The Cessnock District Cricket competition finally completed a full round of matches last weekend, with Mulbring again setting the pace in first grade.
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The Marlins continued on their merry way with a 118-run demolition of Peden’s Hotel at East End.
Batting first they piled on 4-224, with opener Drew Olsen playing a fine hand with 90.
Skipper Cameron Ross was next best with 68, with Sam Apthorpe (34) also productive.
In a tough day for the Peden’s bowlers Ben Read was the pick with 2-51 off 10.
The home side lost their top four batsmen for single figures in reply to see them reeling at 4-18, however, skipper Matt Hopley (25) and Dale Johston (43) went about restoring some pride back into the Piranhas innings.
Although the run-rate was well on track, loss of regular wickets saw them all out in the 19th over for 106.
Ben Neaves bagged 5-48 off 9.1 for the visitors, with Darren Sutton chipping in with 2-34 off six.
Greta/Branxton avenged the disappointment of their first round loss when they disposed of Wine Country by seven wickets in the corresponding match at Miller Park.
Winning the toss and electing to bat in pristine conditions, Wine Country never got out of second gear, and were all out inside 26 overs for 106.
Luke Jeans top scored with 21, Scott Miller clubbed 20, with Dean Elliott (14) and Matt McCarthy (13) both making starts.
A rarity happened in the Wood Ducks’ innings, with drinks being called after 16 overs due to an intruder in the form of a red-belly black snake invading the pitch.
The unpretentious reptile was calmly removed from the field by Greta/Branxton third grader Jamie McNamara, and play got back underway shortly after.
Martin Shearer was the pick of the Greta/Branxton attack with an expensive 4-33 off 5.1.
Skipper Brent Watson (2-21 off 9), Nathan Holz (2-18 off 7) and Alex Walkling (2-23 off 4) picked up a brace of wickets each.
The Blues’ run chase started a little shakily, but the experience of incumbent association player of the year Josh Dagg (47no) and Barry Richards (24no) guided the home side to victory.
They reached the target in the 21st over having lost just the three wickets.
Greg Andrews also made use of the limited time he had in the middle with 21.
Scott Miller (2-36 off 8) and Rob Sidebottom (1-30 off 7) were the wicket takers for Wine Country.
Supporters Club made it two from two against Bellbird this year with yet another convincing 39-run victory at Baddeley Park.
Bellbird won the toss and sent the home side in to bat. The Goannas accumulated nicely, seeing out the mandatory forty overs with 9-165.
Nathan Stapleford led the way with 60, with Greg Brodie (28), Mick Gates (26), Troy Culley (13) and Tim Goldman (12) all keeping the scorers busy.
Matt Tomlinson was the pick of the Tiger attack with 4-32 off 10, with Billy Orr (3-42 off 10) and Ben Troke (2-36 off 10) supporting well.
Bellbird got off to a positive start in the reply with most batsmen making starts, however no one pushed on to a decent score to give their quest for victory some hope.
Tomlinson completed a fine all-round game with 19, meanwhile Jason Orr (18), Nicholas Wilson (17), Billy Orr (17), Joey Barber (16) and Rob Drage (15) found the gaps.
Supporters left arm seamer Andrew Nicolai proved to be the difference between the two sides in the end, collecting 4-12 off 10 in a fine display of bowling.
He was backed up by Tim Goldman (3-31 off 8) and Andrew McCallum (2-27 off 6.4).
Special mention goes to Wine Country U/16 and third grade opening bowler Wayne Harris who took 6-4 off four overs in the morning, then equaled this with 6-25 off eight in the afternoon.
Making this feat more memorable was the fact that it occurred after his grandfather’s funeral the day before.
Second Grade
Greta/Branxton 6/218 (Chris Redmond 51, Peter MacKenzie 37, Darren Holz 35, Brett Bridge 28, Anthony Brunsdon 20, Pat Andrews 17no, Dave Lord 2-47 off 7, Shane McLachlan 2-51 off 8) defeated Mulbring 196 (Cameron Halliwell 79, Wade Beavis 26, Shane McLachlan 18, Dave Lord 17no, Willie Watson 14, Mark Peace 4-40 off 9, Pat Nugent 3-45 off 8, Hayden Regan 2-30 off 5).
Supporters 8/177 (Luke Morris 32no, Jack Morris 30, Brendan Kennedy 29, Paul Wright 16, C. Babic 4-35 off 9, B. Martin 2-41 off 9) defeated Denman Hotel 105 (B. Martin 30, P. Lawler 17 ret hurt, A. Bartley 16, Zach Sneesby 3-28 off 8.4, Dale Arnold 3-32 off 10, Mick Cronin 3-37 off 10).
