IT is more than just the Sydney grade cricket scene taking notice of Devlin Malone.
The teenage spinner became the youngest player in Sutherland's history to take a five-wicket haul after the 17-year-old spun the Sharks to a commanding position against Hawkesbury at Glenn McGrath Oval on Saturday.
Malone took 6-42 from his 22.3 overs to help Sutherland bowl the visitors out for 281.
Malone, at 17 years and 187 days, surpassed Nic Maddinson, Adam Zampa, Glen Bailey and Stuart Clark to become the youngest to claim the milestone and help give Sutherland the chance to claim maximum points.
Malone told the Leader he was unaware of the record but was delighted to continue his fine season.
"It gives me a bit of confidence and shows I'm good enough to play first grade," he said.
"I didn't bowl until just after lunch and then bowled 16 straight.
"It took me a while to get the first one, I bowled six or seven overs before I got a wicket.
"I was just trying to tie them down and bowl consistently and get a wicket that way with all the pressure."
Malone has been in the best form of his young life, taking all 10 wickets in an innings in second grade last month before his call up to firsts.
He made headlines last season when he became the first player in the history of Sydney grade cricket to take three wickets in the first over of his first grade debut.
Malone was also buoyed by a conversation with 59-Test veteran and now Sutherland teammate Shane Watson at training on Thursday afternoon.
"Just before he went into bat I was doing some fielding and Dan Rixon told me [Watson] wanted to face me in the nets," Malone said.
"He came down and had a quick chat, it was the first time I'd met him.
"It was so good. I think it'll be really good for developing my bowling.
"I was a bit nervous at the start, I didn't want to bowl badly.
"But I was over the moon with how he responded to my bowling and how much confidence he had in me."
Sutherland are 1-39 in reply, with Watson unbeaten on 1. Malone backed up his spell by taking 3-17 in Sutherland's 115-run win over Manly-Warringah in the Poidevin-Gray Shield on Sunday.
It was a history making weekend for Sutherland, as Rixon made 276 off 244 balls in second grade as Sutherland piled on 3(dec)-519 against Hawkesbury.
It was the second highest score in the history of the Sydney second grade competition, only bettered by the unbeaten 278 made by Alfred White for North Sydney against Manly in the 1904-05 season.
