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CommBank MyCricket Legends: Binga's back

A ex-Test speedster back in grade action, an unlikely maiden ton and the season's first 10-fa lead this week's MyCricket Legends

He may have turned 40 last month but former Test fast-bowler Brett Lee showed age hasn’t robbed off his golden touch with the ball in a club match last weekend.

In his first match on Australian soil since he retired from top-flight cricket after last year’s KFC Big Bash League, Lee made a cameo appearance for his NSW Premier Cricket side Mosman.

CommBank MyCricket Club Legends: Find out more

The tearaway made an immediate impact with the new Kookaburra ball, claiming Gordon opener Tym Crawford caught behind with the first ball of the match to reduce them to 1-0.

The hosts were soon reeling at 4-10 with Lee snaring another breakthrough to finish with figures of 3-23 from his four overs as Mosman chased down Gordon’s 149 in the final over.

Lee called time on an almost two decade-long professional career in January 2015 following a final KFC Big Bash League campaign with the Sydney Sixers.


In Victoria, Geelong City batsman Tom Driver made a stunning return to cricket from a stress fracture, belting a mammoth 281 in the club’s second XI.

Remarkably, Driver had never passed 50 in senior cricket before his record knock.

The 22-year-old went on to pummel 16 sixes and 50 boundaries as Geelong City racked up 7-544 on the first day of their clash with Bell Post Hill.

Driver's damage wasn’t just limited to the scoreboard; he benefited from a slice of good fortune before raising the bat for the first of five times in his club-record knock.


“There was a caught and bowled (chance) when I was on about 40 and the guy who dropped it went to hospital with a dislocated finger,” Driver told the Geelong Advertiser.

“I just smashed it straight back to him and he went to catch it with one hand and dislocated one of his fingers.

“He went off to hospital and came back on and fielded for the rest of the game.”

It was Driver’s first game back for the summer after suffering a lower leg injury and he admitted he was clueless of his running tally during his brutal knock, which turned out to be the highest score in the club’s history.

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“I had no idea until later in the day when the score just kept ticking over and over, as it does when you’re seeing them pretty well,” he said.

“But anything after 100 I was thinking I won’t get that, I mean who makes 281? You don’t think it’s ever going to happen to you.

“I got pretty lazy towards the end of the innings and just started swinging really, but it actually wasn’t that hot, there was a nice breeze blowing at the gardens, which was nice.

“It was definitely enjoyable, but I guess it’s only downhill from here.”

In South Australia, the first 10-wicket innings haul of the Australian summer was recorded in the Great Southern Cricket Association’s C grade competition.

Myponga opening bowler Robert McCracken completed the clean-sweep in their match against Encounter Bay, finishing with 10-38 to roll the visitors for 101.

But Myponga stumbled late on the first day of the match, with Encounter Bay reducing them 5-51 at the halfway stage of their clash.

Finally, NSW Blues mystery spinner Arjun Nair warmed up for a tour match against Pakistan with an eight-wicket haul for his grade side on Saturday.

Quick Single: Nair's amazing figures in Sydney grade cricket

The 18-year-old finished with incredible figures of 8-17 from 19.3 overs, including 12 maidens, in Hawkesbury's match against Campbelltown-Camden.

Against a side featuring another prominent finger spinner, former England tweaker Monty Panesar, Nair came on at third change after the visitors had put on 52 for the first wicket in the two-day clash. 

The off-spinner then spun his web with Campbelltown-Camden losing all 10 wickets for just 73 to be bowled out for 125, before Nair showed his versatility by opening the batting and scoring 25 from 34 balls.

Nair will miss the second day of the clash next Saturday after he was named in the Cricket Australia XI to take on the touring Pakistan side in a day-night tour match in Cairns.

MEN’S PREMIER CRICKET TOP FIVE

Image Id: 99D97F41A3C747AA8AFD41BC7DDC364A Image Caption: Arjun Nair celebrates a wicket in NSW Premier Cricket // Hawkesbury CC

Nair's eight-wicket haul was the standout performance from the weekend's Premier Cricket action.

1. Arjun Nair 8-17 Hawkesbury NSW 

2. Joe Denly 161 Sydney CC NSW NSW 

3. Steven Paulsen 143* Western Suburbs DCC QLD  

4. Adam Voges 142* Melville WA 

5. Cameron Wheatley 6-38 Kingsborough TAS 

WOMEN’S PREMIER CRICKET TOP FIVE

Image Id: 012E1D0390FA45CC89B819D726C50AAF Image Caption: Hannah Mann had a day out with the ball on the weekend in Tasmania // Glenorchy CC

Plenty of T20 action as players prepare for the WBBL starting this Saturday in Sydney.

1. Hannah Mann 5-7 Glenorchy CC TAS 

2. Emma Inglis 88 Prahran CC VIC 

3. Emily Mifsud 4-5 Universities Women's Cricket Club NSW 

4. Cassandra Brock 4/6 Box Hill Cricket Club VIC 

5. Corrine Hall 79 South Hobart Sandy Bay Sharks Cricket Club TAS 

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