2 October 2007 By Graham Croker
Opener Ed Cowan scored a brilliant 193 not out to lead Sydney University to a first innings over Randwick-Petersham in their round two Sydney Grade Cricket competition match played at Petersham Oval at the weekend.
The young left-hander cracked 22 boundaries and four sixers in a 333-minute stay at the crease as the Students compiled 7-355 in reply to the imposing 5(dec)-351 set by the Randy-Petes.
Cowan, who has established himself in the NSW Sheffield Shield and one-day sides in the past two seasons, held the University innings together after the early losses of opener Greg Mail for eight and number three Will Hay for 14.
He received solid support from Ian Moran (54), Mark Faraday (42), Kevin Desai (19) and Pete Sanders (12) before bringing up the winning runs with a boundary.
It was Cowan’s second century in a week. The previous Sunday he was unbeaten on 100 as Central Sydney cruised to 1-177 off 34.1 overs in reply to ACT’s 9-174 off 50 overs in a first round NSW State League Cup match at Drummoyne Oval. In 24 First Grade matches since making his debut in the 2005-06 season, Cowan has amassed 1279 runs at a healthy 58.14, with a top score of 253.
Sydney University captain Greg Mail must have been ruing his decision to send the Randy-Petes in to bat after winning the toss on Saturday. With 20-year-old Pakistan-born opener Usman Khawaja patiently eking out 138, including 14 fours and three sixers, the hosts built a big target.
Khawaja, who has represented Australia at the Under 19 World Cup and NSW Second XI, was well supported by John McLaughlin (74), Simon Katich (50) and Nathan Hauritz (51) before the declaration was made just before stumps on Saturday. Mail and Cowan saw out two overs as the Students went to stumps at 0-6.
Sydney University First XI has made a solid start to the 2007-08 competition, having accounted by Bankstown in the first round limited over match at Bankstown Oval, where Sydney University finished with 170 off 48.2 of their 50 overs before dismissing the hosts for 155 off 46.4 overs.
Lower grades:
Second Grade: Sydney University 9-244 (Sutha Sivapalan 64, Josh Ryan 37; Rod Stafford 5-73, Eddie Otto 3-31) drew with Randwick-Petersham 8(dec)-360 (Shane Pargeter 159no, Rod Stafford 65; Sanjiv Khalko 2-58, Tom Kierath 2-95).
Third Grade: Sydney University 8-222 (Huw McKay 101no, Michel Wilding 39; Steve Bidwell-Brown 3-66, Nigel Singh 2-30) d Randwick-Petersham 214 (Noel Ellis 64no, Matthew Hilder 35; Chris Withers 3-34, Brendon Smith 2-27).
Fourth Grade: Sydney University 189 (Matt Skinner 52, Stu McLean 35no; Chris Singh 5-45, Grant Rimmer 4-35) tied with Randwick-Petersham 189 (Marc Anderson 39, David Townsend 47; Dave Jessup 2-9, Andy Greene 2-28).
Fifth Grade: Randwick-Petersham 9-192 (Robert Cummins 38, Scott Gray 48no; Michael Culkoff 2-14, Hasi Balasuyira 3-55) drew with Sydney University 9(dec)-261 (Michael Culkoff 123, Hasi Balasuyira 47no; Denis Hines 3-35, Simon McKenzie 2-47).