Blues call up Carters

University keeper/batsman Ryan Carters has been recalled to the NSW team for its Matador BBQs Cup match against Victoria at North Sydney Oval, starting tomorrow afternoon.

Carters has had limited opportunities with the bat for University this season, but has been in sparkling form, hitting 96 runs in three matches and being dismissed only once.  Unusually, his batting average of 96 is only the fourth-best in University's First Grade to date - he sits behind Nick Larkin (147.50), Greg Mail (138.00) and Ashton May (97.00).

Carters has withdrawn from the second day of University's Round 3 match with Manly-Warringah, and Ben Trevor-Jones takes his place behind the stumps.

Polished Cowan leads Blues chase

Another classy half-century by University's Ed Cowan anchored NSW's chase of a modest Queensland total in last night's Matador Cup match at Drummoyne Oval.

The target of 173 wasn't a daunting one, but the pitch was slow and low, with some unpredictable bounce.  Cowan set the scoreboard moving with a crisp back-foot drive to the fence, and played several textbook straight drives down the ground.  His 51 came from only 69 deliveries, and when he was dismissed, NSW was well on course for the bonus-point victory clinched by Ben Rohrer's six in the 40th over.

Cowan has now top-scored for NSW in the last two Matador Cup matches.  This season, the better the bowling he's encountered, the better he's batted.

In The Sheds... The 'Fresher'

The seasonal cycle between footy in winter and cricket in summer is one that most of us have lived and grown to embrace for a majority of our lives. As one season passes, the next arrives in seemingly shorter fashion. Amidst the final few rounds of footy, the first cricketing email outlining schedules is sent, and with surprise, the response year after year is; ‘shit, already?!’ 

The dusty kit is pulled from the boot of the car and the forgotten last year's remnants of going-out-kit, unpaired socks, and stained whites, is belatedly emptied into the washing machine after spending many a month confined in the dark pit of sweaty pads and a stale helmet. My footy team is farewelled pre-September and the customary visit to the cricket store to top up stocks ensues. Leaving with a much lighter wallet, and with the car now used primarily as a second wardrobe loaded with cricketing gear and clothes, the sometimes daunted pre-season training is often the next stop. 

This year however, was a year of change. There was a distinct lack of pre-season emails received from now ‘ex’ coaches from previous seasons. Old team uniforms escaped the wash and were instead destined for the bin. Years’ worth of long worn tyre trails from A to B no longer existed and new paths were directed into the heart of Sydney’s Camperdown Campus. Unfamiliar faces replaced the old familiar names whose connections were now severed. The realisation of a long successful chapter closing, and a fresh one beginning, resurfaced familiar feelings of excitement this time accompanied with a strong sense of nervousness. Will I perform for the team? Will this new home be somewhere where my enjoyment for cricket (and a post-game change room beer) can thrive? All questions asked by nervous future debutants. The only familiarity being?... my footy team was still farewelled pre-September.           

Pre-season came and went. The wrath of ‘Broncos’ and extended hill sprints up Science Road were felt. Repeated bouncers from bowlers committing customary one meter no-balls in the ‘synthos’ were faced and dealt with. Full ‘straight one’s’ on middle were sometimes given the rusty-gate leave on middle peg. Round one arrived quickly thereafter and places were chosen in the change room. Certain spots were carefully avoided namely a five meter circumference surrounding Ed’s spot and Mailys’ corner.

One of the biggest learning curves encountered for a ‘fresher’ however, was the famous Nashball. After seeing fellow debutants from afar lay down a few drop-punts, important lessons were learnt before fully immersing one’s self in the Nash experience. Life lessons like: you can’t catch the ball below waist height, you can place the ball on the ground and it stops the game, and you can’t kick a ball whose sole purpose is for kicking, were pondered. With intense game-day Nash rivalry, never have I encountered a warm-up that does just that so well. So far, the top six have far outshone the bowlers with many a beer owed by the latter.  

