Sydney Shires Cricket results: Round three wrap

Epping is well on its way to a finals berth after their third-straight win to start the Shires Cricket season.

Epping was led with the bat by Anthony Azize who smashed his way to 65, including one six.

The Epping Cricket Club passed its biggest test so far in the young Sydney Shires Cricket season, jumping to the top of the first-grade ladder with a hard-fought victory over the previously undefeated Lane Cove.

After finishing just outside the top six last season, Epping jumped two wins clear of seventh spot with a 38-run win at North Epping Oval.

The home side won the toss and chose to bat, a decision that looked incorrect early when both Benjamin O’Connell and Charles Booth fell for less than 10 runs to leave them teetering at 2/18.

Another pair of quick wickets put Lane Cove on top at 4/60, but a rescue mission led by Anthony Azize (65) and Michael McKeough (40) led the home side to a defensible total of 8/201.

Lane Cove’s bowlers toiled hard, but couldn’t keep Epping below 200 runs in their first loss of the season.

Lane Cove’s run chase was shaky from the start, as regular wickets through the first 30 overs left the visitors at 8/105.

A 52-run ninth-wicket stand from Maxwell Dodds and Ravi Ravi gave the visitors some hope, but that was snuffed out when Dodds was stumped off the bowling of Charles Booth.

The win leaves Epping with three wins from three starts, one point ahead of fellow undefeated squad Burwood on top of the ladder.

In other results, Warringah put in the most impressive batting display of the season so far as they thrashed their way to 2/320 against Pennant Hills.

James Boyer (47) was the only Warringah batsman not to make 50 in a crushing 160-run victory.

Burwood was made to work for its 55-run win over North West Sydney, but a strong display with the ball kept its hopes of an undefeated season alive.

Full Results

Epping are now three wins from three starts after a tough win over Lane Cove at North Epping Oval.

First Grade

Auburn (180) def. Balmain South Sydney (178)

Burwood (230) def. North West Sydney (175)

Strathfield (7/237) def. Georges River (222)

Epping (8/201) def. Lane Cove (163)

Lindfield (130) def. Roseville (107)

Warringah (2/320) def. Pennant Hills (160)

Second Grade

Auburn (171) def. Balmain South Sydney (87)

Burwood (3/137) def. North West Sydney (136)

Georges River (4/164) def. Strathfield (160)

Lane Cove (8/238) def. Epping (8/237)

Lindfield (5/126) def. Roseville (125)

Warringah (2/94) def. Pennant Hills (93)

Third Grade

Auburn (3/128) def. Balmain South Sydney (127)

North West Sydney (8/121) def. Burwood (120)

Strathfield (7/266) def. Georges River (142)

Lane Cove (1/88) def. Epping (87)

Lindfield (6/179) def. Roseville (175)

Warringah (7/197) def. Pennant Hills (159)

Fourth Grade

Balmain South Sydney def. Auburn

Burwood (9/203) def. North West Sydney (195)

Georges River (155) def. Strathfield (149)

Lane Cove (8/232) def. Epping (126)

Roseville (2/72) def. Lindfield (71)

Warringah (5/309) def. Pennant Hills (110)

50s and 100s

Lane Cove will look to bounce back with a home game against Warringah next weekend.

First Grade

Aarka Saha (Warringah) 100 not out

Sean Reynolds (Strathfield) 94

Abhijeet Virdi (Warringah) 92

Ardil Domingo (Auburn) 68

Paul Donovan (Strathfield) 65

Anthony Azize (Epping) 65

Hamish Ferguson (Warringah) 63

Thomas Sproule (Lindfield) 59

Thomas Burt (Burwood) 54

Alejandro Salgueira (Georges River) 51

Second Grade

Isaac Kensell (Lane Cove) 90

Harrison Kantor-Smith (Warringah) 52

Sajan Sheth (Strathfield) 50

Third Grade

Deval Modi Chakwawala (Strathfield) 82

Adam Young (Auburn) 57 not out

Liam Dinan (Warringah) 55 not out

Fourth Grade

Hasindu Sellaewa (North West Sydney) 65

Douglas Cullen (Burwood) 50