Sydney’s season of heavy rains thwarted Sydney University First’s hopes of a result in their Round 2 NSW Premier Cricket tussle with UNSW at No.1 Oval on Saturday. Sydney University was to resume at 1-82 having dismissed UNSW for 163 on day one of the two-day fixture when leg-spinner Devlin Malone tore through the visitor’s batting line-up, collecting 6-42 off 24 threatening overs. Krishna Padmanabhan, batting at No.8, made a valuable 58 for UNSW, while Malone’s half-dozen scalps took him to 228 wickets – the 10th-highest wicket-taker in First Grade for the Club.
Opener Nick Larkin continued his early season form, cracking 45 before being dismissed just before stumps on day one. Ryan McElduff and Damien Mortimer, both unbeaten on 18, didn’t get a chance to resume their innings on Saturdays, thanks to the weather.
SUCC’s Second Grade also had to be content with a draw when day two of their match against UNSW at David Phillips Memorial Oval was washed out. Having won the toss and elected to bat, Sydney University posted 194, largely thanks to a 110-run opening stand between Hayden Storey (79) and skipper Jack Hill (44) and a telling 40 in the middle-order from Max Hope. Suthangan Thanabalasingam was the best of the UNSW bowlers, collecting 3-46 off his 22 overs. UNSW was 2-103 at the stumps on day one of the fixture, with opener Annay Chauhan unbeaten on 56.
The Third-Grade fixture at St Paul’s College Oval and Fourth Grade at Marrickville Oval were both abandoned, while the Fifth-Grade fixture at David Phillips Memorial Fields was drawn, with Day 2 washed out. Sydney University had posted 187 and UNSW were 0-15 at stumps on Day 1.
SUCC Firsts will host Penrith in a two-day Round 3 match starting at University Oval on Saturday.
