Another landmark for Cowan

Sydney University opening batsman, Ed Cowan, passed 9000 runs in first-class cricket during the Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania in Hobart this afternoon.

Despite a first innings lead of 286, New South Wales batted a second time, and Cowan played with power and freedom, cutting and driving with plenty of authority.  He reached his half-century from 63 deliveries, during an over in which he hammered three boundaries from the bowling of Hamish Kingston - a late cut, a square cut and a fierce drive past cover.  He passed 9000 runs when he took his score to 66 by walking across his stumps and clipping left-armer James Faulkner behind square leg for 4.

Cowan is playing in his 131st first-class match, having made his debut in 2003 for Oxford University CCE against Middlesex.  Over 4000 of his first-class runs were scored for his opponents today, Tasmania.

A short time ago, New South Wales declared at one for 128, a lead of 414.  Cowan was unbeaten on 66, which gives him 9002 career runs at 40.36, of which he has scored 211 at 42.20 in three matches this season.

Milestones Monday

Nick Larkin’s dominant 210 for NSW against ACT in the Futures League was his first double century in the Futures League, and his fourth century in the competition.  He also passed 1000 career Futures League runs during the innings.   To round off the week, he became the first batsman to reach 500 runs for Sydney University this season during his innings in the Twenty20 match against ACT at Manuka Oval on Sunday.

In the same Futures League match, but playing for the ACT, Tom Rogers hit his highest Futures League score (82).

Devlin Malone’s matchwinning 5-78 against Gordon was his second five-wicket return for the Club, and the fourth in his First Grade career.  In the process, he passed Sydney's Nic Bills to become the leading wicket-taker in the First Grade competition after Round 6.

When he dismissed Gordon’s Tym Crawford, Kieran Elley collected his first wicket for Sydney University in First Grade (after taking 50 for Fairfield-Liverpool).

During his 42 against Gordon, David Miller passed 1500 runs in Second Grade.

Charlie Litchfield completed a memorable match against Gordon in Third Grade by taking his first wickets for the Club.

In Fourth Grade against Gordon, Aidan Peek (5-47) claimed his first five-wicket haul for the Club.

Jake Day’s 103 against Gordon in Fifth Grade was his first century for the Club; in his 19 previous innings for the Club, his highest score had been 33 not out.

Liam Hughes (57 against Gordon) hit his first half-century in Fifth Grade.

And one we missed last week: the seventh wicket partnership of 170 between Brodie Frost (94) and Andrew Wilkinson (71) against Mosman set a new Club record for the Metropolitan Cup competition.

Larkin doubles up

Sydney University captain Nick Larkin delivered a timely reminder to the NSW Blues selectors yesterday, smashing his second double century of the season in the Futures League match against ACT in Wollongong.

After trailing by 240 on the first innings, NSW was set the implausible target of 480 on the final day, but Larkin's innings made victory a distinct possibility.  He began by sharing an opening stand of 76 with Hawkesbury's Josh Clarke, which ended when University's Tom Rogers broke through Clarke's defences.  By lunch, NSW had reached one for 95, with Larkin 55, and another 180 runs were added in the second session.  At tea, Larkin was 134, and NSW still required 205 to win, with eight wickets in hand.  Larkin and the experienced Ben Rohrer attacked the target aggressively, and Larkin reached his double century with six overs remaining in the day and 47 runs still required.  Tom Rogers returned to bowl Larkin for 210, and when the final over began, NSW needed 14 runs with two wickets remaining.  Arjun Nair and Daniel Sams managed only eight runs from the last six balls, and the match ended in that strangest of conditions, a thrilling draw.

Larkin, last year's player of the tournament in the Futures League, proved again that he's equipped to play at higher levels.   But until his epic performance on the last day, he'd been overshadowed in the match by his club team-mate Tom Rogers, who followed a furious innings of 82 (with ten fours and three sixes) with an incisive opening spell in the NSW first innings, in which he bowled Larkin first ball and also dismissed Ed Cowan.

Paul Anthony Gresham (1953-2016)

Paul Gresham (later known as Tony Maher), died on 14 October 2016 from the effects of liver cancer.