The arrival at Sydney University Cricket Club was much like I expected it to be. State-of-the-art facilities, incredible support, and a world-class spectacle of a campus. Unexpectedly, the people and new team mates were more than accommodating and instead of feeling like an intruder, we were welcomed on equal grounds. Most notably, there was a unique aura of confidence and relaxedness, presumably a bi-product of positive attitudes’, self-driven motivation, and work-ethic. Importantly, I found that these values which seem to be deeply entrenched in my new teammate’s psyche are often practiced outside of cricket (whether it be intense study or highly demanding jobs) and will no doubt be an advantage for SUCC’ers on the field. This is something unique to SUCC that I haven’t observed in any other club, but something I find highly exciting and appealing in going forward.                     

Three rounds in, and after having had an amazing start so far by all, the excitement for the impending season is yet to be tarnished by three consecutive globes, or wearied by 96 overs in 40 degree heat watching some bloke block out a draw. The unaware self is also yet to experience the potential successes of premierships, hundreds, five-fa’s, or promotions for fellow team-mates. All are familiar processes that we have spent year in and year out gradually refining to make us all better people and players. How we deal and celebrate these ups and downs which are experienced by each individual and each team within our club is ultimately, what we play for. 

As the seasons keep on rolling in, I have looked forward to this one more than any in recent times. I also look forward to the new memories, successes and mateships that are, and have yet to be forged.    

Good luck to all for the season and I look forward to catching you around.

Remembering... HN MacLaurin

James Rodgers continues the series in which he commemorates the Sydney University cricketers who died serving in the First World War, a century ago.  Today: Henry Normand MacLaurin. 

Lt Colonel Henry Normand MacLaurin was born in Sydney on 31 October 1878 and killed at Gallipoli 27 April 1915.   He is remembered at Gallipoli by a landmark called ‘MacLaurin’s Hill’.

He was a highly successful barrister, active in the militia forces when he enlisted on 15 August 1914, almost as soon as war was declared.

TonyCunneen, who has done invaluable research into lawyers’ service in the Great War, has written about the NSW legal profession: ‘While they were certainly members of what the historian Manning Clark called the ‘comfortable classes’ they were also willing to forgo the security and safety of that class and give all their support to the cause of national identity and honour on the battle fields on the other side of the world.’

MacLaurin played only two seasons for Sydney University CC.  In 1896-97, after scoring only 44 runs at 7.3 in 2nd Grade, he was inexplicably promoted to 1st Grade (1st Grade cap number 53) where he played another two games without distinction. In the season when the Club was readmitted on humbling terms to the Grade Competition in 1898-99, MacLaurin was selected in 1st Grade  twice more. An energetic 54 was followed by a nondescript 5 and he played no more.

His father, Sir Henry Normand MacLaurin (1835-1914), a Scotsman, was Chancellor of the University of Sydney from 1896 until his death. He was also President of the Legislative Council, the Upper House of the NSW Parliament. A dominant figure in conservative politics, he was nevertheless admirably open to fresh educational ideas, especially those brought forward by the NSW Labor Government of 1910 which related to the reform of the Senate of the University. His second son, named after his father, was educated at Blair Lodge School at Polmont in Scotland and then at Sydney Grammar School. Two other sons, Charles and Hugh both served in the War.

After graduating BA in 1899 and admission to the NSW Bar,  MacLaurin carried on his work as a barrister from 11 Wentworth Chambers in Elizabeth St, specialising in accountancy. He also pursued a military career. Commissioned in the NSW Scottish Rifles in 1899, he eventually rose to command the 26th Infantry Regiment in July 1913. When he enlisted in the AIF, he was immediately appointed Lieutenant Colonel, commanding the 1st Infantry Brigade, a force of 4000 men. At 36 years of age, he was young for such responsibility but he wisely chose more experienced men to command battalions under him.

In a letter to  Justice David Ferguson (whose son, Arthur, a Law student who had also been to Sydney Grammar, was killed in France in 1916)  in March 1915, MacLaurin confided that rumours of the soldiers’ bad behaviour in Cairo had been exaggerated.  ‘With 20,000 men", he wrote,  'it can be easily seen that some would play up for a bit while their money lasted…’  He stood up for his men, attacking those civilians who were ‘doubtful and dissatisfied and critical’. Their accounts were ‘false and malicious’. Although he was a stern disciplinarian, he had a fine reputation among his men who respected his energy and enthusiasm especially when they trained under him in Egypt.

