1st Grade Round 12: UTS North Sydney vs Parramatta at North Sydney Oval
UTS North Sydney 1/15 (6 overs) vs Parramatta 264 (J Campbell 5/43, J Aitken 2/46, H May 2/51)
Another round and another day 1 that reminded us all that cricket can be a very strange game! No day 1 result or outright prospect this time, but a see-saw of emotions, some more brilliant James Campbell bowling, an opposition fightback in spades and honours even at the end of the day.
Campbell went 3 from 3 at the toss and elected to bowl – a decision that surprised some (including the author), and the Two Blues had the best of the morning session despite a green pitch which offered plenty, several huge lbw shouts, and some fine bowling in particular from both Campbell and Harrison May. May had been presented with his First Grade debut cap that morning, coming into the side to replace his brother, Fletcher, who hadn’t recovered sufficiently after having his wisdom teeth out. Campbell took the sole wicket before lunch, trapping Calvert lbw for 10, which brought together Parramatta’s premier batters, Ryan Hackney and captain Nick Bertus. When a sightscreen issue stopped play four minutes before the scheduled lunch break, the umpires made the pragmatic decision to start the interval after 28.1 overs with Parramatta 1/60.
The second session, especially the passage immediately after lunch, belonged to the Bears, and in particular to Campbell. He removed Hackney lbw with his first ball after the break, and followed up by bowling Bertus in his next over to turn the game on its head. James Aitken, who bowled a typically parsimonious spell either side of lunch, got in on the act with the fourth and fifth wickets in the same over to leave the Two Blues reeling at 5/71. It got better as Campbell took his fourth and fifth in his 15th and 16th overs – 7/80, Campbell 5/26, Aitken 2/8. The sixth wicket deserves particular mention as it came courtesy of a brilliant diving catch from Sheridon Gumbs who was making his debut alongside May.
It took another 6 overs to take the eighth wicket, but the pair added only 9 before Olly Knight got one through the defences in his second spell. But that’s where the fun ended for the Bears, with the ninth wicket pair of Pitt and Evans adding 40 in the nine overs before tea. After the interval, the chances started to come as the tailenders chanced their arm, but three went down (one admittedly a phenomenal effort from Gumbs to get anywhere near the ball!). Evans brought up 50 and then finally fell, with Greenslade snaffling a straightforward catch to give May his first pole at the top grade.
Unfortunately, the partnership of 85 for the ninth wicket was surpassed by the last pair adding 90, as Pitt hit out and his partner, Sullivan, was resolute in defence. When Pitt was eventually out, caught by Tom Jagot off May, the Two Blues had somehow made 264 and had six overs left to bowl before stumps. Mares and Atherton went out to face the music, but a particularly tight final over of the day yielded reward for Pitt (who else?!) who had Mares caught low in the slips off the final ball and the Bears closed 1/15.
Not the day it might have been, but another 250 runs is not an intimidating target on North Sydney Oval. Despite the carnage after tea, Campbell’s incredible performance won’t be forgotten, and he brought up his 300th First Grade wicket as well as his eleventh five-wicket haul just a week after his tenth.
A word too for Sheridon Gumbs, who fielded brilliantly on his debut and unfortunately leaves the Bears to join up with the England Under 19 squad in Brisbane and then returns to the UK to train with the Surrey 1st XI. It was a shame not to see him bat for First Grade, but he scored 340 runs across Second Grade and PGs and impressed us all with his attitude and commitment – we look forward to following his career and hope he returns to the Bears! Sheridon will be replaced by Robbie Aitken in the side next week as we push for a much-needed win