DESPITE having high hopes after good starts last weekend, both the Campelltown Camden Ghosts and the Liverpool Lions suffered defeats when round one of the Sydney grade cricket competition was completed yesterday.
The Ghosts needed just eight wickets to collect the six points for a first innings victory when play resumed at Coogee Oval against Petersham Randwick.
Randwick had gone to stumps on the first day at 2 for 67 after 32 overs, and needing 216 runs to win the match.
They ended up doing it easily, losing just five wickets before overtaking the Ghosts.
But it was a long, slow approach that got them there, with the Ghosts bowling 90 overs by the time Randwick got the required runs for victory.
Josh Clarke (1 for 31) and Tylar Edwards (2 for 44) had the best bowling figures for the Ghosts .
Over at Rosedale Oval, the second day began with the Lions on 22 runs without the loss of any wickets in reply to the Sutherland total of all out for 281 on day one.
And while the Lions would have been favourites to get the required 282 runs for first innings points, it was not to be, falling short of the target.
The Lions were eventually all out for 246, despite some solid contributions from openers Wendel Delpechitra (57) and Dean Attard (32), as well as some handy runs from lower order batsmen Jeremy Cashman (52) and Harmon Sandhu (40).
The Lions will be at home for the second round of the competition starting next Saturday, when they host North Sydney, who suffered an outright defeat at the hands of Penrith yesterday.
Also at home in Raby Sports Complex in round two will be the Ghosts, who will take on Sydney from next Saturday. Sydney lost on first innings to Western Suburbs in round one.
