In case you missed it Monday...
COACHING STAFF MAKE IMMEDIATE IMPACT
The 2018-19 season has seen a shake up in our coaching staff and they have launched into the pre-season with a vigor.
Director of Cricket, Cam Borgas, has made an immediate impact bringing a new perspective and high performance approach to sessions. His enthusiasm has rubbed off on the players with sessions becoming highly competitive with a match intensity driving the standards forward.
Grant Lambert has returned as Specialist Coach for 2018-19 and has expanded to cover both the bats and bowlers. Grant made a tremendous impact on the Club last season and has been outstanding in the pre-season so far with his one-on-one sessions.
Cam Borgas works on Ryan Danne’s pull shot
SPECIAL GUEST COACH
The 1st Grade Squad was also lucky enough last week to spend some time with the current Sri Lankan cricket coach, Chandika Hathurusingha. Chandi was a special guest on Tuesday evening and gave the 1st Grade Squad a glimpse of the top-level.
Fresh off a 2-0 Test Series win over South Africa, Chandi provided plenty of great insights for our players on current trends at the top level as well as some of the common charactersistics he has noticed in all great players.
Chandi was previously the assistant coach (and acting coach for a short period of time) at NSW, overseeing the early development of a terrific era of talent that featured a young Smith, Warner, Khawaja, Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins. he was coach of Sydney Thunder for 2013-14, where DOC Cam Borgas was playing at the time. He then enjoyed a successful 3-year stint as Head Coach of Bangladesh before moving back to coach his native Sri Lanka.
Chandi's son, Cullen, is a promising left hand bat and medium pace bowler, and is currently a member of the Sydney University Elite Athlete Program for 2018-19
PRE-SEASON TOUR 2018-19
The Sydney Uni 1st Grade squad ventured to **sunny** Brisbane over the weekend to contest the annual University Challenge. In its 3rd year, Sydney Uni were scheduled to take on Melbourne Uni, University of Queensland and Adelaide Uni in a mix of Limited Overs and T20 matches across three days.
The opening 50-over match saw Sydney Uni take on old foes/friends Melbourne Uni. Sydney Uni took to the crease for the first time in 2018-19 and were off to a solid start with Nicky Craze and Ben Trevor-Jones pairing for a 106-run 2nd wicket partnership after losing Hayden Kerr for an early duck. Craze topped scored with 63 runs whilst Trevor-Jones compiled 43. A lack of resistance in the middle and lower order saw the side rolled for 189 runs in the 43rd over. Melbourne Uni were never really in the hunt and aside for some lusty lower order hitting, Sydney Uni controlled the innings well with Malone picking up 3 wickets. Melbourne Uni were bundled out for 177 runs and a 12-run victory for Sydney Uni.
Sydney Uni took on home favourites UQ in a 50-over clash on Saturday with former 1st class cricketers Scott Henry and Michael Philipson in early form. Scooter retired on 53 runs with Philipson hitting 46 before Ben Davis (60) and Nick Sale (30) pushed the total to 283 runs. Despite plenty of starts, Craze (28), Mortimer (18), Robertson (28), Trevor-Jones (18) and Kershaw (21), Sydney Uni couldn't capitalise on any momentum it built until too late with a last wicket partnership of 75 runs between top-scorer Ryan Danne (48) and Devlin Malone (43no). It was too little too late as Sydney Uni were finished off for 237 runs.
A T20 match was scheduled for Sunday against Adelaide Uni but unfortunately the Queensland advertising slogan of "beautiful one day, perfect the next" certainly did not apply as all matches were abandoned without a ball being bowled.
Despite the weather ending the tour prematurely, there were plenty of positives for the Sydney Uni squad as they continue to build towards their Round 1 match against Manly on Saturday 22nd September at University Oval.