SUCC Obituary: Doug Blazey

SUCC Obituary: Doug Blazey

The Club solemnly advises that former SUCC player, Doug Blazey, recently passed away in Narromine.

Doug was one of the three Blazey brothers (John, Phil and Doug) who played for the Club in the late fifties and early sixties, attending from Barker College.

All three also played 1st Grade with Northern Districts.

A full obituary will be included in our Annual Report for 2015-16 in remembrance of Doug.

Our thoughts and condolences go out to the Blazey family.

SUCC Feature: Milestone Madness

SUCC Feature: Milestone Madness

It's the FINALS countdown!!!

Ash Cowan, during his 5-27 in the Third Grade Qualifying Final against Mosman, claimed his 100th wicket for the club.  It was his fourth five-wicket return for the club.  He becomes only the fourth player in the club’s history to score more than 5000 runs and take more than 100 wickets (after Greg Mail, Ian Moran and Mark Wilson).

Mark Faraday, in the Second Grade Qualifying Final against Penrith, took his aggregate of runs for the club in all grades to 6241.  In the process he passed Darby Quoyle’s tally of 6236, so he is now the seventh-highest run-scorer in the club’s history (behind Greg Mail, Ian Moran, Adam Theobald, Ed Cowan, Simon Gray and Craig Tomko).

Jono Craig-Dobson staked a reasonable claim for player-of-the-match honours in Third Grade’s semi-final against Manly.  His unbeaten 46 was his highest score in Thirds, and he followed with his best bowling figures in Thirds, 4-39.

In Fourth Grade, Hugh Kermond improved on his highest score in the grade twice in successive weeks, following his 51 against St George with 53 against Northern District in the semi-final.  Saturday’s Grand Final against Penrith will be Hugh’s fourth Grand Final in only three seasons with the club: last season he played Grand Finals in both the Metropolitan Cup and the AW Green Shield, and in 2013-14, he played in the Metropolitan Cup Grand Final.

SUCC News: Larkin scores accolades

SUCC News: Larkin scores accolades

Sydney Uni 1st Grade captain, Nick Larkin, was rewarded for his consistently outstanding form for NSW in the Toyota Futures League, by taking out the competition's Player of the Year award on Thursday evening.

Participating in all six matches throughout the season helped Larkin to poll votes regularly as he plundered three centuries on his way to a competition high 697 runs at an average of 77.44 runs.

Larkin's standout season in the Futures League, together with solid performances for Sydney Uni (615 runs at 36.18 with 7 half-centuries) saw him earn call-ups into the NSW Blues team and the Sydney Sixers BBL campaign.

For more on the story, visit http://bit.ly/1q6GQtC 

SUCC Feature: Milestone Madness

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SUCC Feature: Milestone Madness

Suda Sivapalan made his First Grade debut against Fairfield-Liverpool.

Mark Faraday, during his 28 in Second Grade, passed both 500 runs for the season and 2000 runs for the Club in Second Grade.

Tom Kierath claimed his 450th wicket for the Club when he trapped Fairfield’s Viraj Kadam lbw in Second Grade; a few overs later, he took his 451st wicket and so joined Tim Croft as the equal 6th highest wicket-taker in the Club’s history.

Josh Toyer took his 300th wicket for the Club in the Third Grade match against Fairfield, becoming the 22nd bowler to reach that landmark.

Henry Clark’s 6-24 in Third Grade against Fairfield was his best bowling performance in Thirds, his best in any grade for the Club, and his first five-wicket haul for the Club.

Sam Roby’s 70 against Fairfield in Fourth Grade was his highest score in any grade for the Club.

Liam Whitaker’s 5-39 against Fairfield was his best return for the Club in Fourths, his first five-wicket haul in Fourths, and the second five-wicket haul of his career with the club.

Ryan McElduff’s 4-14 in Fifth Grade against Fairfield was his best bowling return for the Club in any grade.

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SUCC Feature: In the Sheds... The Fast Bowlers Club

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SUCC Feature: In the Sheds... The Fast Bowlers Club

I was speaking to a few mates on Saturday night reminiscing on a few of the memories we had created over the last decade of the club. We only had two hours together as a trio, but it could have been another 10. I got asked how I feel on Sunday's now in comparison to 5 - 10 years ago, I said "there are more niggles every year I play". As the season draws closer to the end, most pace bowlers have a niggle or 3 that they are nursing to finish off the season in style. It's not for the faint hearted. #toughenup

A wise man once said "batting is better than bowling and winning is better than losing", to which a part of me agrees with. On the other side of the equation, if I'm having a lean year with the bat, at least I can still practice the odd bouncer at training, and "sniff" the nervous teenager on the weekend and get considerable enjoyment from it. If you're not a pace bowler, a bad season is scoring no runs with the bat whilst spending your weekends fielding or, fetching balls 80 metres away every second rock at training if you're a spinner or, worst of all a keeper, where you are judged on how many mistakes you make. #newrock

