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Q: Who is the one player from Sydney Grade Cricket who played between 1980 and 2000 you’d want as the first player selected if you had the opportunity to start your own NSW Premier first grade cricket team?
A: Gary Bensley.
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8 months ago
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Q: I was still at school when I first met the great Neil Marks.
There was some discussion between my school principal at St Leo's College, the truly inspirational Brother Brian Berg, and Neil about whether I should be playing grade cricket or continuing to focus on school cricket. As much as I felt I let down Brother Berg, I decided to focus on grade cricket with the Club. I had always wanted to represent Northern District Cricket Club based at what was then known as Waitara Park, later known as Mark Taylor Oval.
What an education. I was blessed to have Brian Berg as a school principal and cricket mentor. He was the most brilliant school principal, an Australian Schoolboys selector and manager, rolled a terrific wicket at the school #1 oval himself, took the First X1 away for country trips and had us stay in a local pub and engage with the locals rather than be billeted out, and a wonderful advocate for the Western Suburbs District Cricket Club and the legendary Wally Welham which was challenging! Imagine that sort of leadership from a Christian Brother! But that was the wonderful Brian Berg. Education was about like experiences.
And then to have the privilege of spending so much time with Neil was just more priceless life experience
https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/113/tim-ebbeck/blog/1963/neil-marks-rip-old-mate-and-thank-you
A: Great story, Tim and brilliantly written. When I was putting together the Randwick Petersham history, a few hours of those six and a half years were spent with Neil and Fay at their home. Easy parking too at his place. On the tennis court.
Anyway, the purpose of my visit was to discuss one of Randwick’s greatest cricketers–Neil’s father, Alex. Among the many stories that Neil told me, there was one which, unfortunately, I was unable to later confirm going through old newspaper scorecards and articles. But as you say, Neil never was one to let truth get in the way of a good story.
He explained it this way.
It was before the Harbour Bridge was built. Randwick was playing Northern District at Waitara. Quite a journey in those days and the Randwick team was packed into just two cars. The first car managed to get across the harbour on the ferry but when the second arrived, the ferry was out of action for a time.
When the first car arrived at the ground with just five occupants (all the bowlers), the NDs captain (whose name escapes me for the moment) insisted that play begin on time and winning the toss, sent Randwick in to bat. A couple of hours later, the second car (containing all the batsmen) duly arrived. Neil says that Alex was delighted to see the bowlers limbering up on the ground and complimented them on their eagerness. However, his attitude quickly changed when he was informed that they were just about to take the field for ND’s second innings as they had already been bowled out twice!
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Q: RECORD: 188*runs in 2011-12 by David Dawson (200*) / Chris Tremain (81*) for University of NSW 9-361 declared against Western Suburbs 229 at Village Green in round 4, 5 November 2011.
University of NSW skipper and wicket-keeper, David Dawson, won the toss and batted on the team’s home ground. With opener James McNeil out for a duck, Dawson was in to bat in the second over. And while he was playing well, his team-mates were struggling against a persistent attack. Wickets were falling regularly although a late order rally of 58 saw the score elevated from 8-115 to 9-173. Nevertheless, the end appeared nigh. Enter fast bowler Chris Tremain, not a “rabbit” by any means, but at no. 11 he was not expected to bother the scorers to any great extent. But something which had not been experienced in the 118 years of Sydney 1st Grade Cricket was about to unfold.
The pair batted for 142 minutes scoring a breathtaking, unconquered 188 for the 10th wicket. While Dawson continued to advance his score, he was far from shielding Tremain from the strike. In fact, the fast bowler faced 135 balls in making 81* which included 11 fours and two huge sixes. And while their partnership was a major milestone, so was the double century which Dawson brought up after facing 237 balls over almost five and a half hours (323 minutes). His 32 boundaries constituted 128 runs of his neat 200* final tally. A declaration was made at 9-361.
https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/227/lyall-gardner/blog/1477/nsw-premier-cricket-the-record-partnerships-from-1893-to-2023-the-tenth-wicket-record
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RECORD: 188*runs in 2011-12 by David Dawson (200*) / Chris Tremain (81*) for University of NSW 9-361 declared against Wes ...
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Q: RECORD: 204 runs in 2009-10 by David Ball (105*) / Andrew McLean (90) for Northern District 354 against Blacktown 278 at Mark Taylor Oval on 9 January 2010.
