NSW Premier Cricket: Centuries galore as Pakistani bowler makes his mark, Rd 11 standouts, results

The big hitters came out to play but it was a bowler who stole the first grade limelight in round 11 of NSW Premier Cricket. Stars, standouts and standings.

Western Suburbs had a great result in round 11.

Western Suburbs bowler Mohammad Irfan Jnr has returned to Sydney first grade cricket after a spell out of the competition with a memorable performance on the weekend.

The Pakistani cricketer, who made his debut for the club back in the 2019/20 season but did not play in the last comp, produced the best bowling figures of the round in Wests match against Penrith with his 5-14.

The pacer, who played for the Pakistani Super League in the past, helped restrict Penrith to 183. James Psarakis scored 90 not out off 82 balls to see Western Suburbs win with 10 overs to spare.

Irfan played seven matches in first-grade in 2019/20 and took 32 wickets at 13.16 with three five wicket performances.

England Test player Mark Stoneman is playing for St George this season.

STARS AND STANDOUTS OF NSW PREMIER CRICKET RD 11

#Northern District big hitter Scott Rodgie scored his third century of the season with 147 off 157 balls against UTS North Sydney.

It was the 19th century of his first-grade career, and it took him past 700 runs for the season, to 707 at 64.27. It was also the fourth highest score of first grade this season.

In a big day out Rodgie also took four wickets to help his side to a 41 run win.

#UTS North Sydney’s Matthew Alexander took 5-39 in his fourth five-wicket haul.

#UTS-North Sydney’s Tom Jagot, second on last season’s run scorers list with 1000, produced a personal best this season with his 114 not out.

# Fairfield Liverpool’s Yuvraj Sharma opened his season with a rousing 94 not out.

But until the weekend he had not reached even 30 again.

That changed on Saturday when the teenager scored 103 off 101 balls in his club’s win against Gordon.

In the same match Liam Hatcher finished with 5-35.

#One a weekend of big scores, Mark Stoneman batted throughout the St. George innings for his 111 not out off 135 balls.

It was his second century of the season and his sixth in first grade. In five matches this season he has scored 375 runs at an astounding 93.75.

Parramatta’s Ryan Hackney opened and batted through the 47.4 overs for 113 not out off 149 balls.

It was his first century for Parramatta but he has but scored six for Penrith in the past.

FIRST GRADE CRICKET STANDINGS AFTER ROUND 11

Northern District 63 Mosman 60 Randwick Petersham 55 Manly-Warringah 45 St George 42 UNSW 38 Sydney 37 UTS North Sydney 31 Western Suburbs 31 Sydney University 31 Parramatta 31 Eastern Suburbs 30 Bankstown 27 Fairfield-Liverpool 26 Gordon 25 Sutherland 20 Penrith 19 Campbelltown-Camden 14 Hawkesbury 13 Blacktown Mounties 13.

KINGSGROVE CUP: STAND-IN SKIPPER HAPPY BEST MATE MISSING

JANUARY 25: Parramatta will take the field in the Kingsgrove Cup T20 preliminary final on Australia Day minus one of their best players.

While his NSW Premier Cricket clubmates toil to advance in the T20 comp, he will hopefully be preparing for another appearance with the Sydney Sixers in the BBL.

And while his loss will be felt, best mate Ben Abbott said he could not be happier for Bertus.

“You can’t be unhappy. It’s always the goal of a cricketer to do well and make teams,’’ said Abbott, who scored 94 last weekend.

Sydney University host Parramatta in the preliminary final at University Oval from 2.30pm on Wednesday.

Abbott said he and the club are ready for the match and go in with confidence.

“In the T20 we haven’t lost a game this year so we are going in with red hot form and full of confidence,’’ he said.

Nick Bertus making his debut for the Sixers.

This match will be free to watch on Kayo Sports as part of the Kayo Freebies selection.

Key to Sydney University success in the match will be Devlin Malone who has been in superb form this season, taking 29 wickets across first grade and the Kingsgrove Sports T20 Cup.

The other match on Wednesday is the battle between Randwick Petersham and UNSW.