When orders for the landing at Gallipoli came through, MacLaurin was said to have ‘happily cancelled his leave and bounded smiling up the stairs to the General’s office to plan the attack.’ (Cunneen).

During the afternoon of 27 April 1915, at about 3.15 pm, MacLaurin ‘was standing on the slopes of the ridge that now bears his name… in the act of warning soldiers to keep under cover when he too was shot dead…MacLaurin was buried by his men where he fell.’ In 1919, he was reinterred at the 4th Battalion Parade Ground Cemetery. He was posthumously promoted to Brigadier General.

He was the fifth of the 337 from Sydney Grammar who were  killed or who died in the War. An extraordinary 2172 ‘Old Sydneians’ enlisted. (I am indebted to Dr Philip Creagh who has carried out painstaking and forensic analysis of the Old Sydneians who enlisted). There was widespread grief among the legal profession. A ceremonial service was held at the Banco court and special mention was made in the minutes of the Bar Association.

He was the first of the Club’s former players to be killed.

CEW Bean wrote of him:

           ‘…a man of lofty ideals, direct, determined, with a certain inherited Scottish dourness…but an educated man of action of the finest type that the Australian universities produce.’

You Might Not Remember... our largest opening partnership

The magnificent opening partnership of 337 between Nick Larkin and Greg Mail against Manly-Warringah last Saturday set a new record for Sydney University in the Sydney First Grade competition.   Statistically, it’s an imposing achievement – in the 123 years of the competition, there has only been one higher opening partnership, the 423 shared by the incomparable Victor Trumper (who hit 335 not out) and Dan Gee for Paddington against Redfern in February 1903.

Even so, the mark set by Mail and Larkin fell just short – by only eleven runs – of the highest opening partnership ever recorded for the University 1st XI.  That record – 348 – was set back in February 1889, four seasons before the establishment of what was then called “Electoral Cricket”, and is now NSW Premier Cricket. 

In 1889, there was no formal club competition in Sydney.  Instead, the “senior” clubs, as they were known, staged matches between themselves on an irregular basis.  The oldest of these clubs was Sydney University; the Albert Club was another.  It had once been a formidable club, virtually monopolising the cricketing talent of the colony, but by 1889 its strength had declined significantly.   University and Albert usually played each other a couple of times each season, and agreed to meet in a two-day match, on 16 and 23 February, on the “Association Ground” – better known today as the Sydney Cricket Ground.   The Referee thought that “the teams appeared to be rather equally matched”, even though Albert was without its wicket-keeper Syd Deane - a unique character who, after representing NSW in both cricket and Rugby, reacted to his omission from the 1890 Australian team by concentrating on his career in the theatre, before becoming the first Australian to act in Hollywood films.  Sydney University was led by Tom Garrett who, at the age of 31, was in his seventeenth season with the club.  He had earned his place in the very first Australian Test team as a fast-medium bowler but, as his prominence as a bowler declined, he had steadily improved his batting.  When Garrett won the toss, he had no hesitation in batting, and he walked out to open the innings himself when play began at 2.15pm.

His partner was Herbie Lee, 23, a nuggetty right-handed batsman who was far better known as a Rugby Union forward – he played for NSW seven times between 1884 and 1890.   According to one observer, “the bowling was fair enough for two or three overs, and then Garrett started making fourers in quick time.  The old University trundler was in fine fettle, and scored off nearly every ball”.  Frank Iredale, the future Test batsman, was called upon to do a good deal of the bowling – but his medium-pacers, which would dismiss only six batsmen in his 133 first-class matches, were not particularly threatening.  “Almost every man of the Alberts was tried with the ball”, reported the Evening News, “but the bowling throughout was very inferior.”  Before long, Garrett simply charged down the wicket to every delivery, connecting with some immensely powerful drives.  This tactic might have brought about his downfall, as twice he skied the ball into the outfield, but both chances were spilled.  On a third occasion, he hoisted the ball towards long-on, where the fieldsman, Joe Rowley, lost his footing as he ran in for the catch, fell flat on his back, and could only watch the ball sail over his head and into the fence.  Garrett made no mistake with the next ball, which he deposited into the Ladies’ Stand – a hit which was then worth only five runs.