Batting first on their home ground shortly after the 2010 New Year, Northern District were in trouble at 6-59 against the pace of giant fast bowler Gurinder Sandhu. And while there was a bit of a rally by the lower order, at 8-143 the innings looked like wrapping up quickly. The fall of the 8th wicket however, brought together nos. 9 and 10 in the batting order, skipper David Ball and opening bowler, Andrew McLean. Ball had that season scored two half-centuries in the no. 4 and 5 position while McLean had shown some prowess with the bat, recording undefeated scores of 43 and 40 batting at no. 9 and 10 respectively, in his previous three innings. But what was about to unfold, defied the hopes and aspirations of their most ardent supporters.
https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/227/lyall-gardner/blog/1453/nsw-premier-cricket-the-record-partnerships-from-1893-to-2023-the-ninth-wicket-record
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RECORD: 204 runs in 2009-10 by David Ball (105*) / Andrew McLean (90) for Northern District 354 against Blacktown 278 ...
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Q: RECORD: 222*runs in 1939-40 by Alan Barnes (104*) / John “Ginty” Lush (113*) for Mosman 7-441 declared against Paddington 322 at Mosman Oval (now Allan Border Oval) on 3 February 1940.
Batting first in that match, Mosman were away to a good start at 7-219. The only real disappointment for the Whales was that their “big gun”, Stan McCabe, made just 29. But that setback quickly turned to amazement as the club record books were re-written in the space of only 106 minutes. That’s how long it took for numbers 7 and 9 in the batting order, Alan Barnes and John “Ginty” Lush, to smash an unfinished 222 for the 8th wicket. It was the highest score for any partnership across all grades for Mosman, breaking the previous mark of 216 for the 1st wicket by Hammy Love and Charlie Andrews against St George in 1929-30.
https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/227/lyall-gardner/blog/1441/nsw-premier-cricket-the-record-partnerships-from-1893-to-2023-the-eighth-wicket-record
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RECORD: 222*runs in 1939-40 by Alan Barnes (104*) / John “Ginty” Lush (113*) for Mosman 7-441 declared against Paddington 322 ...
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Q: RECORD: 310*runs in 1936-37 by Richard Taylor (173*) / Hugh Chilvers (154*) for Northern District 6-402 declared against Marrickville 250 & 3-82 at Waitara Oval (now Mark Taylor Oval) in round 5, 31 Oct.-7 Nov. 1936.
On a sunny October afternoon at Waitara in 1936, Marrickville’s fast bowlers, NSW Sheffield Shield player Les O’Brien and Goulburn representative Harold McQuirk, made early inroads into the Northern District batting line-up to have them struggling at 6-92. That brought NSW leg-spinner Hughie Chilvers to the crease to join no 4 bat, Richard “Dick” Taylor. Over the following 140 minutes, the pair flayed the powerful attack to all parts of the oval as they rattled up an unconquered 310. The innings was declared at the stumps score of 6-402 with Taylor 173* and Chilvers 154*. They hit 45 fours between them–Taylor 23 and Chilvers 22. It was by far the highest 7th wicket partnership in Sydney 1st Grade, smashing the previous mark of 218* established 16 years earlier. On the second day’s play, Marrickville could only manage 250 and 3-82 with Chilvers taking 4-101 and NSW off-spinner Tim Caldwell, who later became Chairman of the Australian Cricket Board, finishing with 5-80.
The Taylor-Chilvers record has stood the test of time and has never been bettered. In the 89 years to 2023 since it was created, it is the only 7th wicket partnership to have passed the 300 runs milestone. It is also the highest partnership by a Northern District team in any grade.
https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/227/lyall-gardner/blog/1423/nsw-premier-cricket-the-record-partnerships-from-1893-to-2023-the-seventh-wicket-record
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RECORD: 310*runs in 1936-37 by Richard Taylor (173*) / Hugh Chilvers (154*) for Northern District 6-402 declared again ...
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Q: I am saddened to learn about the passing of Sir Michael Parkinson. He was a wonderful commentator and a great friend of cricket, which prompts a treasured memory I have of him. It was during the Test Match in Sydney as part of the Ashes tour by England in 2002-03 when he and his charming wife, Mary, visited the SCG as lunch guests of the NSW Cricket Association and its President, the late Alan Davidson.
I was then a member of the NSW Cricket Board and as such, had responsibility for hosting a table of guests for lunch. Michael and Mary were on my table with Michael and I seated together.
