16-Wicket Bird Plucks Sea Eagles

Despite last weekend's consistent rain, results were still gained in seven of Saturday's ten First Grade matches, as well as in eight of Sunday's Limited-Overs matches. Eastern Suburbs maintained the competition's outright lead with crushing victories over University of NSW and St George, while Randwick Petersham remains in hot pursuit after cruising to victory over first defending premier Sydney University, and then defending one-day competition premier Sutherland.

However, the highlight of the round took place at Manly Oval, where Bankstown's Aaron Bird produced the second-best bowling figures in the competition's 110-year history. His match figures of 16/67 have been surpassed only by Balmain's Freddie Mair, whose leg-spinners took 17/158 in 1933/1934.

Bird, a current Speedblitz Blues rookie and a former Australia Under-19 player, almost single-handedly crushed Manly-Warringah on its home turf. After claiming 7/35 in the first innings, he further terrorised the Sea Eagles with 9/32 in the second innings, to help the Bulldogs claim outright victory. The home team managed only 109 and 100, to which Bankstown was able to reply with 1(dec)171 and 2/40.

After a narrow victory against St George, on Sunday UTS-Balmain was upstaged by an incredible innings from Northern District's Matthew Daykin. He scored an undefeated 191 out of his team's 257, despite reaching his century in only the 44th of 50 overs. The Tigers could only manage 172 in reply, with Kym Daley (4/22) the best of the District bowlers.

Round 7- Eastern Suburbs 6(dec)414 def University of NSW 269; UTS-Balmain 6(dec)364 def St George 360; Campbelltown-Camden 334 def Sutherland 288; Fairfield-Liverpool 294 def Gordon 55; Mosman 321 def Northern District 159 & 0/40; Bankstown 1(dec)171 & 2/40 def Manly-Warringah 109 & 100 outright; Randwick Petersham 3/229 def Sydney University 228; Western Suburbs 151 drew with Hawkesbury 2/42; Blacktown 179 drew with North Sydney 4/150; Parramatta 8/266 drew with Penrith.

Limited-Overs Round 3- Campbelltown-Camden 4/108 def Parramatta 107; Eastern Suburbs 3/73 def St George 72; Bankstown 5/190 def Blacktown 187; Northern District 5/257 def UTS-Balmain 172; Mosman 8-239 def Manly-Warringah 157; Randwick Petersham 5/197 def Sutherland 9/196; Sydney University 3/193 def University of NSW 192; North Sydney 5-196 def Gordon 8/193; Hawkesbury drew with Penrithno play; Western Suburbs drew with Fairfield-Liverpoolno play.