Sydney University Cricket Club’s team representing Australia at the fifth Red Bull Campus Cricket world Twenty 20 finals lost their opening two pool matches at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo on Monday and Tuesday.
Sydney University were all out for 74 in the Round 1 game after losing the toss and being sent in by the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh. Skipper Ben Trevor-Jones topscored with 28.
The hosts then rattled up 75 without loss in 6.5 overs, with MD Hasanuzzaman cracking 52 off 24 deliveries, including nine boundaries and a six.
In their second round match against University of Pretoria, representing South Africa, the opposition scored 6-186, with Rubin Hermann’s 55 not out off 34 balls including seven boundaries and a six.
Sydney University were restricted to 8-132 off their 20 overs, with No.3 Hayden Kerr topscoring with 53 from 42 deliveries, including five boundaries and two sixes.
Sydney University are up again Loughborough University, England, today, with the semi-finals scheduled for Saturday and the final on Sunday.
Sydney University team manager Gary Whitaker said the squad was made up of players from First Grade through to Fourth Grade.
“We’re playing against many first-class cricketers and international T20 Test players, so we’re doing it tough,” he said. “But it’s a great experience for the players and we’ll be better prepared if we win another AUG campaign and get to represent Australia again at this international tournament.”
The ICC sanctioned Red Bull Campus Cricket is billed as the world championship of college cricket. Sydney University won the 2016 Australian University Games cricket title to earn the right to represent Australia at the tournament.
The fifth edition of the competition is being held in Sri Lanka from September 5-11. Champions Assupol TUKS have qualified again for South Africa and will be going for the hat-trick after winning in 2014 and 2015.
Teams from eight countries – Sri Lanka, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Pakistan, South Africa and United Arab Emirates – qualified through their own national competitions for the 2016 tournament.
The eight teams have been divided into two groups of four with the group stages taking place at the headquarters of Sri Lankan cricket, the Sinhalese Sports Club, in Colombo. The semi-finals and final will take place at the Galle International Stadium.