Sydney University Firsts are in a strong position to claim outright points in their two-day Round 2 Belvidere Cup match against UNSW at University Oval.
Having rolled the visitors for 163, Sydney University ended Day One on 1-82 and will be looking for a sizeable lead in the hunt for maximum points. Opener Nick Larkin continued his early season form, cracking 45 before being dismissed just before stumps. Ryan McElduff and Damien Mortimer both unbeaten on 18, will resume next Saturday.
Leg-spinner Devlin Malone caused problems for the visitors, collecting 6-42 off 24 telling overs.
Sydney University opened their NSW Premier cricket season the previous Saturday with an eight-wicket win in their limited-overs tussle with Campbelltown Camden at Raby Sports Complex.
Larkin topscored with 52 off 69 balls as the Students rattled up 2-130 in 27.3 overs to collect the points. It was the 48th time the opener passed 50 in First Grade, with 19 of those innings ending up passing triple figures. He now has 7298 First Grade runs under his belt.
Sydney University No.3 Damien Mortimer finished unbeaten on 41 off 59 balls, while Dylan Hunter, who shared a 38-run opening partnership with Larkin, posted 24 off 25 balls.
Campbelltown Camden had won the toss and batted, but it proved a forlorn decision when they were all out for 129 off 43.4 overs. No.3 Aarron Muir topscored with 32 off 63 balls, while No.5 Toby Flynn-Duncombe posted 24 off 49 balls.
In an economical Sydney University bowling line-up, Dylan Hunter, making his debut for SUCC, collected 3-26 off eight overs, Ryan McElduff took 2-12 off 10 overs and Malone collected 2-28 off 7.5 overs. Malone’s two wickets took him past Greg Mail (222) to become the 10th highest wicket-taker in First Grade for the Club.
Campbelltown Camden Second Grade won a very tight Albert Cup limited overs match at St Paul’s College Oval, finishing with 9-152 with two balls to spare.
Sydney University Seconds won the toss and batted, posting 151 off 47.6 overs. Ryan Danne, playing his 200th game for SUCC, topscored with 34 off 49 balls, Peter Brazel hit 32 off 56 balls and No.10 Theo Dempsey held out for 28 off 54 balls. Brazel and Dempsey put on a 61-run ninth wicket partnership, while Ryan Freeman took the Campbelltown Camden bowling honours with 4-53 off nine overs.
The visitors collected the winning points largely due to No.8 Thomas Patterson who remained not out on 29 off 89 balls. Rex Greaves finished with an economical 3-33 off 10 overs.
The Third Grade Mitchell Cup fixture and Fifth Grade Sherwood Cup match, both scheduled for Raby Sports Complex, and the Fourth Grade Reid Cup match at Marrickville Oval were all abandoned.
