Greg Mail

A cautious and long-serving opening batsman, Greg Mail's most successful season came in 2003-04 when he hit three centuries and finished with 754 runs. He struggled to keep pace over the next three summers and had a horror 2006-07, when his five Pura Cup games brought 121 runs at 13.44 with a highest score of 27. However, he has consistently starred in Sydney's grade cricket and the 1225 runs he made for Sydney University three years ago broke an 87-year-old club record. In four Pura Cup appearances in 2007-08 he added another century, 125 versus Victoria, and attracted interest from South Australia. However, he decided to stay in Sydney to push for opportunities in the expected absences of Phil Jaques and Simon Katich. He was rewarded with seven appearances but returned only 340 runs at 28.33, with a best of 101 against Victoria at the MCG.

Mail began his career in 1999-2000 after Mark Taylor and Rodney Davison had departed, and had regular opportunities to settle, but he has rarely been in the first-choice XI when the international players have returned. A fine fielder who was at the Academy in 1999, Mail has made only a handful of one-day appearances as his determined style is more suited to the longer games. Off the field, he has studied law and advanced science and his general knowledge makes some team-mates complain he knows everything.
Cricinfo staff May 2009