Fast bowlers are not so kind on the field, we get our most enjoyment from someone else's demise and we love to intimidate and make batsmen look silly. These personality traits have meant that we have seen a lot of character's at Sydney Uni over the past decade. Nick Dunford only brought $50 notes to fines meetings, a tender he knew most weeks couldn't be broken. Chris Withers has had 10 years in grade of which he has been fully fit for 3 of those matches. Tim Croft only came to training 30 minutes before sunset, always with a dark well polished 'prune'. James Kazaglis, Michael Culkoff, Troy Stanley and Brendan Smith took great pleasure in knocking over the best batsmen in the club with 'cherries' that looked like 'Saturn' off 18 yards. Ian Moran had to dominate in the sheds, often having the team in a fit of laughter, before he could dominate on the field. You haven't met Josh Toyer if you think you are the most competitive person in the world. Marty Paskal had his own sense of humour, and like a fine wine, only got better with age. #rareunits

Most cricketers like studying the 'deck' before play, pace bowlers are a little more simple. When we drive into the ground, if we can see which one is the pitch our mood is stable, but if the pitch is the same colour as the outfield and it's hard to make out, our arousal levels are through the roof. These are the days we play cricket for. We are able to play with our food before we eat it and the faster we bowl the better it looks. On the contrary, low and slow pitches are like long fingernails on a chalkboard and the faster we bowl, the easier it will become for the batsman. #leavethegrasson

The main reason I switched to bowling pace is that I wanted to play the highest grade I could, and batting was more miss than hit in my formative years of grade. But sending the ball whistling through to the keeper is something I'd never want to change. #fastbowlersclub

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SUCC Feature: Milestones and Top Tens

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SUCC Feature: Milestones and Top Tens

With the final round looming in under 24 hours, we have combined our Milestone Monday and Top Ten Tuesday into one.

MILESTONES:

Nicky Craze made his First Grade debut for the Club (having previously played Firsts with Campbelltown-Camden).

Max Hope's 5-15 in Second Grade was his best analysis in Seconds, his best for the Club, and his first five-wicket return in any grade for the Club.

Dugald Holloway's crucial 33 not out was his highest score in Second Grade.  He shared a match-winning partnership with Kieran Tate, who has passed 100 wickets for the Club.

Charles Litchfield and Matthew Powys made their debuts in Third Grade.

Liam Whitaker (4-97) returned his best bowling figures in Fourths, and Sam Roby (45 not out) and Hayden Kerr (62 not out) each hit his highest score in Fourths.

In Fifth Grade Nick Powys (6-44) produced his best figures in any grade, claiming his first five-wicket haul for the Club.

Look out for upcoming milestones from bowlers Tom Kierath (449 wickets), Josh Toyer (299 wickets) and Ash Cowan (99 wickets).  No pressure, though, guys.

 

TOP TENS:

BATTING:

The battle comes down to Round 15 action between 1st Grade skipper, Nick Larkin, and 1st Grade batsman, Liam Robertson for the Batting Aggregate Award for 2015/16. Both are level on 607 runs so it will be a straight shoot-out in their Round 15 clash against Fairfield-Liverpool. Can Mark Faraday and Dave Miller sweep to victory on the back of big performances in Round 15 and finals campaigns in 2nd Grade?

BOWLING:

Nigel Cowell has seemingly sewn up the Bowling Aggregate Award for 2015/16 barring big hauls from Kieran Tate in the 2nd Grade campaign for a 5th consecutive Albert Cup. The big battle is between Tate and Jack Gibson for the Bowling Average Award with Gibson currently edging in front.

UPCOMING:

Keep your eye out for our "Five Things We Learned... Round 14" article this afternoon, and an "In the Sheds... Fast Bowlers Union" tomorrow morning.

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SUCC Feature: Five Things We Learned... Round 14

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SUCC Feature: Five Things We Learned... Round 14

