Round 3 NSW Premier Cricket & Metro Cup 2021-22 Round Preview
Round 3 v Sydney University, UNSW & Warrringah
Round 2 Twenty20 Cup & PGs v St George
Another power-packed weekend coming up! On Saturday the 5 grades play Sydney University in a round of 50-overs-a-side match commencing at 10 am. In Metropolitan Cup we play University of NSW and Warringah, with both matches played on Sunday. Also on Sunday, it’s off to Hurstville Oval for a T20 double-header with round 2 of the Kingsgrove Sports Twenty20 Cup commencing at 2,30pm after the PGs (under 21), play at 10 am.
A great weekend last round with 1st Grade winning both the Belvidere Cup match on the Saturday and the T20 match on the Sunday, both against Manly-Warringah. Second and 3rd grades also had good wins to move us up from 20th (last) in the Club Championship to 9th. Let’s hope we can improve further this week although we have a tough opponent in Sydney University.
1st GRADE is at University Oval on Saturday: It’s fair to say Sydney University has been a bit of a hurdle for us, having lost 14 of our 27 clashes with them over the past 20 years. Six of those losses were in semi and Grand Finals. The last 5 clashes have resulted in 3 losses and 2 draws. It’s also fair to say after all that—WE’RE DUE! Like us, Sydney Uni. have won just one of their first two Belvidere Cup and the first T20 match of this season and lead us on the competition ladder, 11th to 13th.
1st Grade is at Hurstville Oval on Sunday for the Twenty20 Cup clash with St George at 2.30pm: We have played Saints 6 times in T20 matches with honours even at 3 each. Of those, there were 2 losses and one win at Hurstville. The win at Hurstville in 2017-18 was our best, scoring 8-188cc to 4-173 with Dan Sams hitting an amazing 92 off 39 balls with 7 fours and 9 sixes! We will also be up against two former Randy Petes, skipper Nick Stapleton and fast bowler, Tom McKenzie. Nick was the joint Player of the Season in the 1st Grade competition last season and has taken all before him since transferring to St George. It would be ideal if we could get a band of supporters there on Sunday to cheer on the team. The only problem is that heavy rain is forecast.
2nd Grade is at Petersham Oval: A great win at this ground last weekend and the boys will be keen to maintain the momentum. The hard fact however, is that in 19 games against Uni. we have won just 3 with 3 drawn. Our 3 wins have all come at Coogee. We have played Uni. twice at Petersham for a loss and a draw.
3rd Grade is at St Paul’s Oval: Like 2nd Grade, 3rds have only won 3 times against the students from 16 attempts. But after 6 successive losses, we beat them at Petersham last season, 8-147 to 107 after Josh Segal made 57. Our record at St Paul’s is one win to 3 losses.
4th Grade is at Coogee: We don’t have a good record against Sydney Uni. at Coogee, suffering 2 losses with one match drawn. If the boys play to their potential, this could be our first win in 4s at Coog!! They have a narrow win record over us winning 8 to our 6, while one match was tied.
5th Grade is at Camperdown Oval: 5th Grade has the best record over Sydney Uni. winning 10 from 19 matches with one an outright victory in 2006-07. Three matches have been played at Camperdown Oval with us winning twice with one drawn. It may have been a poor start last weekend but the stats are with us and Fabian will be keen in leading his young charges to a loud rendition of the club song after stumps on Saturday! Go the Might Fives!!
Metropolitan Cup. Green will play Uni. of NSW at David Phillips and Gold plays Warringah at Petersham. Both games are on SUNDAY from 10am. Jay Patel captains Gold while Jeremy Jastrzab looks after Green.
Poidevin-Gray is at Hurstville Oval on SUNDAY from 10am: A disappointing start last week but we know the boys are much better than that. Should be a close encounter as the curtain-raiser to the T20 match at 2.30pm.
Go the Randy Petes!!
Lyall Gardner OAM
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