NSW Premier Cricket - The record partnerships from 1893 to 2023 - the fifth wicket record
Lyall Gardner | August 07, 2023
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.
In the run chase, the Parramatta boys were never in the hunt against the bowling of right-arm medium pacer Ed Trenerry, who took 7-92 in the first innings of 181 and 5-58 in the second of 6-145. Two years later, University’s Ray Boyce played two matches for NSW and went on to become one of the State’s most revered administrators. He held almost every office bearer position at the NSW Cricket Association and was a selector for 11 years. He passed away in 1941 after being in ill health for some years.
A lone 300
The Boyce-Donovan record is the only partnership in excess of 300 for the 5th wicket. The previous best at that time was 248 in 115 minutes put together by left-hander Viv Deane (122*) and G “Stanley” Moore (139) during a match for North Sydney against Balmain in 1909-10 at Birchgrove. They came together at 4-103 and finished at 5-373 after hitting 39 fours and four sixes between them. Balmain made 203.
Trumper always a crowd favourite
Another early record-holder was the legendary Victor Trumper who made 189* in combining with Jim Kelly (98) to put on 219 in 70 minutes for the 5th wicket for Paddington against Waverley. The match was played in front of 3,000 spectators at Waverley Oval on the first day of the 1904-05 season. Trumper hit 15 fives and 22 fours in what was considered “one of his most glorious displays”.
Record looks safe
The closest to the long-standing record by any recent 5th wicket partnership occurred in 2000-01, when Martin Haywood (136*) and Peter Schliebs (145*) remained unconquered in a stand of 267* for Mosman against Campbelltown-Camden at Allan Border Oval. One of the early wickets was (Sir) Andrew Strauss who later became skipper of the English Test team. He was knighted in 2019. The fact that in the 103 years to the end of the 2022-23 season, only one innings managed to get within 40 runs of the record, illustrates the value of that original performance all those many summers ago. In any modern team, it is difficult to imagine how a pair of middle-order bats could achieve such a milestone, let alone even have the opportunity, with so many limited overs matches filling the program.
Big partnerships but drawn results
Apart from the Boyce-Donovan 307 runs record and the Haywood-Schliebs effort 81 years later, there have only been three scores which passed the Deane-Moore early record tally of 248 in 1909-10. The Waverley club (now Eastern Suburbs) passed it twice, the first of which was in 1954-55 when Kevin Fetherston made 208 and Norm Coleman 55 in putting together a partnership of 251 for the 5th against Northern District at Waitara Oval (now Mark Taylor Oval). Featherston was just 11 runs short of the Waverley high score record of 219 set by Australian Test player Syd Gregory in 1907. Gregory later captained the Australian team to England in 1912. Waverley’s final total of 6-382 declared, didn’t produce any win points for the team as NDs hung on for a draw with 4-206 at the close.
Syd Gregory
A little over 12 years later in 1966-67, the Waverley pair of NSW opening bat Gordon Goffet (171) and Paul Frame (109*) put on 255 playing North Sydney at Waverley Oval. Frame joined Goffet at 4-70 and after 168 minutes, the score had rocketed to 4-325. The innings was closed at 5-335. An early wicket was 19-year opener Bruce Francis, who played Test cricket for Australia five years later. Unfortunately for the Dolphins, rain washed out the second day’s play.
The third match to better the old 5th wicket partnership record of 248 was between Western Suburbs and Paddington, a few weeks before Christmas in 1957-58. At 4-48, Wests were struggling in chasing Paddo’s 192. However, no 4 Tom Brown and no 5 Vic Cristofani got together in what was a Western Suburbs record of 261 in just 170 minutes with Brown making 114 and Cristofani 147. The 39-year-old Brown, in his 18th season with the club, hit 12 fours and a six while his 26-year-old partner managed 15 boundaries in the final tally of 6-321. The latter was in peak form, having previously made 105 against Gordon.
