so far this season for their efforts. From the entire Metro team we'd all like to wish you all a happy and safe holiday period. Please be kind to one another! 😀
GREEN SHIELD
Sydney Uni 8-244: B Mitchell 68, S Pathak 36, J Aylward 32*, N Barnet 31
Campbelltown-Camden 223: J Rinka 4-38, L Dimeglio 3-39