Keira, ’keepers in dog fight after day one

University’s Luke McNamara at the crease during his side’s tussle with Port Kembla.

ILLAWARRA CRICKET

KEIRA need a 118 runs with eight wickets in hand to secure first innings points when their Illawarra cricket match with Wollongong resumes on Saturday.

The Keira side will resume at North Dalton Park on 2/40 in reply to Wollongong’s first innings tally of 158.

Unbeaten opener Kristian Evans will resume on 28 after Wollongong’s Shane Fanning claimed a pair of wickets late on day one.

Earlier the Lighthouse Keepers could only muster 158, led by 65 from Steve Blissenden and 31 from Mal Felgate.

The Keira bowlers shared the wickets around, with Glen Prouten (3/21) returning the best figures.

Elsewhere Helensburgh have already secured first innings points in their clash with Balgownie at Helensburgh Oval.

The hosts will resume on Saturday at 8/101 in reply to the Magpies’ meagre first innings total of 97.

Sam Northridge (4/31) ripped through the Balgownie tail to return the best figures for Helensburgh. Chris Sheppard played a lone hand for Balgownie with 38.

Helensburgh had to hang tough to claim first innings victory – at one stage they were cruising at 2/65 before crashing to be 8/96.

However, Ryan Mullaly (5 not out) and Josh Piper (2 not out) saw the Tigers past their target after Matt Curry earlier hammered 31.

Martin Luskan toiled hard for the Magpies on his way to figures of 6/31.

Defending premiers University are on their way to first innings points after day one of their clash with Port Kembla at King George Oval.

The hosts will resume at 9/119, 133 runs adrift of University’s first innings score of 9/252 (dec.).

Dave Williamson hammered 61 for the visitors, while Luke McNamara (42), Kurt Miller (33) and Stuart Tobin (42) all chipped in.

Ryan Mattas bagged 3/71 for Port Kembla before backing that up with an unbeaten 50.

Other than Mattas’ knock, Port’s reply was ruined by a haul of 5/18 to Scott Tutton.

Meanwhile, Dapto will resume at 2/44 in reply to Wests 153 at Figtree Oval.

Wests’ total was built around an unbeaten 76 from Nathan Dodd, while Dapto’s Scott Cox (3/42) and Tommi Bozinovski (3/43) were the sharpest weapons in Dapto’s arsenal.

Shannon Crewdson snared both the Dapto wickets to fall before stumps, while opener Joel Nupier hammered 28 before losing his wicket.

The Corrimal versus Northern Districts clash at Ziems Park will get under way this Saturday after day one was abandoned because a wicket couldn’t be prepared.