One day victory a bonus for Helensburgh

WILD weather caused all manner of disruption to top-grade cricket on Saturday, with all South Coast games and all but one Illawarra fixture washed out.

The lucky venue was King George Oval, Port Kembla, where the hosts met Helensburgh.

Helensburgh kept their good early-season form up with a 64-run win.

Batting first, the Tigers registered 9/181 off their 50 overs.

Andrew Northridge produced a captain’s knock of 53 after the visitors were in some early trouble at 3/21.

Opener Aaron Cadet hung in with Northridge to improve the score to 3/78 before Ryan Mulally (16) and Mitch McRae (31) chipped with some handy runs down the order.

All of Port Kembla’s bowlers were successful, with Ryan Mattas (2/38) returning the best figures.

The hosts could only muster 117 in reply, despite handy knocks Mattas (25), Jason Fulton (28) and Leon Parr (20).

Matt Curry was the destroyer for Helensburgh, snaring 4/17.

After three rounds Helensburgh (12 points) shares top billing in the one-day pointscore with Wollongong.

They are followed by Balgownie and University on 10 points, Norths on eight, Keira, Dapto and Wests on 7, Corrimal on 4 and Port on 3.

University (39) still lead the overall pointscore, followed by Wollongong and Helensburgh (30), Balgownie (23), Dapto (22), Northern Districts (18), Keira (16), Corrimal (15), Wests (10) and Port (4).

The competition reverts to two-day matches in round six.

University host Wollongong at University Oval, Corrimal meets Port Kembla at Zeims Park, Northern Districts face Dapto at Holymount Park East, Balgownie plays host to Keira at Judy Masters Park and Wests tackle Helensburgh at Figtree Oval.

Meanwhile, weekend rain played havoc with South Coast Junior Cricket, with a number of matches in the under 16s abandoned.

However, there was some action in the under 14B competition, where Albion Park Green scored an outright win over Shellharbour White.

The Eagles racked up a mammoth 6/278 (dec) before spearing Shellharbour out for 86 and 47.

That translated to a mammoth innings and 145 run win for the Eagles.

There was more joy for Albion Park in the under 14As, as the Eagles scored a first-innings win over Corrimal.

The Eagles’ hot streak came to an end in the under 12As, where Shellharbour Blue scored a 2/66 to 8/64 win.