Chelmsford Hotel 1/101 (A. Follan 47no, D. Johnston 37, D. Killen 11no, M. James 1-15 off 3) defeated Peden’s Hotel 99 (Mick James 36, Zach Kronholm 20, M. Cleal 5-22 off 8, D. Killen 2-13 off 6, H. Ridley 2-17 off 9).
Bellbird 9/176 (B. Fairlie 42, M. Schreiber 34, C. Schumacher 20no, W. Hurn 20, S. Durie 16, B. Clarke 15, Lionel Markwort 3-27 off 10, Ryan Maxwell 2-51 off 10, Luke Vernon 2-52 off 10, Shannon Attewell 2-45 off 10) defeated Wine Country 88 (Jason McMichael 25, Shannon Attewell 20no, Mick Brown 16, Justin Hlad 3-30 off 10, Stef Durie 2-22 off 8, Pat Cagney 2-9 off 7).
Third Grade
Greta/Branxton Blue 162 (Andrew Wright 68, Ben Lahey 30, James Shoulders jnr 27, Josh Hunter 4-13 off 3, J. Davey 3-10 off 3, Jason Haines 2-42 off 7) defeated Denman Hotel 107 (Josh Hunter 25, A. Comyns 18no, H. Bartley 16, J. Haines 13, Steve Peace 3- 23 off 9, Adam Holmberg 3-11 off 7, Jason Varley 3-42 off 7).
Laguna 5/159 (J. Bailey 61, S. Sullivan 31, A. Taylor 29, D. Philip 14) defeated Supporters 155 (S. Weekes 43, A. Sweeney 31, L. Sweeney 29, T. Johnson 20, G. Kelso 4-35 off 10, J. Bailey 2-33 off 10).
Bellbird 9/170 (Shaun Anderson 75, Vernon Preston 29, Mark Scott 18, Nick Hurn 13no, A. Williams 3-39 off 10, D. Grills 3-42 off 10, D. Smith 2-23 off 8) defeated Peden’s Hotel 61 (Dylan Smith 22, Mark Scott 5-6 off 7, Jack Lennard 2-16 off 7).
Greta/Branxton White 136 (Adam Kerry 60, Will Young 17, Wayne Harris 6-25 off 8, M. Read 2-20 off 3) defeated Wine Country 90 (Brett Stewart 24, Peter Davis 24, Connor Thomson 5-22 off 10, Jamie McNamara 2-25 off 10).
Fourth Grade
Wine Country 8/144 (Jacob Ellis 42, Zac Ellis 23, Tallen Howson 23, Patrick Jurd 16, Sam Hines 2-13 off 6, James Thomson 2-8 off 6) defeated Greta/Branxton 9/139 (James Thomson 58, Ethan Allerton 16, Ben Ciba 15, Lachlan Prestwich 12no, Zac Ellis 4-35 off 9, Tallen Howson 3-23 off 10).
Mulbring 6/204 (Jack Kirkham 54, Matt Gough 44no, Andrew Clifton 41, Rob Young 26, Ben Rowlands 13, Kobe Minter 2-34 off 7) defeated Supporters 164 (R. Bradley 57, A. Field 27, C. Ramage 23, Andrew Clifton 3-38 off 9, Ben Rowlands 3-20 off 6).
Peden’s Hotel 97 (P. Crocker 38, K. Jordan 28, S. Capararo 11no, B. Sillay 4-13, A. Schofield 3-9) defeated Bellbird 74 (G. Stoker 20no, J. Field 19, B. Sillay 18, S. Capararo 3-27 off 9).
Points Tables
First Grade Mulbring 30, Supporters 30, Greta/Branxton 26, Wine Country 26, Bellbird 22, Peden’s Hotel 22.
Second Grade Bellbird 36, Chelmsford Hotel 32, Supporters 32, Mulbring 28, Denman Hotel 25, Greta/Branxton 24, Peden’s Hotel 24, Wine Country 21.
Third Grade Bellbird 36, Greta/Branxton Blue 32, Greta/Branxton White 32, Laguna 28, Denman Hotel 25, Peden’s Hotel 25, Wine Country 22, Supporters 20.
Fourth Grade Greta/Branxton 29, Mulbring 29, Wine Country 29, Bellbird 25, Peden’s Hotel 25, Supporters 25.
Club Championship Bellbird 261.63, Supporters 255.50, Greta/Branxton 237.37, Mulbring 216.30, Wine Country 213.37, Peden’s Hotel 209.13.
Club Championship Formula:- First Grade x 3.73, Second Grade x 3.0, Third Grade x 1.5, Fourth Grade x 0.7.
NB: Only Greta/Branxton Blue third grade team contributes to club championship points.
