Graham Croker
Sydney University skipper Greg Mail passed 1000 runs for the season when he scored 79 in Sydney University’s Round 12 match against Hawkesbury at Owen Earle Oval.
Hawkesbury were 0-37 at stumps on day one in reply to Sydney University’s 204, and with day two washed out, the match was drawn with neither side collecting any competition points.
Mail’s first innings contribution took his tally for the season to 1026 at an imposing average of 93.27. He became the 46th player in the 116-year history of the competition to best the 1000-run mark in first grade and the first to achieve the feat three times. The closest batsman to Mail this season is Manly-Warringah’s Tim Cruickshank with 725 runs at an average of 51.79.
Earlier in the season Mail became the first player to post back-to-back double centuries in first grade. And, in Round 9 he became just the 20th player to pass the 10,000-run mark in first grade.
With three rounds remaining in the competition proper for 2009-10, Sydney University are still in the hunt to snare the Club Championship, but it will require plenty of wins across the grades to do so.
Sutherland head the Club Championship on 1319 points, ahead of St George (1296), Bankstown (1125) and Sydney University (1110).
The First Grade ladder sees Sutherland well ahead on 72 points, with Eastern Suburbs (57), Sydney University (54), St George (52) and Parramatta (49) making up the top five.
The Students have a favourable draw for the final three rounds, hosting Sydney, Parramatta and Gordon at Sydney University No.1 Oval.
In the lower grades, Sydney University Seconds are 3rd on the ladder, Thirds are precariously placed at 8th, Fourths are well-placed at 2nd, and Fifths sit 5th with the finals in sight.
Scoreboard
Sydney Grade competition – Round 12
First Grade: Sydney University 204 (Greg Mail 79, Will Hay 39; Anthony Kershler 2-17, Timothy McKay 2-33, Jarrod Lee 2-40) drew with Hawkesbury 0-37 stumps, day one at Owen Earle Oval. No play on day two because of rain. Toss: Hawkesbury. Batted first: Sydney University. Points: Hawkesbury 0, Sydney University 0.
Second Grade: Sydney University 8(dec)-408 (Mark Faraday 154, Liam Robertson 66, Nick Larkin 45, Tim Ley 37, Michael Culkoff 32; Matthew Williams 4-83) drew with Hawkesbury 0-44 stumps, day one at Sydney University No.1 Oval. No play on day two because of rain. Toss: Hawkesbury. Batted first: Sydney University. Points: Hawkesbury 0, Sydney University 0.
Third Grade: Sydney University 7-236 (Alisdair Grant 63 not out, Mark Hackett 53, Matthew Gregory 30, Ash Cowan 25) drew with Hawkesbury, stumps, day one at Benson’s Lane No.2 Oval. No play on day two because of rain. Toss: Sydney University. Batted first: Sydney University. Points: Hawkesbury 0, Sydney University 0.
Fourth Grade: Hawkesbury 167 (Jake Leyshon 42, Rhys Whybrow 25; Charles Cull 5-49, Daniel Bragg 2-19, Kerrod McPherson 2-40) drew with Sydney University 5-107 (Michael Shields 2-20, Jake Leyshon 2-23) stumps, day one at Sydney University No.2 Oval. No play on day two because of rain. Toss: Hawkesbury. Batted first: Hawkesbury. Points: Hawkesbury 0, Sydney University 0.
Fifth Grade: Sydney University 9-286 (Virosh Poolagasandrum 71, Simon Cowell 55, Justin Young 42, Angus Glyne 30; Alan McGregor 5-33) drew with Hawkesbury stumps, day one at Benson’s Lane No.3 Oval. No play on day two because of rain. Points: Hawkesbury 0, Sydney University 0.
Women’s Sydney Grade competition – Round 11 (Limited overs)
Bankstown Sports 3-123 off 20.5 overs (Asha Smith 47 not out, Carly Ryan 23 not out) d Universities 119 off 33.3 overs (Rosamond Kember 27, Laura Cornford 27, Sara Hungerford 25; Rhiannon Dick 5-25, Sharon Millanta 2-22) at David Phillips North Oval. Toss won by: Bankstown Sports. Batted first: Universities. Points: Bankstown Sports 8, Universities 0.
Women’s National Cricket League – Final (Limited overs)
NSW 9-206 off 50 overs (Alex Blackwell 54, Lisa Sthalekar 49 not out, Ellyse Perry 17, Kate Blackwell 2) d Victoria 147 off 39.1 overs, by 59 runs at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
