MATCH REPORTS - ROUND 3 VS EASTERN SUBURBS CRICKET CLUB

Location: University Oval
Time: 10:30am
Name: Damien Mortimer
Task: Dismantle the Dolphins bowling attack
Status: SUCCESSFUL

Our first 1st Grade Century of the season thanks to Damien Mortimer and his trusty Adidas Stick!

“That innings was pure class from start to finish!” + “Why does Michael Clarke play for Sydney Uni?”
(Quotes taken from the comment section on our Youtube Livestream)

Quote of the day however, was picked up by our Grandstand microphone as Morts went into the 90’s and quite honestly, I don’t think I could have said it better myself…

Ah **** me, he’s pretty good aye!” - Unknown Sydney University AFL Player

Over at Waverley Oval, it looked for a good while as though every batsmen would finish on the same score with the top 5 being dismissed for 26,27,3,27 and you’ll never guess it… 27! That was until Ben Mitchell came to the crease and put on a show, smoking Dolphin deliveries around the ground to reach 83 at a strike rate Chris Gayle would be proud of.

Mitchell backed it up on Sunday in our PG’s clash against Fairfield-Liverpool, grabbing another half century and a 3-fer! It was also no surprise to see Nivv get amongst the wickets, however, I’m certain a few of our Instagram/Livestream followers’ heart skipped a beat when they read the scoresheet…

FOW 1 - B N Radhakrishnan c S Anandarajah
FOW 2 - B N Radhakrishnan c R McElduff
FOW 3 - B N Radhakrishnan
FOW 4 - B N Radhakrishnan c B Mitchell
FOW 5 - LBW B N Radhakrishnan

Great weekend from the Students! Let’s get the sweep this weekend!

MATCH REPORT - 1ST GRADE VS EASTERN SUBURBS CRICKET CLUB AT UNIVERSITY OVAL (DAY 1)

SUCC 330

Damien Mortimer 122
Tim Cummins 69

VS

Easts Dolphins 15/0

MA Atallah 5/73/23.0
H Thornton 2/49/16.3

Round 3 saw another home game at University number 1. The day started in usual fashion with the bowlers picking up a clinical victory in Nash, absorbing pressure all game and scoring just before the final play. With Liam Robertson still out of action Tim Cummins took over as skipper, winning the toss and opting to bat, It looked like a typical Uni deck, bit of grass cover but hard underfoot and a good batting wicket. Thanks to a bit of sun and some rain, the outfield was looking substantially better than in the previous weeks.

The early wicket of Nivethan Radhakrishnan (1) from Nathan Rowe brought Damien Mortimer to the crease (122), who produced a masterfully controlled hundred and the first from the First Grade team for this season. The wicket of David Miller (15) brought out Tim Cummins (69) who hit his runs almost exclusively through backward point and combined with Mortimer to add a 115 run partnership. It looked like a huge score would be on the cards before Matt Attalah (5/75) ripped through the middle order getting a few quick wickets. Ryan Danne (43), in only his second game for the 1’s made a pivotal knock combining with Charlie Cassell (35*) to add on 51 for the 8th wicket and put on an extremely competitive score of 330.

The students then had 8 overs at the Dolphins in which Easts came out unscathed at 15/0.

Charlie Cassell

MATCH REPORT - 2ND GRADE VS EASTERN SUBURBS CRICKET CLUB AT WAVERLEY OVAL (DAY 1)

SUCC 241

Ben Mitchell 83
Henry Clark 28

VS

Easts Dolphins 71/2

M Sarkies 3/40/14.0
RJ O’Beirne 3/63/19.0

We arrived at Waverley Oval brimming with confidence after a comprehensive second round victory over Gordon.  Nash happened. City were a disgrace. Soul searching must continue. Your scribe was arguably worst on ground, we lacked spark in attack, and were a disorganised rabble in defence. For those interested, Jackson Gwyne’s Nash stock continue to rise as Ben Mitchell’s continue to plummet.

Max Hope, proceeded to lose the toss and we were asked to bat on a slightly soft, green wicket. Typical Waverley, the first session would be tough and it would require patience and discipline to get us through. Tom Fullerton set about accumulating dots, leaving and defending well while Charles Litchfield took the Steve Hobson approach, thinking it would be ‘easier’ to try and hit the ball over cover for six first ball.  Litch was in fine form, combining brutal cut shots with, what is quickly becoming trademark, full length dives for a tight (read suicidal) single. Fullers and Litch approached a half-century opening stand before a few quick wickets brought Max Hope to the crease.  Max, as he often does, quickly found himself in a verbal debate with a few of the eastern suburb’s fielders prompting a huge ‘I cant hear you anymore’ after dispatching a short ball over the midwicket fence.  Unfortunately for Max, and the crowd, a few balls later he was adjudged LBW for a well-made 27 off 38.  Reeling a little at 4/127, Ben Mitchell remembered that he could bat. What followed was a dominant, ruthless display of batting.  Benny plundered the Easts bowling, hitting fluently over the fence, through the ring to all parts of the ground, bringing up his first second grade 50 with a flick off his pads for 6. Arguably, the most impressive part was the number of times Ben would dispatch one over the fence to then drop and run next ball. Unfortunately for Ben the rest of us were unable to support him well enough and he was finally dismissed for 83 off 77.  As our innings closed for a below par, yet very defendable total of 241.

With 26 overs to bowl, the light deteriorating and the quartet of Nick Walker, Lewis McMahon, Joe Kershaw and Joe Cool well lubricated on the hill the students took to the field buzzing with energy. Rex Greaves was in the action early, taking his first second grade wicket with what can only be described as a short wide half tracker, which somehow the batsman managed to edge to first slip.   As the light got worse and worse, Ben Mitchell burgled one caught behind much to the dismay of the Easts batsman. Unfortunately, we dropped a chance in the cordon, almost entirely due to the fact that it was now almost pitch black.  With thirteen overs still to play, the umpires decided it was too dark to continue, so we left the field.  Cue chaos and absurdity.  Within about 8 minutes of coming off, at approximately 5:32pm Max Hope had a few gentle discussions with the officials who deemed the light had improved considerably and we would return to the field of play. Cue blow ups, complaints and whinging from the Eastern Suburbs players and an irate captain muttering something about safety. Unfortunately, we were guilty of some poor bowling and lack of discipline once we came back on, and leaked a few runs in the final five overs to see Easts finish the day at 2/71.

An improved, disciplined bowling effort will be needed early next week to secure the 6 points and continue our solid start to the season. With any luck it will start with a City win in Nash to buoy the spirits.

Henry Clark