FOURTH GRADE - REID CUP WINNERS 1994-95 (CONT’D) FOURTH GRADE - REID CUP WINNERS 1994-95 (CONT’D) Greg Dyer were the highlights of Balmain's innings. University was cruising at 0 for 82 from 14 overs, with Ridley (10 fours in 67 minutes) middling everything. Every other finished the job on the second day, claiming his first five wicket haul in grade batsman made a start without building a long innings, and 30 runs were needed from 10 cricket, while Ridley held an extraordinary catch, the highlight of a good fielding overs when Bonnell joined Smith. Smith hit anything loose - especially short - to the display. Set 202 in 22 overs, Sutherland chased and lost wickets, but the ninth wicket fence, but when the last over began six runs were still required. Smith missed the pair stood firm for eight overs to deny us full points. Two wins: away from the foot first ball, pulled the next for two, and smashed the third over mid-wicket for 4 to of the ladder. complete a remarkable victory and a very cool-headed performance. Round 6 - Sydney University 4 for 157 (K Pitty 36, J Docker 32 not out, J Robinson 27 Round 12 - Sydney University 9 for 238 (N Ridley 105, K Pitty 29, J Hollebone 25, R not out) beat Hawkesbury 155 (T Murphy 3-56, M Bonnell 2-36, J Hill 2-37). Hawkesbury Kelly 22 not out) beat Randwick 164 (H Smith 5-77, M Bonnell 3-38). Ridley's maiden - the eventual minor premiers - were unbeaten and in second place. University had century set up a comfortable victory, our ninth in succession, keeping us in the Bonnell and Murphy as the pace spearheads. Moon and Cameron making their debuts. But competition lead by two points. Ridley hammered 16 runs from the third over of the day, it was scarcely a contest. Hawkesbury limped to 6 for 71 from 37 overs, all bowled by and in 146 minutes hit two 6s and 13 fours. He punished anything short, but also worked Murphy and Bonnell. Hill applied pressure with another artful spell,and Ridley hit the the ball around the field when necessary - a sign of increasing skill and cofidence. stumps twice (the second a spectacular flat throw from the boundary) to earn run-outs. Useful contributions from Pitty, Hollebone and Kelly resulted in a solid total and when Coming together at 3 for 54, Pitty and Docker steadied the innings, and Robinson helped Graham Turner knocked the top off Randwick's reply, the game had become one-sided. us to reach the target with 12 overs to spare, striking the ball cleanly and often. Hayden Smith administered the last rites in another excellent, 21 over spell, claiming Three wins; in the pack. a memorable wicket with a well-directed flipper. Round 7 - Sydney University 8 dec 232 (O Young 94, K Pitty 88) beat Mosman 179 (G Round 13 - Sydney University v St George - no play. Turner 5-27, M Bonnell 3-36). The Rawson pitch was lively early, and the score was 4 This non-result was costly. Although Bankstown (two points behind us) did not play for 61 when Young and Pitty set about breaking the fourth grade record for a fifth either, Hawkesbury's win allowed them to draw level with us on points, and slightly wicket partnership. Young (14 fours in minutes) and the phenomenally consistent Pitty ahead on quotient. Without playing, we had slipped from first on the table to second. (6 fours in minutes) added 162 in 146 minutes (44 overs) despite a very slow outfield. The only consolation was that it was now mathematically impossible for us to miss the Bonnell and Turner each grabbed a wicket before stumps, and carried on the next day to semi-finals. reduce Mosman to 7 for 59. An eighth wicket stand of 115 ended hopes of an outright result, but when Cheever ended the partnership. Turner wrapped up the tail and Round 14 - Sydney University 1 for 106 (N Ridley 67 not out, R Kelly 22 not out) drew thoroughly deserved his excellent figures on a pitch that gave him little assistance. with Manly 164 (R Kelly 4-30, B Wood 2-25, M Bonnell 2-30). Four successive wins: closing ^.n on the four. A very satisfying first day: Manly managed 164 and University replied with 1 for 106. Round 8 - Sydney University 5 for 158 (N Ridley 66 not out, K Pitty 47) beat Petersham Ben Wood hit the off stump in his first over in Fourth Grade, and Richard Kelly claimed 157 (Rajendra 4-24, Kelly 3-16, Hill 2-42). In