As could be expected, the conversation between us quickly got on to cricket and in particular, the similarities and differences between English County Cricket and Sydney Grade Cricket. It was an engrossing discussion and without us noticing, everyone else had finished their lunch and resumed their seats watching the Test. Our deep “in earnest” discussion continued until we were interrupted two hours later by our table guests returning for afternoon tea! We had missed the whole session! Not to worry as I’m sure we both would have agreed, we solved many of cricket’s problems between lunch and tea of a Test Match! What a memory. What a gentleman. RIP Sir Michael Parkinson.
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Q: RECORD: 284 runs in 1991-92 by Craig McComb (153) / Ross Trewartha (119) for St George, 7-367 declared against Western Suburbs 154 at Hurstville Oval in round 11, 25-27 January 1992.
Chasing Wests’ modest total of 154 after giant fast bowler Phil Alley had taken 5-37, St George was soon in trouble. Against some hostile bowling from Steve Nikitaris and Dan Horsley, both of whom would go on to play first-class cricket for NSW, Wayne Seabrook (7), Geoff Milliken (0) and Brad McNamara (0) were among the early victims. At 5-54, Ross Trewartha joined Craig McComb and over the following 227 minutes, the pair put on a club and Association record of 284 runs to take the match by five wickets. Their performance included 30 boundaries and three sixes.
https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/227/lyall-gardner/blog/1413/nsw-premier-cricket-the-record-partnerships-from-1893-to-2023-the-sixth-wicket-record
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RECORD: 284 runs in 1991-92 by Craig McComb (153) / Ross Trewartha (119) for St George, 7-367 declared against Western Su ...
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Q: RECORD: 307 runs in 1919-20 by Ray Boyce (192) / Les Donovan (166) for (Sydney) University 9-420 declared against Central Cumberland 181 & 6-145 at Parramatta Oval in round 4 on 8 November 1919.
In perfect cricket conditions, Central Cumberland skipper Gar Waddy lost the toss and was forced to field first. But with University on the back foot at 4-58, it looked as though it was a good toss to lose. However, that was the last of the smiles for the bowlers who toiled under heavy punishment over the following two hours. During that time, 307 runs were added with Ray Boyce smashing 192 in just 150 minutes hitting 30 fours and a six. At the other end, Les Donovan made 166 in 135 minutes including 24 boundaries of which six came in successive balls from NSW representative cricketer, Harold Cranney. The Referee mid-week sporting newspaper reported that “Both played delightful and exhilarating cricket in appreciation of which the fielding side joined as heartily as the spectators.” Despite the onslaught, one of the more amazing statistics was that there were just three extras–all leg byes– in the final tally of 9-420 declared.
https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/227/lyall-gardner/blog/1383/nsw-premier-cricket-the-record-partnerships-from-1893-to-2023-the-fifth-wicket-record
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RECORD: 307 runs in 1919-20 by Ray Boyce (192) / Les Donovan (166) for (Sydney) University 9-420 declared against Central ...
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Q: RECORD: 370*runs in 2015-16 by Damian Bourke (170*) / Ashton May (203*) for St George 3-391 declared against Sydney 8-393 at Hurstville Oval in round 4, 24-31 October 2015.
Both the St George and Sydney clubs had won their first three matches that 2015-16 summer, to be equal leaders with Bankstown. Saints skipper, Trent Copeland, won the toss and elected to bat in perfect conditions on their home ground. But early inroads saw star bats Stewart McCabe, Steven Cazzulino and Kurtis Patterson, who would go on to become the leading bat for NSW that season, back in the shed with just 21 runs on the board. That brought Damian Bourke and Ashton May together. Over the following 280 minutes, they would write their names into the NSW Premier Cricket history books.
https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/227/lyall-gardner/blog/1360/nsw-premier-cricket-the-record-partnerships-from-1893-to-2023-the-fourth-wicket-record
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RECORD: 370*runs in 2015-16 by Damian Bourke (170*) / Ashton May (203*) for St George 3-391 declared against Sydney 8-393 ...
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Q: RECORD: 326* runs in 1986-87 by Mark O’Neill (200*) / Phil Emery (127*) for Gordon 2-353 declared against Fairfield-Liverpool 110 & 1-125 at Chatswood Oval in round 10 on 17-24 January 1987.
Gordon’s NSW Sheffield Shield star Mark O’Neill and batter/wicket-keeper Phil Emery came together with the score 2-27, after Fairfield-Liverpool new ball bowler, Greg Clarke, had disposed of both openers. But that was the last of the good news for the new competition entrants, as the experienced pair broke a club and Premier Cricket record as they piled on a massive undefeated 326 in 273 minutes. The hard-hitting O’Neill, son of the legendary Australian batting star Norman O’Neill, smashed 27 boundaries and two sixes in his neat 200* while Emery hit 16 fours and a six in his unconquered 127*.
