Rohrer smashes Premier Cricket record

NSW Blues batsman Ben Rohrer scored Sydney Premier Cricket’s highest-ever limited-overs total in Farfield-Liverpool’s thrilling nine-run loss to Randwick Petersham on Sunday.

Rohrer blasted 205no to eclipse the old mark of 200 set by North Sydney’s Scott Hookey in the summer of 1994-95.

Full scorecard: Randwick Petersham v Fairfield-Liverpool

The 149-ball knock included an astonishing 27 fours and four sixes at Coogee Oval in Sydney’s east, and Rohrer said he wasn’t fully aware the record was his when he walked off the field.

"I thought I might have been close (to the record) but I thought Davey Warner had got a double-hundred in one-dayer from years ago but apparently it was about 175," Rohrer told cricket.com.au.

"Only when I got home that night I thought about that.

"It’s always a nice thing to have, a record, but who knows how long it will stand the way guys play these days? It probably won’t stand for long particularly on a few of the smaller grounds around Sydney." 

As captain of Farfield-Liverpool, Rohrer won the toss and elected to bowl first, with Blues teammate Gurinder Sandhu claiming 4-53 and Randwick Petersham opener Anthony Sams’ 152 helping his side post 7-332 from 50 overs.

Early wickets rocked the run chase, but with Rohrer at the crease Farfield-Liverpool still had a chance until a “critical error” by the star batsman ended the game in the final over.

"It was a very good wicket at Coogee, they made 330-odd," recalled Rohrer.

"We lost a couple of early ones; Daniel Sams is quite a good bowler, he’s on the fringe of the state squad and he picked up a couple of early wickets.

"It was rebuilding to start with, pretty much risk-free for the first 30 overs to get us into a position where we could possibly make a charge.

"Being such a good wicket and a small ground you get your boundaries to stay at a run a ball.

"We were always in touch and I ramped it up for the last 10 or 15 overs but we were still losing wickets.

"I made a critical error in the last over taking a single where I thought we were going to take a two.

"The No.11 was on strike and ended up getting out with three balls to go." 

Rohrer, who played one T20 international for Australia in February 2013, says a few technique changes in the off-season have his batting feeling “better than ever” as he aims to cement a place in the Blues four-day XI this summer.

"I missed out on the Matador (One-Day Cup) squad but hopefully (Sheffield) Shield cricket, make a few big hundreds and contribute to a couple of wins again this year would be nice," Rohrer said when asked what his goals are this season.

"As a squad, to take home both the trophies would be ideal and then have a bit more fun in the Big Bash.

"We had a great year last year with the Thunder so hopefully (I can) back that up with another solid year and possibly another title there too."

Blues speedster Pat Cummins claimed 2-32 and scored 69 for Penrith, while former Australia captain Michael Clarke was left stranded on 99no in his cricket comeback for Western Suburbs at Allan Border Oval.