a match reduced to one day by rain, Ron wickets with his bad balls due to the pressure he applied with the good ones. Nick Rajendra's excellent spell of seam bowling cut through Petersham's top order after an Ridley hammered 14 runs from the second over of the day, taking his tally past 500 runs opening stand of 61. Rajendra's off-stump line and awkward movement earned the first for the season. At the end of day one we had reached 1 for 106, Ridley unbeaten on 67 four wickets; Kelly bowled his leg breaks well and his wrong 'un even better, and Pitty and only 20 runs short of the Fourth Grade record for the club. But there was a grim held four of the seven chances hit to him. A target of 158 in 70 overs looked simple inevitability about the rain that washed away the second day's play. We now required until two wickets fell for 23 but Ridley and Pitty added 90 to settle the outcome. a big victory in the final round to take the minor premiership - if we lost the last Ridley's innings was a tribute to his determination as he batted himself into form, match we could drop to the precarious third place. occupying the crease for 50 overs. Five successive wins: equal second, four points off the lead. Round 15 - Sydney University 8 for 125 (J Docker 48, J Platt 43) beat Gordon 124 (M O'Sullivan 4-7, B Wood 2-26, H Smith 2-39). Again the first day's play was lost to Round 9 - Sydney University 6 for 220 (M Evans 77, O Young 42, J Docker 28, N Ridley rain, meaning that we had lost four of our last five Saturdays. Thankfully, Bankstown 23, J Hill 19 not out) beat North Sydney 7 dec 218 (M Bonnell 4-85, R Kelly 3-45). and Hawkesbury, our rivals for the minor premiership, were also washed out. When play North Sydney reached 1 for 96 before Bonnell and Kelly wrecked the middle order, six began, Gordon crawled to 124 from 68 overs. Wood made an early break, Platt held four wickets falling for 29 runs. Hard hitting by the lower order enabled North Sydney to good catches, and Mick O'Sullivan, helping us out because of our injury problems, turned declare at 7 for 218, setting University 3.91 runs an over to win. Ridley made his in a vintage display of flight and deception. Our reply began dreadfully: 5 for 19. intentions plain by hitting the third ball of the day for 6, and Evans held the innings But despite the pressure and some unnecessary and unfortunate sledging, Platt and Docker together with an excellent 77, scored in 142 minutes with a 6 and four 4s. Young (two turned the game with a stand of 71 and Docker and Smith sealed the result. Hawkesbury 6s) and Docker (28 from 26 balls) lifted the tempo, and 21 runs were needed from six also won, so we finished equal first on 60 points, but second on quotient. overs when Hill settled the issue by blasting a six and two 4s. Six successive wins: outright first, two points ahead of Bankstown and six points ahead of a pack. The Semi-final. Our effort batting first was disappointing - six of the top seven reached 25, but the highest was Ridley's 41. Ridley and Round 10 - Sydney University 3 dec 140 (N Ridley 81, A Terentis 41) beat Northern Terentis (a memorable six over third man) gave us an early advantage, District 137 (H Smith 6-42, G Turner 4-30). University won first innings points on the opening day, due to excellent bowling by Hayden Smith (on debut) and Graham Turner and taking 57 from the first twelve overs. Pitty and Young added 53 for the a positive opening stand. Turner's fast outswingers and Smith's leg-spin variations third wicket, Docker and Platt 51 for the sixth. But despite a very slow triggered a collapse from 2 for 90 to all out 137. 32 overs remained in the first day, outfield, 209 seemed too small a score against a strong Bankstown side. and Ridley and Terentis peeled 11 runs from the first over, maintaining a run rate of Hollebone and Wood made such good use of the new ball that Bankstown lost over four an over in a stand of 136 that occupied 117 minutes and 30 overs. Ridley hit 2 for 5. Ridley's throw in the final over of the day hit the top of the a 6 and 11 fours in 121 minutes in an innings that turned out to be absolutely vital as the second day was washed out. Seven wins in succession. stumps from side on to run out Bankstown's captain, sent Bankstown to stumps at 4 for 63.