The winners of the Conference Finals will progress to the Kingsgrove Sports T20 Cup Final on February 6.

Sean Abbott will also be missing from the match due to his Sydney Sixers commitments.

SYDNEY FIRST GRADE RD 10: BROTHERS WRITE HISTORY

JANUARY 23: In a round where Fairfield Liverpool (4-244) toppled the competition leaders Northern District (9-230), two brothers created history and a young gun from Sydney’s west had a game he will long remember.

Eastern Suburbs players Sam and Angus became the first brothers to twice score centuries in the same innings in NSW Premier Cricket.

Angus scored 128 and Sam 103 in Easts loss to Randwick Petersham.

The pair achieved the feat for the first time against Northern District the in 2019/20 season.

Cricketing brothers Sam and Angus Robson.

While UTS North Sydney 8–273 beat Bankstown 238, it was the latter’s side who had one of the standout performances of the round.

Youngster Zeeshaan Ahmed produced a head turning 127 - the highest scored of the round - in the match against North Sydney.

Ahmed scored 97 off 77 balls in the opening round of last season, three days before his 19th birthday.

Last weekend he scored 79 not out off 75 balls against Hawkesbury.

Zeeshaan Ahmed has long been identified as a talent by NSW Cricket.

On Saturday he scored his initial first grade century at North Sydney Oval.

In the match between Randwick Petersham and Eastern Suburbs at Coogee Oval,

Overall Northern Districts continues to lead the first grade standings from Mosman, Randwick Petersham, Manly Warringah, Sydney and St George.

NSW PREMIER CRICKET RD 10 PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

#What a difference a week can make.

St George player Blake Nikitaris was bowled for 99 last round but spent just three balls on that score on Saturday before he took a single to score his second century of the NSW Premier Cricket season.

Nikitaris and the club’s English international Mark Stoneman (66 off 76 balls with three sixes) put on 126 for the first wicket in the match against Sutherland.

It was a key win for St George who moved up into sixth place thanks to the victory.

English cricketer Mark Stoneman and Luke Bartier in round seven of the Belvidere Cup. Pic: Jeremy Ng.

#In another big performance from a St George player, Luke Bartier produced his third half-century of the 2011/2022 season with his 58.

This saw him pass 3000 runs to 3002 runs at 27.54 with three centuries plus 18 half-centuries.

He also took 3-17 in an impressive day out.

#Teammate Nick Stapleton took 3-24 to go past 250 first-grade wickets to 251 at 25.72.

#The best figures of the match, however, went to a Sutherland teenager.

Just 18, Justin Green took 4-35.

#Jaydyn Simmons was another century maker in the weekend.

The Fairfield-Liverpool gun made 121 for his second century this season which saw him go past 3000 first-grade runs.

He went to 3082 runs at 28.01 with three centuries plus 15 half-centuries.

A boss of a day for the Tahs in our @questevents_aus Play in the Day with a clean sweep 6 from 6 victories. M1s, M3s and M5s all secured bonus points, with W3s, M2s and M4s all obtaining fairly comfortable victories #bleedbluepic.twitter.com/B9zNbuDnrX

— Manly Cricket (@MWDCC) January 22, 2022

#In his 299th first grade game, Randwick Petersham’s Adam Semple scored 51 off 27 balls and then opened the bowling.

His first ball was a wide and his second removed NSW keeper Peter Nevill who was caught behind for a duck.

#Penrith’s Tyran Liddiard fell short of a century, run out for 91 which was his fifth 90.

NSW PREMIER CRICKET STANDINGS AFTER RD 10

Standings:

Northern District 57 Mosman 53 Randwick Petersham 48 Manly-Warringah 45 Sydney 37 St George 36 UNSW 32 Sydney University 31 UTS North Sydney 31 Bankstown 27 Western Suburbs 25 Gordon 25 Parramatta 25 Eastern Suburbs 24 Sutherland 20 Penrith 19 Fairfield-Liverpool 19 Hawkesbury 13 Blacktown Mounties 13 Campbelltown-Camden 8.

Originally published as NSW Premier Cricket: Centuries galore as Pakistani bowler makes his mark, Rd 11 standouts, results