Six into one doesn’t go

With one day’s play remaining before the play-offs, the top six in First Grade is surprisingly well-settled, with five teams certain of appearing in the Qualifying Finals.  If Bankstown and Penrith both win next Saturday, as seems likely, and neither picks up a bonus point, then Bankstown will claim the minor premiership on quotient.  Sydney, St George and Campbelltown-Camden are jostling for third place, but can’t miss the finals.  But then it gets interesting.  Sutherland (on 42 points) sits in sixth place, ahead of Northern District, Gordon and Parramatta on quotient, and one point ahead of Manly and Easts (41) who – with a bonus point available – are theoretically still in the race.  The last spot seems certain to be determined on quotients, and the margins are razor-thin; Sutherland’s lead over Northern District is 0.0005. Captains this Saturday will need one eye on the game, one eye on the scores from other grounds, and one eye on a calculator (captains with only two eyes may struggle).  Northern District has to beat Campbelltown-Camden at Mark Taylor Oval (where the 50 over limit will probably prevent Ryan Gibson from hitting another double-hundred) and hope that Sutherland stumbles against the improving (but still last-placed) Wests.  But if Sutherland were to lose badly to Wests and Campbelltown-Camden beats Northern District, then it’s not impossible that Gordon could steal sixth place with a bonus-point win over Hawkesbury.  Parramatta has the toughest assignment – it needs a huge win over Bankstown to make the finals, which doesn’t seem especially likely.

Blacktown blew it

Two bizarre collapses look likely to cost Blacktown a place in the Second Grade finals, and lifted Sydney into the lead on the competition table.  Blacktown was sitting in the top six at the start of the round, but capitulated for only 45 against Sydney, who recovered from 4 for 34 to declare at seven for 195.  Blacktown’s second attempt was better, but its 126 was not enough to make Sydney bat a second time.  Medium-pacer Justin Rodgie (who played several seasons for North Sydney with no more than steady returns) grabbed 4-6 and 4-10, while Nick Govers picked up 3-14 and 4-31.  Blacktown now needs to beat second-placed Penrith (and hope that other results fall its way) in order to retrieve its place in the top six.  St George kept its chances alive with a narrow win over Hawkesbury – it now sits one point behind University of NSW, in seventh place.  St George needs to beat Manly and get one other result in its favour – either Sydney University losing to Fairfield-Liverpool, University of NSW losing to North Sydney or Easts losing to Mosman.

Same, same but different

There was a weird symmetry about the games between Blacktown and Sydney last weekend in Seconds and Thirds.  In each case, Blacktown batted first, but not for very long, and paved the way for Sydney to grab full points and stake a claim to the minor premiership.  In Thirds, Blacktown mustered 70 in its first innings, then took some (but not enough early wickets) as Sydney took the lead.  Attempting the rare reverse-outright, Blacktown set Sydney a target of only 122, and with the experienced Anthony Brooks leading the way, Sydney ran down its target in under 22 overs.  That gives Sydney a six-point lead over Mosman, which all but guarantees it the minor premiership, although it faces Randwick-Petersham who (in seventh place) will be desperate to cause an upset.  Sydney University guaranteed its place in the finals with a nail-biting win over Penrith, but Manly (44) and Northern District (43) are under threat from Randwick-Petersham (43), Gordon (42), Wests (42) and Fairfield-Liverpool (42). 

Outrights make the difference

At the end of Round 13, Eastern Suburbs were a long chance to make the Fourth Grade finals – but ten points can make a huge difference at this time of year.  Easts were knocked over for only 120 by Bankstown yet still won outright by ten wickets, routing their opponents for just 51 and 72.  Jack Remond had a memorable game, scoring 34 and taking 6-23 and 1-6 – the son of the Sixers’ CEO has now taken 12 wickets in Fourth Grade this season at an average of 3.1.  That result nudged Easts up into sixth place, on 50 points – a six-point margin over Sydney.  Sydney needs a bonus-point win over 17th-placed Randwick-Petersham, and needs Easts to lose to tenth-placed Mosman, to sneak into the finals. Northern District (71) can’t be beaten for the minor premiership, but Penrith (56), St George (56), Manly (55) and Sydney University (53) all have a chance of taking second place. 

Warwick Adlam still turns his arm over

In Fifth Grade, Eastern Suburbs, Campbelltown-Camden and Gordon are mathematically certain of playing in the finals, with Mosman (48) and Parramatta (46) likely to join them.  But if any of the last three trips up in the last round, they could be overtaken by Sutherland (41) or Sydney University (41).  Nick Powys put University in contention with a career-best 6-44 against Penrith that (together with Jarrod Waterlow’s aggressive batting) helped to give the Students a ten-point boost into finals contention. On Saturday, Randwick-Petersham should beat 15th-placed Sydney and Parramatta should account for Bankstown (17th) – but, if they don’t, Sutherland or University (or both) could slip in to the top six.  Mosman isn’t entirely secure, either – although it has 48 points, it plays front-runner Easts and has an ordinary quotient, so if University snags a bonus point win, it could feasibly overtake Mosman on for-and-against. Mosman could be boosted by an unlikely Fifth Grader, the 45 year old former NSW opening bowler, Warwick Adlam.  Adlam filled in for Mosman in Fifths last week, and collected 2-6 from 9.3 overs in the first innings.  He could be useful in a Fifth Grade limited-overs game.

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