At two minutes to six, Garrett and Lee had been batting for 193 minutes, and the score stood at 348.  Lee, who had 123 to his name, played back quietly to a delivery from Tasman Deane, only to see the ball hit the ground and spin back onto his stumps.  There was no time for the new batsman to take his place at the crease, and so stumps were drawn with Garrett unbeaten on 220.  The partnership was acclaimed as the highest for any wicket in senior club cricket in Sydney.

What followed on the second day of the game verged on farce.  If the match had been played today, University would probably have declared its innings closed at the end of the first day, 348 being more than enough runs to win the game.  But the Laws of Cricket did not, in 1889, permit a team to declare its innings closed, so University had no choice but to carry on batting.  The new batsman, Test player Reginald Allen, missed a straight ball and was anti-climactically bowled for 0.  But Garrett carried on cheerfully, whacking the ball around the ground until, on 274, he edged it to the solitary slip fieldsman.  His innings remains the highest ever recorded for the University 1st XI.  George Barbour, a Sydney Grammar schoolmaster and NSW Rugby representative, then scored his second century for University, and the veteran Theo Powell (who had played for NSW as early as 1871) thrashed out a furious 53, until eventually the last wicket fell with the total on 635.  But it was five minutes to six – too late for the Albert innings to begin.  The game was drawn, with Albert fielding throughout the entire match.

Twelve months later, the Laws of Cricket were altered to allow an innings to be declared closed.  The first recorded declaration was made in an English county match between Nottinghamshire and Kent in 1890.   That change undoubtedly improved the game: it also means that Tom Garrett’s record innings of 274, and the University total of 635, are unlikely to be surpassed.

Uni No. 1: A batting paradise???

Almost 1,000 runs were scored on Uni No. 1 Oval over the weekend as Sydney Uni's 1st Grade side set up a strong position in their Round 3 clash with Manly, and the Poidevin-Gray Shield team secured a nail-biting victory over Bankstown.

1st Grade:

Following two strong batting performances from Uni in the opening rounds, skipper Nick Larkin wasted no time in winning the toss and electing to bat, and with great reason.

Larkin together with the perennial Greg Mail strode to the crease and almost five hours later had written their names into the record books with a 337 run opening wicket partnership. 

Mail dominated early to scorch his way to 179 runs before Larkin took the honours with his first double-century in 1st Grade, finishing unbeaten on 206 when he decided to declare the innings closed at 1-424.

The partnership was a record 1st-wicket partnership in Sydney Grade Cricket, whilst falling short of the all-time Club 1st wicket record of 348 runs set in 1888-89, and the all-time Club record partnership of 390* (2nd wicket) between Mail and Matthew Phelps.

Ryan Carters joined the party with 36no to help lift the score above 400.

The declaration leaving Manly with a tricky nine overs to face in fading light, Tim Ley getting a vital breakthrough before stumps were called. Manly will resume next weekend on 1-4.

Click here to view the CNSW story.

2nd Grade:

A similar story was written for our second grade side, unfortunately in reverse, as our bowlers toiled hard all day to restrict Manly to 6-324 from their 97 overs on a batsmen friendly Mike Pawley Oval.

Off-spinner, Liam Whitaker (3-74 from 22 overs), and medium-pacer, Jono Craig-Dobson (2-95 from 23 overs) were the only Uni bowlers to claim wickets.

A big chase lies ahead, but with the likes of skipper Dave Miller, last start centurion, James Larkin, brother Ben Larkin and 1st Grade keeper Ben Trevor-Jones all capable of batting long periods, anything is possible.

3rd Grade:

Another poor batting performance has left Uni's 3rd Grade side in a tight spot at the end of day 1, falling for 166 in 52.3 overs before closing with Manly on 2-106 after 25 overs.

For Uni, youngster Kevin Jacob (42) was strong opening the batting, and with six scores between 10 and 26, Uni batsmen will rue lost opportunities to convert starts into decent scores.

Xavier Frawley and Lewis McMahon claimed a wicket each, but more will be needed from the entire bowling group to come from behind to claim the points.

