HAWKESBURY Cricket Club’s Josh Clarke has scored another ton for the first grade side.
This week, it was against Sydney University as Clarke brought up his high score so far this season, reaching 162, before falling late in the day after batting for six hours.
Hawkesbury was sent in by Sydney University in the NSW Premier Cricket competition clash at Bensons Lane at the weekend.
The visitors were likely regretting that decision by day’s end, as Hawkesbury reached 8-404, with Clarke falling on the final ball of the day.
In four innings this season, the only time Clarke did not score a century was in round one, when he was 95 not out.
As it stands, he is the current leading run scorer in all of NSW Premier Cricket on 484 runs at an average of 161.33, though the second day of the current round will be played out this Saturday, which could change things.
After being sent in, Clarke and Brent Atherton opened the batting for Hawkesbury.
Atherton was stumped when he was on 25, which brought Dale McKay to the crease.
McKay and Clarke toiled away, taking the score from 1-52 to 2-139 when McKay fell for 56 in an innings which included six fours and a six.
Aamir Jamaal came to the crease next, making a stylish 73 runs off 80 balls.
His innings featured seven fours and four sixes.
When Jamaal was caught leg before, the score was 3-238 and Hawkesbury was looking in good shape.
Jordan Gauci, 44, and Corey Lowe, 31, also added to the total but it was Clarke who made the big impact, hitting 22 fours during his innings along with a six.
This week, the match will continue. The home side still has two wickets up its sleeve, though with such a hefty total already made, captain Jay Dyball could elect to declare straight away and give the team enough time to bowl Sydney University out.
In the lower grades, Shane Mott took seven wickets in third grade to help restrict Sydney University to 200 runs.