Good chase
The best 5th wicket partnership since the turn of the century in 2000 was by Mosman pair Jason Hughes (100*) and Matthew Day (175). Against Hawkesbury at Allan Border Oval in 2013-14, they put on 240 in 173 minutes. Day, the Mosman skipper, won the toss and sent The Hawks in to bat. They relished the invitation by knocking up a massive 354 in just 87 overs hitting 46 fours and six sixes along the way. At 4-81 in the run-chase, the Whales had it all to do. And do it they did, getting the score within 33 runs of the target when Arjun Nair had Day caught for 175 off 156 balls after hitting 24 fours and five sixes. Hughes was still there when the target was passed, going on to his century at 5-373 off 79.3 overs when the match ended. Hughes faced 203 balls in 259 minutes striking 15 fours in his neat 100*.
Jason Hughes
Top players feature in partnerships
There are also some famous Australians and an English cricket captain who have figured prominently in 5th wicket partnerships in the Sydney 1st Grade competition over the years. In the 1949-50 season and just three weeks after his 19th birthday, the promising all-rounder, Richie Benaud, together with NSW Sheffield Shield captain, Ron James, put on 216 for Central Cumberland against Gordon in only 132 minutes. The 160* by Benaud was his maiden 1st Grade century and included 15 fours and a five made in 201 minutes. Writing for the Sun-Herald newspaper, columnist Bill O’Reilly claimed Benaud was “a grand colt who is bound to make a name for himself in the highest spheres of the game. He went on to say, “In stature and off-side stroke play, he resembles the late Archie Jackson most strikingly”. James scored 119 in 139 minutes with 15 fours. They came together at 5-154 taking the score at stumps to 5-370 declared. In reply, Gordon ended with 9-300 to force a draw. Interestingly, young Richie did not bowl with most of the spin bowling performed by his father, Lou, who finished with 0-84. Sid Carroll made 62 for Gordon.
Richie Benaud
In 1926-27, St George no 5 bat, described by the Sunday Times newspaper as “Don Bradman from Bowral” made 110 in a partnership of 197 with Clarrie Targett who made 150* against Petersham at Petersham Oval. They came together at 4-104 taking the score to 6-389. It was Bradman’s maiden century in Sydney 1st Grade cricket and a plaque in memory of that historic occasion is currently displayed at Petersham Oval. Petersham made 261 with Bradman taking 3-26.
Plaque at Petersham Oval
The champion Australian all-rounder, Alan Davidson, in 1958-59 also featured in a sizeable 5th wicket partnership. He finished with a neat 100* for Western Suburbs to defeat Northern District at Waitara, 4-236 to 185. He and Ken Muller (57*) hit an unconquered 162 in 95 minutes.
Big score but famous for another reason
Mike Gatting
Playing for Balmain in 1979-80, the future English Test captain, Mike Gatting, made 193 against Central Cumberland at Drummoyne Oval. In that innings, he and Dick Devonshire (81*) combined in a partnership of 189 for the 5th wicket in only 118 minutes. The final total of 5-388 declared was far too many for Cumberland who made 107 and 6-136. Gatting hit 23 fours and two sixes in his outstanding innings. And while he went on to become one of England’s top cricket leaders, he will better be remembered as the recipient of the now famous “Gatting Ball”, when he was bowled by famous Australian spin-bowler, Shane Warne, in the First Test of the 1993 Ashes series at Old Trafford, Manchester.
Triple century the top mark
Harry Donnan
Harry Donnan, who played five Tests for Australia and scored the first century for NSW in the first Sheffield Shield match against South Australia in 1892-93, remains the highest scoring batsman who participated in a 5th wicket partnership in Sydney 1st Grade cricket. The South Sydney captain scored 308 against North Sydney in 1896-97 during which he featured in a partnership of 157 with C Breakspeare, who made 59. Souths were 7-613 when rain washed out play. Donnan’s innings broke the South Sydney record set by the previous season’s skipper and Test cricketer, Syd Gregory, who scored 253 in 230 minutes with 39 boundaries against East Sydney at the SCG in 1895-96. He and A Furness (90*) put on 157 in a score of 469. Easts drew the match with a tally of 5-294.
