Sydney University captain Greg Mail set two benchmarks in guiding the Students to a much-needed first innings win over Sydney in their two-day, Round 11 match at Sydney University No.1 Oval at the weekend.
Mail cracked an unbeaten 138 in Sydney University’s imposing 4(dec)-359. In scoring a record 41st First Grade century in the premier Sydney competition, he also became the first batsman to reach the 14,000-run mark. He has now scored 14,098 First Grade runs, 1744 clear of second-placed Greg Hayne who amassed 12,354 between 1987 and 2007.
After a quiet first half to the 2014-15 season – by his standards – Mail unleashed on Sydney’s bowling attack, posting his runs off just 144 deliveries.
With opener Ryan Carters (58) and No.3 Scott Henry (96) having laid the foundations, Sydney University were 3-235 when Mail stepped through the pickets. He shared whirlwind partnerships of 76 with Sean Abbott and 48 with Mark Faraday in an innings that included 12 boundaries.
On what was described as “a belter of a pitch”, Abbott displayed his all-rounder attributes in claiming 5-40 as Sydney put on 197 in reply. Only Anthony Mosca’s unbeaten 115 stopped a rout. Sydney were 8-126 in their second innings as the Students pushed for outright points that would have elevated them up the competition and Club Championships ladders.
Manly-Warringah head the competition ladder on 56 points, with Bankstown (52), Mosman (42), Eastern Suburbs (39), Randwick-Petersham (36) and Sutherland (36) making up the top six.
Penrith (35) and Gordon (34) lie ahead of the defending premiers, ninth-placed Sydney University (30).
Manly-Warringah also head the Club Championship ladder on 1160 points, closely followed by Sydney University on 1003, with Eastern Suburbs (942) and Penrith (927) also holding aspirations.
Sydney University teams claimed a clean-sweep over Sydney at the weekend, with the lower grades playing a limited overs round on Saturday.
Second Grade, the defending premiers, remain unbeaten after 11 rounds, while Thirds, Fourths and Fifths also claimed first innings points. Sydney University’s Metropolitan Cup side completed the big weekend with a win over Randwick-Petersham.
Scoreboard
Sydney Men’s Grade Cricket competition – Round 11 (Two-day match)
First Grade: Sydney University4(dec)-359 off 80 overs (Greg Mail 138 not out, Scott Henry 96, Ryan Carters 58, Sean Abbott 28; Tom Oritz 2-36) d Sydney 197 off 68.2 overs (Anthony Mosca 115 not out, Harry Dalton 33, Matt Rodgers 28; Sean Abbott 5-40, Jonte Pattison 2-55) and 8-126 off 42.5 overs (Nathan Sowter 29, Daniel Smith 23 not out, Harry Dalton 21; Ben Joy 3-27, Will Somerville 2-30) on the first innings at Sydney University No.1 Oval on Saturday and Sunday. Toss: Sydney University. Batted first: Sydney University. Points: Sydney University 6, Sydney 0.
Limited Overs matches
Second Grade: Sydney University 6(dec)-201 off 47.5 overs (Max Hope 91 not out, Adam Theobald 62; Richard Jones 2-26) d Sydney 199 off 49.2 overs (Ryan Felsch 59, Richard Cross 22, Nick Govers 21; Tom Kierath 3-36, Dugald Holloway 2-37, David Miller 2-29) by four wickets at Drummoyne Oval. Toss: Sydney. Batted first: Sydney. Points: Sydney University 6, Sydney 0.
Third Grade: Sydney University 3-213 off 50 overs (Alexander Shaw 48, Ben Larkin 42, James Crowley 31, Ash Cowan 28; Stephen Pryde 2-47) d Sydney 203 off 49.3 overs (Daniel Jacob 109; Lewis McMahon 4-29, Henry Clark 2-43, Ash Cowan 2-43) by 10 runs at St Paul’s College Oval. Toss: Sydney University. Batted first: Sydney University. Points: Sydney University 6, Sydney 0.
Fourth Grade: Sydney University 7-249 off 50 overs (Suda Sivapalan 78, Joshua Richards 69, Jack Maddocks 45; Stephen King 3-36, Tu Lesuma 2-21) d Sydney 9-243 off 50 overs (Dominic Tonkin 58, Charles Booth 41, Jack Crace 30, Jack Thomas 26; William Clayton 3-56) by six runs at Ryde Oval. Toss: Sydney University. Batted first: Sydney University. Points: Sydney University Sydney 6, Sydney 0.
Fifth Grade: University Sydney 6-296 off 50 overs (Hayden Kerr 72, Matt Lowen 65, Jack Waterlow 40; Thomas Laban 2-41) d Sydney 190 off 48.3 overs (Jai Ivelja 33, Oliver Meronin 33, Travis Loxton 26, Samad Shaikh 25; Liam Whitaker 4-50, Tobias Wheeler 2-21) by 106 runs at Kensington Oval. Toss: Sydney University. Batted first: Sydney University. Points: Sydney University 6, Sydney 0.
Metropolitan Cup: Sydney University 6-106 off 27 overs (Kobe Carroll 20 not out, Douglas Rogers 19; Omair Ali 3-37) d Randwick-Petersham Green 105 off 38 overs (Savio Gracias Flor 25; Harris de Krester 3-23, Andrew Wilkinson 3-25) by four wickets at Alexandria Park. Toss: Sydney University. Batted first: Randwick-Petersham Green. Points: Sydney University 6, Randwick-Petersham 0.
Sydney Women’s Grade cricket competition – Round 5 (Limited Overs)
First Grade: Universities 4-270 off 50 overs (Kate Owen 75, Kara Sutherland 70, Georgia Redmayne 53, Maisy Gibson 40; Angela Reakes 2-43) d Sydney 119 off 34.3. overs (Fiona Urquhart 55; Kate Owen 2-12, Kate Coppack 2-14; Maisy Gibson 2-22) by 151 runs at the Village Green. Toss: Universities. Batted first: Universities. Points: Universities 6, Sydney 0.
Second Grade: Universities 8-243 off 50 overs (Rachel Lambe 48 not out, Rachel Li 27, Caitlin Rawstron 27, Renee Hebden 27) d Sydney 111 off 31.2 overs (Brooke Lutz 2-13, Renee Hebden 2-13, Emily Jackson 2-16) by 132 runs at Ryde Oval. Toss: Sydney. Batted first: Universities. Points: Universities 6, Sydney 0.