Declaring at 2-353, Gordon dismissed the Lions for a paltry 110 to win by a massive 243 runs.
Emery joined O’Neill in the NSW team in 1987-88, going on to become one of the State’s most dependable batter- ‘keepers. He also played a Test match for Australia in Pakistan in 1994-95. In first-class cricket, he completed 384 dismissals while scoring 3,292 runs. O’Neill’s career in first-class cricket continued until 1990-91 when he retired as the scorer of 3,729 runs including nine centuries.
https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/227/lyall-gardner/blog/1315/nsw-premier-cricket-the-record-partnerships-from-1893-to-2023-the-third-wicket-record
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RECORD: 326* runs in 1986-87 by Mark O’Neill (200*) / Phil Emery (127*) for Gordon 2-353 declared against Fairfield-Liv ...
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Q: RECORD: 390*runs in 2005-06 by Greg Mail (200*) / Matthew Phelps (200*) for Sydney University 1-447 declared against Mosman 263 at Rawson Park in round 13 on 11-18 February 2006.
Winning the toss and batting, Sydney University lost its first wicket at 57. That brought together skipper Greg Mail and Matthew Phelps. At the end of 88 overs, the innings was declared at an extraordinary 1-447 with each player 200* in a massive unconquered partnership of 390. It broke the previous Sydney 1st Grade record of 333 which had stood for 110 years to the credit of Australian Test cricketer, Frank Iredale (140) and NSW representative, Wally Farquhar (223), playing for Central Cumberland (3-485) against Burwood (352) on 1 February 1896 at Parramatta. The Mail-Phelps record is the second highest partnership for any wicket in the history of NSW Premier Cricket behind Victor Trumper and Dan Gee’s first wicket record of 423. And in becoming a new record for any wicket with Sydney University, it also smashed the previous 2nd wicket partnership record of 236 standing to the credit of Ed Cowan and Ian Moran against Campbelltown-Camden in 2002-03.
https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/227/lyall-gardner/blog/1285/nsw-premier-cricket-the-record-partnerships-from-1893-to-2023-the-second-wicket-record
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RECORD: 390*runs in 2005-06 by Greg Mail (200*) / Matthew Phelps (200*) for Sydney University 1-447 declared against Mosm ...
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Q: Batting first in front of a large crowd at Redfern Oval, this performance may best be summed up by the report which appeared in The Sunday Times newspaper on 1 February 1903. It read: “At Redfern, Victor Trumper provided 7,000 people with a display which even his greatest admirers were not prepared. In 2 ¾ hours, he compiled 335 runs off his own bat, his cricket and rate of scoring outclassing anything ever before seen on a ground noted for fast rungetting. Prior to Trumper, Redfern bowlers had been performing in fine style, but he simply annihilated them yesterday. He hit 22 fives and 39 fours, which made 266 runs by boundary hits. He sent the ball out of the ground and over the heads of the people in all directions, into the streets, the park, and the bowling green. Such hitting was never before seen here, and probably in the world. Trumper’s 335 is the record score for Senior cricket in Sydney and the first wicket partnership of 423 by him and D. Gee, who made 172, is also a record here. It may be mentioned that E. Hume, Redfern’s crack bowler, bowled ten overs from which 120 runs were hit.”
https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/227/lyall-gardner/blog/1265/nsw-premier-cricket-the-record-partnerships-from-1893-to-2023-the-first-wicket-record
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IntroductionWhile the better scores by batters in a cricket match generally receive noticeable attention, the often-overlooked feature of any scoreboard will undoubtedly be the ...
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Q: Meeting a Hero - The Sam and Dave Story
There’s an old saying that you should never meet your heroes.
Sam Williams has a passion for cricket and like most young sport-minded nine-year old boys, he has a hero. David Warner. He has followed David’s career with great enthusiasm and excitement and dreamed of one day meeting him. And despite the fact he lives in Ballarat, Victoria, he is a keen follower of Randwick Petersham and believes “some of Australia’s best cricketer’s have come out of the region”.
https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/227/lyall-gardner/blog/1085/meeting-a-hero-the-sam-and-dave-story
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October 2019There’s an old saying that you should never meet your heroes. Something about keeping the revered icon on a pedestal to be admired from afar ...
