Astute scoreboard scrutineers will have noted that former Australian leg-spinner Stuart MacGill returned unannounced to the Sydney University Twenty20 ranks for their win over Fairfield-Liverpool on November 13.
And it was a return full of merit, as cricket club secretary Geoff De Mesquita so delightfully recalled: “He turned up, ate two chicken burgers, landed the first ball on a sixpence and ended up with 1-26 off 3.4 overs. Take out two sixes from Ben Roher and you have some pretty good figures.”
MacGill topped that effort in his second Twenty20 match, against Western Suburbs, at Sydney University No.1 Oval on Saturday, when he claimed a miserly 2-13 off his allocated four overs (“One bowled, one stumped, and a dropped catch to boot,” according to Geoff).
Western Suburbs won the toss, batted and were restricted to 9-116 off their 20 overs, thanks to MacGill and Liam Robertson who finished with 3-13.
Ian Moran (57 not out), Scott Henry (36 not out) and Mark Faraday (19) made short work of the chase as Sydney University rattled up 1-117 in 14.4 overs.
The Students will now meet Eastern Suburbs – this Sunday at University No.1 Oval – in a qualifying final of the Twenty20 competition. And with the leg-spinner in their ranks they must be a big chance of pushing for they only title they didn’t claim in 2010-11.
With two wins and two losses in the lower grades (50-over matches) at the weekend, Sydney University are now third on the Club Championship ladder. Manly-Warringah (579), Sutherland (522), Sydney University (516), St George (486), UNSW (461) and Penrith (428) make up the top six.
First Grade will be looking to move up the Belvidere Cup (two-day competition) ladder when they meet last-placed Mosman at Allan Border Oval on Saturday.
Sydney University are fourth on the ladder on 28 points, behind UNSW (36), Sutherland (29) and Manly-Warringah (29), and ahead of North Sydney (26) and Penrith (24) who make up the top six.
Scoreboard
Sydney Men’s Grade competition – Round 5 (Twenty20)
First Grade: Sydney University 1-117 off 14.4 overs (Ian Moran 57 not out, Scott Henry 36 not out, Mark Faraday 19; Ross DiBartolo 1-25) d Western Suburbs 9-116 off 20 overs (Jason Hughes 32, Simon McInerney 21, Chris Ridley 21, John DiBartolo 20; Stuart MacGill 2-13, Liam Robertson 3-13) at Sydney University No.1 Oval. Toss: Western Suburbs. Batted first: Western Suburbs. Points: Sydney University 4, Western Suburbs 0.
Lower grade (Limited overs)
Second Grade: Sydney University 8-185 off 45.4 overs (Steven Hobson 58, Justin Younes 29, Will Hay 20, Josh Toyer 20; Sounil Chhibber 2-45, Shenal Siriwardhani 1-26) d Western Suburbs 7-183 off 50 overs (Lachlan O’Connor 58, Matthew Morgan 41 not out, Sounil Chhibber 20; Josh Toyer 2042, Chris Withers 1-21) at Pratten Park, Toss: Western Suburbs. Batted first: Western Suburbs. Points: Sydney University 6, Western Suburbs 0.
Third Grade: Western Suburbs 5-217 off 48.5 overs (Chris Bennett 89, David Paterson 37, Justin O’Neill 28 not out, Michael Stead 24; Robert Edwards 2-34, Nigel Cowell 2-36) d Sydney University 216 off 48.4 overs (Alasdair Grant 39, Nigel Cowell 38, Ronit Lotliker 29; Andrew Gordon 4-49, Dominic Chalker 2-30, Jordan Millar 2-35) at Sydney University No.2 Oval. Toss: Western Suburbs. Batted first: Sydney University. Points: Western Suburbs 6, Sydney University 0.
Fourth Grade: Sydney University 219 off 49 overs (Brendan Pryke 46, Charles Arcus 45, Henry Clark 44; Paul McRae 3-50, Mohammad Mohammadi 2-45) d Western Suburbs 9-174 off 50 overs (Sam Pararajasingham 50, Tahmid Islam 21, Varpreet Batra 20) at Blick Oval. Toss: Western Suburbs. Batted first: Sydney University. Points: Sydney University 6, Western Suburbs 0.
Fifth Grade: Western Suburbs 4-175 off 46.1 overs (Tanzeelur Rahman 45, Franco Rocca 37; Rahman) d Sydney University 174 off 48.3 overs (Alexander Logan 63; Mitchell Finlay 3-18, Michael Georgeson 3-26) at St Paul’s College Ova. Toss: Sydney University. Batted first: Sydney University. Points: Western Suburbs 6, Sydney University 0.
Poidevin-Gray Shield – Round 4
Hawkesbury 2-155 off 30 overs (Josh Clinghan 90 not out, Reece Tuckerman 29, Thomas Decent 26 not out; Ronit Lotliker 2-30) d Sydney University 8-154 off 50 overs (Brendan Pryke 29 not out, Henry Clark 23, Alex Logan 22;Daniel Brown 3023, Pat Lawrence 2-15) at Owen Earle Oval. Toss: Sydney University. Batted first: Sydney University. Points: Hawkesbury 6, Sydney University 0.
Sydney Women’s Grade competition (Limited overs) – Round 8
First Grade: Universities 4-294 off 50 overs (Rachel Haynes 84, Kate Owen 48, Kara Sutherland 48 not out, Alex Blackwell 34; Sarah Coyte 2-52) d Campbelltown-Camden 6-116 off 23 overs (Vanessa Picker 32, Kate Waetford 29; Rachel Haynes 3-33, Sarah Stephenson 2-22) in rain-shortened match at Raby Oval. Toss: Universities. Batted first: Universities. Points: Universities 6, Campbelltown-Camden 0.
Third Grade Twenty20: Universities 6-214 off 20 overs (Charlotte Mizzi 33 ret not out, Sarah Mooney 28 not out, Wendy Maxwell 24; Annie Pham 2-8, Ellie Newsome 1-6) d Bankstown Sports 7-112 off 20 overs (Annie Pham 31 ret not out, Ellie Newsome 23; Sarah Mooney 3-16, Caitlan Murray 2-5) at Jansen Oval. Toss: Universities. Batted first: Universities. Points: Universities 6, Bankstown Sports 0.
Brewer Shield Limited overs: Campbelltown-Camden 151 off 35 overs (Yardley Polsen 40 not out, Chloe Gray 25; Rachel Li 3-13, Olivia Toolin 2-10) d Universities 7-58 off 20 overs (Clara Iemma 32; Hannah Trehewy 2-2, Chloe Gray 2-3, Katherine Harris 2-12) on run rate at Raby No.2 Oval. Toss: Campbelltown-Camden. Batted first: Campbelltown-Camden. Points: Campbelltown-Camden 6, Universities 0.
