After he led the New South Wales Pura Cup wicket-tally in 2005-06, Grant Lambert continued to be a solid contributor in 2006-07 and 2007-08. Two seasons ago he took 15 wickets at 39.6, including a career-best 4 for 77, and made 352 runs at 39.11. There were four half-centuries for Lambert, a Fairfield-Liverpool club opener who usually bats in the middle and lower orders for his state, and a top of 61 in the final loss to Tasmania. Backing up with six first-class appearances last summer, he peaked with 86 against Queensland in a haul of 163 runs and captured nine wickets. His performances impressed South Australia, but they couldn't lure him away from Sydney.

Lambert's breakthrough came in 2005-06 when he ended four seasons of bit-part contributions with 25 dismissals at 22.32 and a near-permanent place in the side. His only first-class outing the previous year was in the one-wicket victory in the final against Queensland, where he made a valuable 23 and removed the dangerous Martin Love and Shane Watson. One of the most consistent allrounders in Sydney grade cricket for the past ten years - he has twice won the Bill O'Reilly Medal as the competition's best and fairest - Lambert broke a 63-year-old record for most runs in a grade season in 2006-07.
Cricinfo staff September 2008

First-class Debut: New South Wales v Western Australia at Perth, 2001/02

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Oct 8, 2008 Grant Lambert pulls during his unbeaten 48 © Getty Images

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