4th Grade:

Stand-in skipper, James Crowley (92) set the tone for the Uni batsmen to set an imposing 284 runs against Manly at Graham Reserve. He was well supported by teenage keeper-batsman Cristian Lorenzato (77), Vince Umbers (37) and Brodie Frost (33).

Manly were 0-9 after a short 3 over burst from the Uni bowlers.

5th Grade:

Uni's 5th Grade side had a tough day at Camperdown, but a 96-run 8th wicket partnership between Aiden Peek (63) and Jarrod Morley (33) helped post a competitive total of 213 runs after falling to 7-98.

Alex Bell (32), Brayden Dilley (18) and Murray Miles (12no) were the only other batters to reach double figures.

Manly will resume on 0-25.

Metro Cup:

A young side again took the field and fought admirably in tough conditions to hold Blacktown to 4-294 (dec) from only 50 overs. Natesh Yoganand was the pick of the bowlers to claim 2-60.

The Uni openers held firm through the final 25 overs of the day to remain unbeaten on 0-50 and with a full day to bat.

Poidevin-Gray Shield:

The opening round of the PGs season was always going to be a tough one up against the powerhouse Bankstown club, but two months of heavy preparation paid off in the crunch to see Uni home in a tight affair.

Uni set a terrific platform for a big score through seven innings' of 19 runs or more, but with Charlie Litchfield top-scoring with 56, no-one took the next step to ensure what should have been a 280+ total, eventually held to 9-258 from their 50 overs.

The lack of one batsmen going on with it looked set to haunt the Uni side as Bankstown comfortably reached 1-150, but the Uni side was able to take crucial wickets when it mattered and kept the scoring rate in check.

With pre-season tours to Brisbane, Perth and Sri Lanka under their belts, the young Uni side were battle hardened and stood up when it counted. Dugald Holloway (3-50 from 10 overs), Kieran Tate (2-50 from 10 overs), Devlin Malone (2-59 from 10 overs) and Kieran Elley (1-51 from 10 overs) hit their lengths at the end of the innings and restricted Bankstown to 9-255 runs from their 50 overs.

A promising start from the PGs lads who after two disappointing seasons are hungry to prove their worth in this tournament. They take on Sutherland at Glenn McGrath Oval on 6th November in their next match.

Milestones Monday: Larkin and Mail rip up the record book

Records fell all over the place in First Grade’s match against Manly-Warringah at the University Cricket Ground on Saturday.

Greg Mail’s masterful 179 was his 43rd century in First Grade, further extending his own record.  He has now scored at least one First Grade century in 15 successive seasons, which is yet another record.

Nick Larkin’s outstanding, unbeaten 206 was his first double-century in First Grade and his seventh First Grade century overall.  His innings took his tally of runs for the club in all grades to 6518 – during the day, he passed Craig Tomko (6366) and Alan Crompton (6373), and he’s now the sixth-highest run scorer in the Club’s history.  He became the tenth batsman to score a First Grade double-century for the Club (Greg Mail having done so no fewer than three times).

The opening stand of 337 between Larkin and Mail set a new club record, erasing the first wicket partnership of 324 between Will Hay and, inevitably, Greg Mail, back in 2009-10.  The old record was also achieved against Manly, and Adam Crosthwaite had the pleasure of being the Manly captain on both occasions (he’s also the only Manly player to appear in both matches).   There has been only one higher opening partnership in the history of First Grade cricket – the legendary partnership of 423 between Victor Trumper and Dan Gee for Paddington against Redfern in February 1903.  That match was played at Redfern Oval before a crowd of about 6000; the partnership lasted for only 135 minutes.  Trumper made 335 not out in 180 minutes.  Hits over the fence then counted for five, not six, and the batsmen changed ends when one was struck – Trumper hit 22 of them on this occasion, which probably slowed him down quite a bit, as he kept giving away the strike.  Different times.

During his innings of 25 on Saturday, Jack Holloway passed 1000 runs in Third Grade (121 of which were scored for Eastern Suburbs).

James Crowley’s 92 in Fourth Grade was his highest score for the Club.

Christian Lorenzato’s 77 in Fourth Grade was his first half-century for the Club.

Charlie Litchfield hit 56 in Poidevin-Gray’s tense victory over Bankstown on Sunday, which was his first half-century for the Club.