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Q: The legendary West Indian fast bowler, Wes Hall, now Sir Wesley Hall, played for the old Randwick cricket club in the 1965-66 season. It was the first time an international cricketing superstar had played in Sydney Grade Cricket. Needless to say, Wes was a real hit, taking 56 wickets, getting Randwick into the semi-finals and bringing flocks of people to view the action at Coogee Oval each Saturday. Wes subsequently returned to Randwick in 2000 as guest speaker at the club’s Centenary Dinner at Randwick Racecourse.
Earlier this year, former Randwick leg-spinner, Mark Preddey, toured West Indies with an Australian over 60s team. During the tour, he met up with Sir Wesley at Kensington Oval, Barbados, where he was signing copies of a book on his life. Mark was quickly in line to get a copy and had a wonderful chat with the great man who was delighted to learn he was an old Randwick player.
https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/227/lyall-gardner/blog/1050/wes-hall-and-the-holden
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Q: A memorable moment in cricket
It was on the tour of the West Indies in 1973 by a team known as “The Cliffhangers”—named after the leader Joe Cliffe who had befriended many top West Indians when on earlier Old Collegian tours. Champion NSW spinner David Hourn and the Queensland and Tasmanian wicket-keeper batsman, John Bell, also made the tour. The tour coincided with the Australian Test team tour and we played many of the island sides after the Aussies had passed through.
One game we played was a two day match in Antigua on a ground next to the local jail. The relevance of that reference was that the scoreboard attendant was a prisoner anchored by a large ball and chain while an armed guard sat by his side.
The captain of the Antiguan team was a 21 year old who we hadn’t heard of, although we were told he could play a bit. His name was Vivian Richards. We were also advised that another young player would join the side although he was injured and would bowl off a short run. His name was Andy Roberts.
Needless to say, Roberts cleaned us up pretty quickly and we were in the field by mid-afternoon.
Late in the day, Richards strode to the wicket. Soon after, I was re-introduced to the attack despite having not taken a wicket with the new ball. But bowling what were the last two balls of the day, Richards launched into both and they disappeared by some distance over the square-leg boundary fence. I was told that the second one ended up in the local shopping market.
And while that moment had little significance at the time, just a few years down the track it became one of monumental proportion when Viv Richards became an International super-star. For being twice belted out of the park by the great man, I was able to take some (tongue-in-cheek) credit for launching his illustrious career!
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Q: Few men had a greater love of the Randwick District Cricket Club than Wally Byrne. He began as a player and finished as President of the club, a position he held for seven years between 1952 and 1958.
In 1932-33, Wally Byrne was captain of the Randwick First XI. In the four years he skippered the side, it finished 2nd, 3rd, 3rd and 2nd. It was an amazing effort and only bad luck prevented the team not taking out a premiership or two during that period.
An indication of his dedication to Randwick and the game he loved was illustrated by an incident during the course of a 1st Grade match at Kensington Oval in October 1933. A member of the Randwick team was Dr. William McCristal, a fine left-hand bat and later captain of the team. However, on this occasion, Wally was in charge of the side and was a little upset to learn that the Doc had to leave the ground to deliver a baby. Once the delivery was complete, Dr McCristal returned to the game although Wally’s enquiry of the details of the birth did not eventuate until the fall of the next wicket. This was an amazing display of patience and restraint by the skipper as the baby Dr McCristal delivered, was in fact Wally’s daughter, Judy!!
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Q: As a batter runs are your currency and it’s great to see Ryan Hackney follow up his maiden first class century for NSW by scoring big runs for his club Parramatta in NSW Premier Cricket.
In the month of March, Ryan has scored.
• 50 and 51 not for Parramatta v Mosman
• 73 for Parramatta v Sutherland
• 99 and 15 for NSW 2nd XI v ACT
• 78 and 102 for NSW v South Australia
• 51 for Parramatta in their quarter final against St George
• 130 for Parramatta in their semi-final against Randwick Petersham
• 193 not for Parramatta in the Grand Final against Sydney University.
On the back of this form, and his ability to occupy the crease and bat long into an innings, one can only assume Ryan will get the opportunity to start next season opening the batting for NSW.
Well played Ryan Hackney.
A: Should be the first opener picked for NSW next season. Puts great value on his wicket which is what NSW desperately needs.
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Q: What’s the one piece of advice you’d offer a teenage cricketer who’s looking to make their way in the game?
A: Never forget that cricket is a game.
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It was a matter of going the extra yard for Bankstown fast bowler, Len Pascoe, in the last round clash in 1979-80 against Randwick at Coogee Oval. Randwick batted first and ...
