A Damien Mortimer century wasn’t enough for Sydney University to reel in Hawkesbury’s big first innings score in their Round 4 NSW Premier cricket encounter at Owen Earle Oval on Saturday.
Mortimer, 21, a former Australian Under 19 representative and Campbelltown-Camden product, cracked 122 off 189 delivers, including 12 boundaries and a pair of sixes, as the Students went in chase of Hawkesbury’s 8(dec)-404. It was his maiden century for SUCC since linking up with the club this season.
He came to the crease with the Students teetering at 3-57, with openers Nick Larkin (30) and Greg Mail (10) and No.4 Ashton May (0) back in the sheds.
Mortimer shared a 126-run stand with No.6 Thomas Rogers and an 84-run stand with No.3 Liam Robertson, but when he fell with the score on 269, the Students’ tail ran out of wag.
Hawkesbury had declared on their overnight total of 8-404, the bulk of which came from opener Joshua Clarke, whose 162 off 257 deliveries included 22 boundaries and a six.
He shared a 52-run opening partnership with Brent Atherton (25), an 87-run first wicket stand with Dale McKay (56) and a 99-run second wicket stand with Aamir Jamal (73). Jordan Gauci (44) and Corey Low (33) also added to the imposing total.
Young Sydney University leg-spinner Devlin Malone collected 4-130 off 28 overs, while Ashton May (2-42) and Ben Joy (2-45) shared the spoils.
The loss relegated Sydney University to fourth on the Belvidere Cup ladder. Undefeated Gordon head the table on 25 points, with Northern District (20), Sutherland (19), Sydney University (18), Randwick-Petersham (18) and Sydney (18), making up the top six.
Sydney University’s Second, Third and Fourth grades, and the Metropolitan Cup team, each collected first innings points in Round 4, while Fifth Grade collected outright points on Saturday.
Having won the toss and send Hawkesbury in at Bensons Lane 3, the Students’ Fifth Grade rolled the hosts for 38, thanks to Ryan Holcroft’s 4-14.
They then declared at 7-203 (Jarrod Morley 53, Alexander Bell 30) before dismissing Hawkesbury for 119, with Holcroft collecting 5-36.
The win elevated Fifths to second on the David Sherwood Cup ladder behind Penrith.
Round 5 fixtures will see Sydney University hosting 11th placed Eastern Suburbs in a two-day fixture, starting this Saturday at Sydney University Oval.
Scoreboard
Sydney Men’s Premier competition: Two-Day matches – Round 4
First Grade: Hawkesbury 8(dec)-404 off 99.3 overs (Joshua Clarke 162, Aamir Jamal 73, Dale McKay 56, Jordan Gauci 44; Devlin Malone 4-130, Ashton May 2-42, Ben Joy 2-45) defeated Sydney University 314 off 95.5 overs (Damien Mortimer 122, Ben Trevor-Jones 66, Liam Robertson 42; Arjun Nair 4-73) on the first innings at Owen Earle Oval. Toss: Sydney University. Batted first: Hawksbury. Points: Hawksbury 6, Sydney University 0.
Second Grade: Sydney University 273 off 78.2 overs (David Miller 153, James Crowley 56; Harrison Ridgewell 4-51, Daniel Brown 3-40) defeated Hawkesbury 126 off 50.1 overs (Luke Power 28, Toby Flynn-Duncombe 21; Jack Holloway 4-20, Jonathon Craig Dobson 2-25, Dugald Holloway 2-35, Kieran Tate 2-35) on the first innings at Sydney University Oval. Toss: Sydney University. Batted first: Sydney University. Points: Sydney University 6, Hawksbury 0.
Third Grade: Sydney University 200 off 48.3 overs (Hayden Kerr 64, Ed Arnott 52, Jack Gibson 27; Shane Mott 7-61, Matthew Frame 2-37) defeated Hawkesbury 95 off 50.4 overs (Joel Gurney 39; Xavier Frawley 6-35, Ryan Kurtz 2-8) and 6-206 off 45 overs (Shane Mott 81 not out, Kain Flynn-Duncombe 58; Ryan Kurtz 2-52) at Bensons Lane. Toss: Hawkesbury. Batted first: Sydney University. Points: Sydney University 6, Hawksbury 0.
Fourth Grade: Sydney University 8-205 off 57.3 overs (Alexander Shaw 52 not out, Matthew Powys 32, Jake Day 32, Alasdair Grant 29; Peter King 3-54) defeated Hawkesbury 204 off 74.2 overs (Long Fogg 64, Rowen Myers 39; Alasdair Grant 4-27, Ryan Danne 2-28, Aidan Peek 2-29) on the first innings at St Paul’s College Oval. Toss: Hawkesbury. Batted first: Hawksbury. Points: Sydney University 6, Hawksbury 0.
Fifth Grade: Sydney University 7(dec)-203 off 54 overs (Jarrod Morley 53, Alexander Bell 30) defeated Hawkesbury 38 off 23.2 overs (Ryan Holcroft 4-14, Andrew Wilkinson 2-6) and 119 for 39 overs (Nicholas Johnson 39, Ryan Holcroft 5-36) outright at Bensons Lane 3. Toss: Sydney University. Batted first: Hawksbury. Points: Sydney University 10, Hawksbury 0.
Sydney Metropolitan Cup competition: Two-Day matches ‑ Round 4
Sydney University 334 off 77.5 overs (James Gillespie 79, Brodie Frost 67, Liam Hughes 61, Patrick Carfax 31; Jackson Coutts 4-42, Nicholas Lawrie 2-18) defeated Eastern Suburbs 134 off 47 overs (Shreyan Deshpande 59, Mitchell Clayton 22, Robbie Ensor 15; Andrew Wilkinson 4-23, Rehan Gunawardhana 2-6, Ethan Clout 1-8) at Trumper Park. Toss: Sydney University. Batted first: Sydney University. Points: Sydney University 6, Eastern Suburbs 0.