Paul entered Sydney University in 1972 after completing his Higher School Certificate at St Joseph's College.  He enrolled in Arts/Law and joined both the cricket club and the Rugby club. He played only a few seasons in the lower grades for the cricket club as a medium pacer but enjoyed a long and productive career with the Rugby club.  Playing on the wing or as a centre, he reached First Grade in 1977 and played (mostly in Seconds and Thirds) until a broken ankle ended his career in 1985. He was flamboyant and extroverted: he seemed to know everyone involved in University sport, and his insistence on wearing bow ties and his University blazer made him an instantly recognisable figure in the Grandstand.  Although his cricket career with University was brief, he played for many years for the Nondescripts in the City and Suburban competition.

The Club extends its condolences to Paul's family, especially his wife, Susanneh.

Monday Milestones: maiden centuries and a couple of Mailstones

First, the Mailstones.

When he reached 18 against Gordon on Saturday, Greg Mail became the first player ever to record 10,000 First Grade runs for Sydney University.  

Mail carried his tally to 10,013 runs, at an average of 51.35.  To give some idea of the scope of his achievement, the next highest run-scorer for University in Firsts is Ian Moran, with 8695 runs at an average of 35.  Nine other players have scored 10,000 First Grade runs for a single club.  They are:

Tommy Andrews (Petersham), 11,719

Grant Lambert (Fairfield), 11,413

Sid Carroll (Gordon), 11,322

Warren Saunders (St George), 10,952

Brian Booth (St George), 10,674

Jack Chegwyn (Randwick), 10,455

Anthony Clark (Fairfield-Liverpool), 10,423

Greg Hayne (UTS-Balmain), 10,285

Monty Noble (paddington), 10,277

In addition, Richard Chee Quee scored 11,886 First Grade runs without changing clubs, but a few thousand were scored after Randwick amalgamated with Petersham-Marrickville to create a new club, Randwick-Petersham.

When Mail's score against Gordon reached 23, he became the first player in the history of NSW Premier Cricket to reach 15,000 runs in First Grade.   His total (for Parramatta, Hawkesbury, Balmain and Sydney University) is now 15,008 at 46.75.  He is almost 3000 runs clear of the next highest scorer, his one-time opening partner at UTS-Balmain, Greg Hayne (12,354).

Ryan Carters' excellent 113 in First Grade against Gordon was his first century for the Club.

Ed Cowan also notched two significant landmarks in First Grade's match with Gordon.  His polished 58 was his 50th score above fifty in First Grade (including 12 centuries).  And it carried him past 6500 First Grade runs.  

Hayden Kerr's unbeaten 129 against Gordon was his highest score for the Club, and his first century in Third Grade.

Charlie Litchfield also played a role in Third Grade's demolition of Gordon: his 109 not out was his first century for the Club.

Angus Cusack made his debut for the Club in Fifth Grade against Gordon, and captured his first wickets, taking 3-75.

More records for Mail

There are few batting records in Sydney First Grade cricket that Greg Mail doesn't hold, but he created two new ones this afternoon, becoming the first player in the history of Sydney University to reach 10,000 First Grade runs and the first player to reach 15,000 First Grade runs for all clubs.

In the match against Gordon at Chatswood Oval this afternoon, Mail went to the crease with the score on four for 276 after excellent innings by Ed Cowan (58) and Ryan Carters (113), who recorded his first century for the Club.  When he reached 18, Mail recorded his 10,000th run for Sydney University, and on 23 he posted the 15,000th First Grade run of his career.

Mail is the tenth batsman to score 10,000 First Grade runs for a single Sydney club.  The others are Tommy Andrews (Petersham), Grant Lambert (Fairfield), Sid Carroll (Gordon), Warren Saunders (St George), Brian Booth (St George), Jack Chegwyn (Randwick), Greg Hayne (UTS-Balmain), Monty Noble (Paddington) and Anthony Clark (Fairfield-Liverpool).   Richard Chee Quee scored 11,886 First Grade runs without changing clubs, but many of these were scored after Randwick amalgamated with Petersham-Marrickville to create a new club.

