Magpies swoop into fourth spot

ILLAWARRA CRICKET
JOEL RITCHIE

BALGOWNIE are in Illawarra cricket’s top four after an outright win over Northern Districts at Judy Masters Oval on Saturday.

The Magpies declared on their overnight total of 5/106 with a first innings lead of 11 runs.

They then produced a top-rate performance in the field, rolling Northern Districts for 81.

Opening bowlers Steve Jones (3/22) and Mark Johnston (3/6) combined to reduce the visitors to 5/13.

Mitch Walters hit a battling 28 for Northern Districts but found little support as Bally were set an outright target of 70.

Bally were in trouble at 4/39 but Johnson (21) and skipper Chris Sheppard (24 not out) steered the hosts to victory.

Meanwhile, University scored outright points by an innings and nine runs over Keira at Keira Oval.

The Students also declared on their overnight total of 9/159 then skittled the Lions for 89 to seal an innings victory.

Uni’s attack shared the wickets, with all five bowlers tried snaring at least one scalp, while Mark Johnston (21) provided the only resistance for Keira.

Helensburgh maintained second spot with an outright win over Port Kembla at Helensburgh Oval.

The hosts resumed at 3/62, 112 runs shy of first innings points before racking up 6/186 (dec), for a 12-run, first-innings lead.

Andrew Northridge (52) was the star for Helensburgh, while Shaun Gray snared 3/50 for Port Kembla.

Josh Piper (5/4) then ruined Port’s second dig, which produced just 39 runs.

Tim Lloyd (3/26) and Lachlan Brady (2/8) joined in the fun for the Tigers, who knocked off the 29 runs for victory without loss.

At Reed Park, Corrimal scored a handy first-innings win over Dapto.

The hosts resumed at 4/41 but lost their final six wickets for just 22 runs to be dismissed for 63.

That translated to a 77-run, first-innings lead for Corrimal, who enforced the follow-on.

Dapto crawled to 5/111 at stumps, while Graeme Batty (3/27) was the pick of the Corrimal bowlers.

Wollongong are still in the top four after an 87-run, first-innings win over Wests at Figtree Oval.

Meanwhile the wild weather that has affected this season has caused another mishap.

The anticipated final of the Russel, McLelland, Brown Lawyers Twenty20 Cup has been postponed, it was announced on Monday.

It will be played at North Dalton Park on Wednesday, February 13.

Starting times will remain the same — 5pm for the third versus fourth play-off between Keira and Wollongong.

The final, which will be contested by Balgownie and Shoalhaven, will start at 7.45pm.