24 September 2007 By Graham Croker
Sydney University opened the 2007-08 Sydney Grade Cricket competition on a positive note with a 25-run win over Bankstown in a limited over match at Bankstown Oval on Saturday.
Batting first, the Students found themselves 3-8, with NSW openers Greg Mail (1) and Ed Cowan (2) and No.3 Ian Moran (5) back in the pavilion. But a 92-run partnership between Will Hay (40) and Kevin Desai (39) steadied the University ship.
Late contributions from Pete Sanders (23) and Mark Cameron (17) helped the Students reach 170 off 48.2 of their 50 overs.
Opening bowlers Scott Thompson (2-23) and Jackson Bird (1-25) on debut helped restrict the University to a modest total.
Tight bowling lines and sure fielding were the requirements of captain Greg Mail, and that’s what his troops provided, with Cameron (3-20), Nick Dunford (2-19), Moran (2-32) and Marty Pascal (2-31) dismissing the hosts for 155 off 46.4 overs to earn six competition points.
Cowan and Mail made up for their Saturday efforts when they put on a 131-run partnership in Central Sydney’s nine-wicket win over ACT in their NSW State League Cup match at Drummoyne Oval on Sunday.
Cowan 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. Mail fell one short of a half century.
Bowling for Central Sydney, Moran took 3-35, Dunford 0-22 and Pascal 0-18.
Lower grades:
Second Grade: Bankstown 7 (dec)-298 d Sydney University 221 (with I bonus point).
Third Grade: Bankstown 190 d Sydney University 139 (with 1 bonus point).
Fourth Grade: 7 (dec)-305 d Bankstown 263.
Fifth Grade: 2 (dec)-281 d Bankstown 251.