Sydney University skipper Greg Mail bagged career-best figures of 7-12 to restrict Manly-Warringah to 204 on the first day of their two-day, round two match at Manly Oval on Saturday.
Manly had reached 1-56 before the captain introduced himself to the attack as sixth change and proceeded to whittle away at the host’s batting line-up with his nagging medium-pacers.
As Sydney University coach Gary Whitaker said: “Mail kept hitting the seam and asking questions. He’s the ultimate professional. He won the toss and sent Manly in and then responded by taking a bagful of wickets.”
Mail (10) and Nick Larkin (10) batted through to stumps and the Students will start day two on 0-22 with an interesting chase in their sights.
They’re no strangers to interesting chases, having lost their first round match the previous week to Gordon at Chatswood Oval, where the hosts chased down Sydney University’s 294 to win in the final over of the day.
The Students had set the big score on the back of a 116-run third wicket stand between Scott Henry (107) and Ian Moran (80). Having batted into day two, Gordon were left with 87 overs to reach the winning target.
Steve Colley cracked 123, including 12 fours and three sixes, but lost his wicket just before the tea break, leaving the hosts 5-184.
Gordon lost their sixth and seventh wickets on 192 and 194, before Elliot Richtor (26) and Dan Smith put on 68 for the eighth wicket. When Richtor lost his wicket the task then fell to Smith and James Kennedy, with the pair putting on an unbeaten 37 for the ninth wicket to edge out the defending premiers.
Smith (64 not out) sealed the win in emphatic fashion with a six onto the railway tracks off the fifth ball of the last over of the day.
Meanwhile, in other round two matches, Sydney University Second Grade have Manly 6-108 in reply to their 172, Third Grade have Manly 3-35 in reply to their 97, and Fourth Grade are 0-13 chasing down Manly’s 120. There was no play in Fifth Grade.
The Sydney Women’s Grade competition began on Saturday with a round of Twenty20 matches. Gordon prevailed in First and Second grades at the Village Green.
Scoreboard
Sydney Men’s Grade competition – Round 2 (Two-day matches)
First Grade: Sydney University 0-22 (Nick Larkin 10 not out, Greg Mail 10 not out ) v Manly-Warringah 204 (Cameron Merchant 92,Tim Cruickshank 44, Nicholas Watkins 26; Greg Mail 7-12), stumps, day one at Manly Oval. Toss: Sydney University. Batted first: Manly.
Second Grade: Sydney University 172 (Adam Theobald 35, Will Hay 23; Matthew Mee 6-66, Dylan Marshall 2-13) v Manly-Warringah 6-108 (Joel Mason 60, Nathan Hill 25; Michael Culkoff 4-289, David Miller 2-8), stumps, day one at Sydney University No.2 Oval. Toss: Sydney University. Batted first: Sydney University.
Third Grade: Sydney University 97 (Jonathon New 24; Craig Little 4-16, Reece Hodge 3-31, Mickey Edwards 2-15) v Manly-Warringah 3-35, stumps, day one at Graham Reserve. Toss: Manly-Warringah. Batted first: Sydney University.
Fourth Grade: Sydney University 0-13 v Manly Warringah 120 (Louis Anderson 35, Stuart McLean 2-17, Ash Cowan 2-19, Hasi Balasuriya 2-24, Charles Cull 2-33), stumps, day one at St Paul’s College Oval. Toss: Sydney University. Batted first: Manly-Warringah.
Fifth Grade: Sydney University v Manly-Warringah at Mike Pawley Oval. No play on day one.
