Sydney University skipper Greg Mail scored his 40th First Grade century in the Sydney grade competition as the visitors racked up 9-354 on the first day of their two-day clash with Blacktown at Joe McAleer Oval on Saturday.
Batting at No.5, Mail posted 131 in his 243-minute stay at the crease, with 10 boundaries and two sixes. It was his second century of the season following his 105 in the first round against Eastern Suburbs at Waverley Oval.
The former NSW opener became the most prolific century-maker in the history of the competition when he scored an unbeaten 126 in the opening round of the 2012-13 season. That century saw him surpass legends Victor Trumper and Warren Bardsley, who each scored 36 First Grade tons. Trumper had made his 36th First Grade hundred in the opening round of the 1914-15 season, while Bardsley joined him on 36 centuries during the 1932-33 summer.
Mail is also the highest runscorer in the 120 years of Sydney grade cricket, a record he set in 2011-12 when he ended the season with 12,438 runs, having moved past Greg Haynes’ career tally of 12,354. He now has 13,275 First Grade runs at 53.30.
Mail has enjoyed several massive stands during his grade career, including 324 with Will Hay against Manly-Warringah in the 2009-10 season, 310 with David Miller against Northern District the same season, and a 246-run first wicket partnership with opener Scott Henry (200 not out) to start the present season.
Sydney University are reasonably placed after day one in Second Grade, where the Students have Blacktown 3-91 in reply to their 260 at Sydney University No.2 Oval.
Third Grade have already collected first innings points, ending the day at 4-133 in reply to Blacktown’s first innings of 95; Fourth Grade are well-placed at 0-51 in reply to Blacktown’s 187; and Fifth Grade need a strong middle order showing, ending day one at 3-80 in reply to Blacktown’s 195.
In the fourth round of the Women’s Sydney grade competition – a Twenty20 round – Universities collected the points in First and Second grades against Sydney Tigers at Drummoyne Oval, while Thirds went down to St George-Sutherland at Gifford Park.
Scoreboard
Sydney Men’s Grade Cricket competition – Round 3 (Two-day matches)
First Grade: Sydney University 9-354 off 96 overs (Greg Mail 131, David Miller 58, Tim Ley 55, Scott Henry 53; Tony Clark 5-68, Matthew Bursa 3-58) v Blacktown, stumps, day one at Joe McAleer Oval. Toss: Sydney University. Batted first: Sydney University.
Second Grade: Sydney University 260 off 70.5 overs (Joshua Richards 67, Alex Logan 35, Tom Kierath 25, Jim Ryan 22, Ronit Lotliker 20 not out, Ben Joy 20; J. Hilder 3-24, Sanjay Parasher 3-50) v Blacktown 3-91 (Grant Crompton 48 not out) stumps, day one at Sydney University No.2 Oval. Toss: Sydney University. Batted first: Sydney University.
Third Grade: Blacktown 95 off 46.2 overs (Blake Couzins 28, Brandon Crosbie 21; Lewis McMahon 5-16, Max Hope 2-7) v Sydney University 4-133 (Max Hope 50, Ed Arnott 20) stumps, day one at Sydney University No.1 Oval. Toss: Blacktown. Batted first: Blacktown.
Fourth Grade: Blacktown 187 (Tim Grice 46, Stuart Slocombe 37, Kershan Pillai 22) v Sydney University 0-51 (Matt Skinner 26 not out) stumps, day one at Jim Hanshaw Oval. Toss: Blacktown. Batted first: Blacktown.
Fifth Grade: Blacktown 195 off 56 overs (Richard Partington 97, Jack Michie 24) v Sydney University 3-80 (Harrison 24) stumps, day one at St Paul’s College Oval. Toss: Blacktown. Batted first: Blacktown.
Metropolitan Cup – Round 3
Sydney University 148 (Alex Titterton 3-3, Damien Timkiw-Keating 2-26, Mitchell Farquharson 2-30) v Blacktown 3-60 (Dean Robinson 38 not out) stumps, day one at Whalan Oval No.2. Toss: Sydney University. Batted first: Sydney University.
Poidevin-Gray Shield – Round 2 (Limited overs)
Western Suburbs 2-135 off 18.3 overs (Liam Gibson 70, Lee Maggs 29; Max Hope 1-25) d Sydney University 7-134 off 20 overs (Max Hope 31, Jonte Pattison 25 not out, Alex Logan 25, Steven Birch 24 Cameron Prentice 2-16, Brenton Wright 2-19) by eight wickets at Pratten Park. Toss: Sydney University. Batted first: Sydney University. Points: Western Suburbs 4, Sydney University 0.
Sydney Women’s Grade competition – Round 4 (Twenty20)
First Grade: Universities 0-81 off 13.1 overs Clara Iemma 35 not out, Georgia Redmayne 30 not out; Kate Jackson 0-11, Beth Wonders 0-12) d Sydney Tigers 78 off 17.5 overs (Beth Wonders 33, Rebecca Minella 13; Melissa Norup 3-22 [hat-trick], Clara Iemma 2-11) by 10 wickets at Drummoyne Oval. Toss: Sydney. Batted first: Sydney. Points: Universities 6, Sydney 0.
Second Grade: Universities 3-131 off 20 overs (Melissa Norup 48 not out, Shizuka Miyaji 31, Rachel Li 29) d Sydney 85 off 19 overs (Felicity Goodwin 4-20, Melissa Norup 2-9, Olivia Toolin 1-14, Emma Geering 1-15) by 46 runs at Drummoyne Oval. Toss: Universities. Batted first: Universities. Points: Universities 6, Sydney 0.
Third Grade: St George-Sutherland 1-130 off 20 overs (Fiona Spowart 35 ret, Alana Gillett 30 ret, Stephanie Gillett 30 ret; Phoebe Tulloch 1-8) d Universities 8-50 off 20 overs (Leanne Pond 2-5, Lisa McIntyre 2-6, Gina Rhodes 1-5, Stephanie Gillett 1-7) by 80 runs at Gifford Park. Toss: Universities. Batted first: St George-Sutherland. Points: St George-Sutherland 6, Universities 0.