Sydney University batsman Greg Mail created another milestone against Gordon at Chatswood Oval on Saturday, becoming the first player in the history of the McDonald’s NSW Premier Cricket competition to score 15,000 First Grade runs.
Mail’s middle order cameo of 31off 23 deliveries on day one of the two-day match took him to 15,008 First Grade runs, including 10,015 First Grade runs for Sydney University.
Mail, 38, also leads the way with 42 centuries and 72 half-centuries in the massive accumulation which have come at the healthy average of 46.75.
Sydney University ended day one of the Round 6 match against Gordon with 340 runs in the bank off 95 overs.
The highlight of the innings was a classy 113 from wicketkeeper and No.3 Ryan Carters, who hit 14 boundaries and a six in his 225-ball occupation. The NSW representative shared a 124-run, first wicket stand with opener Ed Cowan (58) and an 87-run stand with Damien Mortimer (37).
Ashton May chipped in with 48, while English import, spinner Mason Crane, was the best of the Gordon trundlers, finishing with 4-112 off 24 overs in a tough day at the office.
Mail’s landmark cannot be understated. In a 15-year career in the top grade the former Blues representative has set a number of firsts, including a record opening stand for SUCC in the recent Round 3 match against Manly-Warringah when he and skipper Nick Larkin posted 337 at University Oval. Larkin remained unbeaten on 206, while Mail contributed 179 in Sydney University’s 1(dec)-424 off 85 overs.
Their stand surpassed the first wicket partnership of 324 between Will Hay and Mail back in the 2009-10 season.
The stand was also the second best opening partnership in the 124-year history of the McDonald’s NSW Premier Cricket.
Legendary Victor Trumper and Dan Gee posted a 423-run partnership for Paddington against Redfern, at Redfern Oval, in 1903.
Mail has now been involved in two of the top five opening partnerships and four triple century stands, including a record 390 for a second wicket partnership, with Matthew Phelps, for Sydney University against Mosman in 2006.
He also shared a 310-run partnership with David Miller against Northern District in 2009-10; a 246-run partnership with Scott Henry against Eastern Suburbs in 2013-14; and a 176-run partnership with Larkin against Gordon in 2010-11.
And his 42 First Grade centuries leave him six clear of Victor Trumper, Warren Bardsley and Bob Simpson, each with 36.
Meanwhile, Sydney University Third Grade rattled up 2-309 off 47 overs, after dismissing Gordon for 108 on day one of their encounter at Killara Oval.
Hayden Kerr remained unbeaten on 129 and Charles Litchfield was unconquered on 109 at stumps.
They franked that form with another useful partnership on Sunday in Sydney University’s 48-run win over UNSW in a Round 4 Poidevin-Gray (Under 21) encounter at Sydney University Oval.
Kerr cracked 44 and Litchfield 32 in Sydney University’s innings of 146 before they rolled the boys from Kensington for 98, thanks to Kieran Elley (3-21), Devlin Malone (2-13) and Dugald Holloway (2-21).
Scoreboard
Sydney Men’s Premier competition: Two-Day matches – Round 6
First Grade: Sydney University 340 off 95 overs (Ryan Carters 113, Ed Cowan 58, Ashton May 48, Greg Mail 31, Nick Larkin 22; Mason Crane 4-112) versus Gordon, stumps, day one, at Chatswood Oval. Toss: Sydney University. Batted first: Sydney University.
Second Grade: Gordon 270 off 96.2 overs (Scott O’Brien 56, Daniel Smith 44, Will Phillips 40, Max Newman 39, Chad Soper 31) versus Sydney University, stumps, day one, at Sydney University Oval. Toss: Gordon. Batted first: Gordon.
Third Grade: Sydney University 2-309 off 47 overs (Hayden Kerr 129 not out, Charles Litchfield 109 not out) versus Gordon 108 off 32.2 overs (Nick Miller 30), stumps day one, at Killara Oval. Toss: Sydney University. Batted first: Gordon.
Fourth Grade: Gordon 138 off 52.2 overs (Stuart Bromley 26; Alasdair Grant 4-53, Nicholas Powys 3-38, Jack Gibson 2-27) versus Sydney University 3-68 off 25 overs (Alexander Shaw 40 not out, Kevin Jacob 22), stumps, day one, at St Paul’s College Oval. Toss: Sydney University. Batted first: Gordon.
Fifth Grade: Gordon 9(dec)-308 off 76 overs (David Monaghan 66, Jack Doolan 50, Mitchell Kleem 34, Samuel Watts 34 not out; Angus Cusak 3-75, Natesh Yoga and 2-20, Sameer Murthy 2-36) versus Sydney University 1-6 off two overs, stumps, day one, at Beauchamp Park. Toss: Gordon. Batted first: Gordon.
Poidevin-Gray Shield (Under 21) – Round 4 (Limited Overs)
Sydney University 146 off 44.2 overs (Hayden Kerr 44, Charles Litchfield 32; Marcus Attalah 4-20, Declan White 2-36) defeated UNSW 98 off 38.5 overs (Connor Jackson 41; Kieran Elley 3-21, Devlin Malone 2-13, Dugald Holloway 2-21) by 48 runs at Sydney University Oval on Sunday. Toss: Sydney University. Batted first: Sydney University. Points: Sydney University 6, UNSW 0.
Sydney Metropolitan Cup competition: Two-Day matches ‑ Round 6
Sydney University 9(dec)-315 off 60 overs (Brodie Frost 94, Andrew Wilkinson 71, Nick Fitzgerald 51, Liam Hughes 34) versus Mosman 0-54 off 18 overs, stumps, day one, at St Andrew’s College Oval. Toss: Sydney University. Batted first: Sydney University.
Sydney Women’s Premier competition – Round 5 (Limited overs)
First Grade: Universities 4-124 off 35 overs (Maddy Darke 62 not out, Qanita Jalil 15) defeated Penrith 123 off 40.1 overs at Howell Oval on Sunday. Toss: Universities. Batted first: Penrith. Points: Universities 6, Penrith 0.
Second Grade – Round 7: Universities bye.
Third Grade: Campbelltown-Camden 6-148 off 40 overs (Bethany Jenkins 36, Leanne Wardale 23; Erica James 2-21, Alison Chisholm 2-25) defeated Universities Blue 61, off 22.1 overs (Zoe Benjamin 19, Erica James 14, Malina Rumble 14; Sonja Collins 3-3, Jemma Barnes 2-5, Bethany Jenkins 2-10) by 87 runs at Clark Reserve 2. Toss: Universities Blue. Batted first; Campbelltown-Camden. Points: Campbelltown-Camden 6, Universities Blue 0.
Universities Gold: Bye.
