1st Grade Round 3: UTS North Sydney v Mosman at North Sydney Oval
UTS North Sydney 6/321 (J Greenslade 118*, J Rew 91, R Aitken 52*) def Mosman 320 (J Campbell 6/55, O Knight 3/81)
In last week’s report, we hinted at a tantalising contest in store for Day 2, and that is exactly what we got – one of the finest days’ cricket this correspondent has enjoyed in five seasons with the Bears. The ultimate win being thanks to a combination of two phenomenal young cricketers (with seven First Grade caps between them) and Premier Cricket’s all-time most capped player (in his 513th First Grade appearance) is a delightful narrative for a very special day.
Like any good story, there were twists and turns along the way – more on those later – but the day began with more of a stutter with Brent Atherton bowled by the very first ball. Rain during the week meant there was a lot more life in the pitch than there had been the previous Saturday, and the Mosman opening quicks had their tails up after the early wicket. James Rew, in his long-awaited first showing with the bat in Bears colours, and Justin Avendano weathered the storm, patiently seeing off some testing bowling. After four successive maidens, the score was 1/13 off 9 overs, before Dean Crawford’s length strayed and Avendano took 15 off the over. Unfortunately, the high didn’t last, with Justin sent back lbw for 23 the next over. The Bears were 2/28 and Elijah Eales had the James Campbell-like figures of 2/5 off 6.
Tom Jagot came to the crease and Rew upped a gear, taking four fours off Eales’s next three overs, and a couple from the new bowler, Zac Hall, for good measure as his skipper too got into his work. A fluent partnership of 43 was brought to an end when Jagot was caught behind for 15, and Rew returned to watchful mode in the run-up to lunch and with Matt Moran giving little away as he entered the attack. We lost Jenkins just before the break to a brilliant caught and bowled by fellow left-arm spinner, Jayden Park, and little did we know as Jimmy Greenslade walked in that this was the beginning of a brilliant partnership. Moran practically sprinted back to his mark to get an extra over in before lunch, but the resolute defence of Rew held firm, Greenslade didn’t have to face a ball, and the session ended at 4/79 with Rew 39*. With Greenslade in just his second First Grade two-day innings and the lower order short of batting opportunity last season due to so much limited overs cricket, I don’t think I was the only Bears faithful a little concerned about the situation!
After lunch, it was a classic case of “start again” with the Whales bowlers rejuvenated by Kathy’s hamburgers and giving little away. In what ended up being a pivotal moment, Greenslade was dropped by Peter Forrest at short mid-wicket in the sixth over back, but that was the last mistake either young Bear made in the session, and the partnership blossomed. Rew brought up 50 off 117 balls with a beautiful lofted drive over mid-wicket, his ninth four, which seemed to super-charge the chase. From here, the runs flowed, in particular from Greenslade who hit 13 boundaries in the session, while Rew delighted his team-mates watching on with several reverse sweeps and the first six of the day. Mosman heads went down, and their scorer declared the game to be “slipping away”, as no matter what bowling combination was tried, the runs kept flowing. At tea, the score was 4/209, with 112 more required but 130 having been scored in the session with no loss.
And then the big twist, which made the target feel a very long way away – Rew adjudged lbw to Eales on the first ball back, followed by Knight edging behind two overs later. Eales, who was magnificent for the Whales (and eventually bowled a mammoth shift of 27 overs) had four poles, and Mosman were rampant knowing they were right back in the game. Enter Robbie Aitken, and we all know how it ends, but there was no shortage of nerves in the
Bears’ camp when a big caught behind shout went up on 228. As players from other grades filed into North Sydney Oval after their own games ended early, and Greenslade closed in on three figures, Matt Alexander was shadow batting in front of the grandstand, wondering if and when he’d be called upon.
But in the end, it all happened remarkably quickly. Greenslade smashed two bombs to get to 97, and punished a short, wide one from the tired Eales to bring up a hundred that nobody in the ground will ever forget, least of all Jimmy himself. Although the job wasn’t quite done – 25 to win so another wicket would certainly have kept the Whales interested – the momentum was all ours. Aitken too hit them beautifully, bringing up his own half century (his 40th for the club in First Grade!) in just 65 balls before Greenslade had the last laugh – four fours in quick succession to seal the win with 11 overs to spare in the day, a roar from the crowd and a song sung very loud and very proud.
The contribution of Rew, who kept us in the contest as wickets fell around him and deserved a ton for his masterclass in pacing an innings, will not be forgotten, and nor will James Campbell, who bowled his heart out on Day 1. But the day belonged to Greenslade – the statistics of 118 undefeated off 177 balls with 21 fours and two sixes (that’s over 80% in boundaries) and sharing two 100+ partnerships rather speak for themselves! To score your maiden ton in any form of cricket at North Sydney Oval, in front of half of the club and your parents, against your old club… does it get any better?!