IN THE SHEDS... NICKNAMES

It was the season of 2009 and I was playing in my SUCC debut. I was a baby faced, long haired teen, fresh from completing my HSC and making the long trip out to Blacktown. My first thought on arrival was that I hoped that this was the furthest that I would need to travel for a game of Grade cricket. At the completion of the match I was sitting in the sheds taking part in my first ever fines meeting. After being fined for scoring a handful of runs and taking a few catches, the then 4th grade captain Dan Bragg looked at me, considered me for a moment and then fined me for looking like a particular electronic plush toy that went through great popularity in the early 2000’s. This was met with a furore of excitement and approval by the majority of the team, in particular Ben Joy (yes he was playing 4th grade) who had obviously been contemplating the same thought throughout the day. This unfortunate moment spawned my SUCC nickname which has stuck with me ever since. So much so that my real name has become redundant and I am confident that there are a many members of the club that do not actually know what it is.

As all males will know, it is almost impossible to be involved in a large group of guys without being given some sort of nickname. Sydney Uni Cricket Club is no different. A nickname is said to be a substitute for the proper name of a person, usually to show affection or ‘gentle’ ridicule.

Now in the case of SUCC, nicknames are given for a few different reasons. Some can be as simple as the opposition writing your name in the scorecard incorrectly; e.g. Max ”Pope” Hope, Lewis “McMayhem” McMahon.

Some are just obvious; e.g. Marty “Hector” Paskal, Ben “Barnaby Joyce” Joy, Jack “Super Coach” Gibson.

Some are spawned out of aggressive eating habits or the sheer size of the vessel; e.g. Tom “2 plates” Kierath. Adam “Ship” Theobald, Nick “Truck” Arnold.

(It has long been a challenge to “Sink the Ship” at a long lunch or a Surjits dinner, I don’t think that this feat will ever be achieved).

Whilst others have an array of nicknames which can be used in constant rotation to confuse both the victim as well as others that do not know their real name; e.g. Dave “Milf”/”Milfred”/”Funky”/”Deef” Miller.

However, I think that the most common form of nickname within SUCC is those that like mine, make reference to someone or something that they look like or impersonate in some way. So to list just a handful, we have:

Dugald “Screech” Hollway – in reference to his striking resemblance to the popuar “Saved by the Bell” Character

Ryan “Sid” Kurtz – in reference to his resemblance of Sid the sloth from “Ice Age”

Mark “Alf” Faraday – Go and look up the TV show

Henry “Wario”/”Wrongsy” Clark – If you have ever played Mario Kart you will understand the former. The latter is a reference to his bowling style of bowling off the wrong foot. NB: Will Hay once described him to the umpire as bowling “right arm, wrong leg”.

Tim “Plugger” Ley – due to his prowess with the AFL ball

Ash “Crouchy” Cowan – in reference to his physical similarities to the journeyman football striker Peter Crouch. N.B. “Harry Potter”, and “Beer Mat” will also play.

Ed ”Poodle” Cowan & Greg “Junk” Mail – yep even the big dogs get them

Will “Voldemort” Clayton – but we don’t like to talk about this one

And one of my personal favorites Nigel “Ned Flanders” Cowell – this one is pretty self-explanatory.

Some more miscellaneous tags include the three Griffins, i.e. Ben “Stewy” Larkin, Nick “Chris” Larkin, and James “Meg” Larkin (unlucky Jum). Nicko may also be referred to as “Seagull” due to his uncanny ability to snaffle up a stray potato chip.

A few of the rarer characters at the club have been granted with some of the better nicknames going around. We have Jonno “Bird Shit Bill” Craig-Dobson, due to the large patch of white hair on his roof, Jack “Eric” Holloway, in reference to the famous Equatorial Guinean swimmer suggesting that in his early days he played the same sport but wasn’t quite at the same level as everyone else (this one is a bit stiff).

And of course the two Ryans; Firstly, Jim “Carpaccio” Ryan, just because he needs a few more minutes each side on the BBQ to cook out the rareness. And secondly, one of the most famous in SUCC history Josh “Rig”/”Bryan” Ryan. The former was initially a nickname for his aggressively large automobile and then subsequently in reference to his aggressively large abs/chest which were toned during countless hours on the bench press.

These are just a small selection of the many nicknames that get thrown around at SUCC. All in all, they may have been born out of ridicule but we carry these names on with a certain fondness and endearment towards the, for lack of a better word, victims, and it is all part of belonging to this great club.

So if you are a new player at the club without a nickname, give it a couple of games or indeed a couple of club circuits or a tour and you will most likely have a great nickname that will be your tag for years to come.