Kookaburras On Verge Of Breakthrough Victory

Newcastle Herald

Monday November 29, 2004

By BRETT KEEBLE

LAST-PLACED Southern Lakes were well placed to register their first win of the Newcastle District Cricket Association season after posting 334 against Newcastle City at Ron Hill Oval on Saturday.

But Southern Lakes captain Nathan Pearson said the Kookaburras still had plenty of work to do and had not pencilled in four points just yet.

Matthew Hancock (71), Aaron Gray (63), Corey Murnain (56) and Michael Heinrich (50) all posted half-centuries against the City attack but Pearson said it was now up to the bowlers to keep up the good work.

City were 1-41 at stumps and have another 90 overs to bat next week on what Pearson anticipated would be "another belter".

"We've been in a couple of similar situations this season and haven't gone through with it," Pearson said yesterday.

"We're confident but our young blokes need to be level-headed so we don't want to get ahead of ourselves. It's always good to have 300-plus on the board but I still think it's evenly poised."

Hancock hit three sixes and eight fours and Gray, who featured in an 89-run opening stand with Michael Muller (24), cracked one six and 11 fours.

Murnain, who belted two sixes and seven fours, shared an 89-run eighth-wicket partnership with Heinrich.

Richard Tait (4-88) and Quinn Waters (3-67) were best with the ball for City, who are striving for only their second win of the season.

Belmont have the upper hand in the match of the round at Cahill Oval after rolling the star-studded Stockton batting line-up for 244.

Ryan Wilson (66) and Shaun Hassall (46) were the only Stockton batsmen to get it going against a Belmont attack led by Matthew Frith (3-44) and NSW Country all-rounder Brad Bannister (3-64).

Belmont were 1-8 in reply.

Master blaster Andrew Mullard compiled his third successive NDCA century when he piled on 144 from 196 balls in Hamilton-Wickham's total of 346 against Wests at Harker Oval.

Mullard, who scored 128 against Stockton and 120 against Wallsend in his past two innings, is within sight of Greg Geise's record of scoring centuries in four consecutive innings a feat he achieved for Wallsend in 1989-90.

Geise backed up with three straight tons the following season.

Mullard, who hit two sixes and 17 fours, combined with Steve Cowen (41) to put on 113 for the fifth wicket.

Wests faced one over of their innings and will resume next Saturday on 0-1.

Wallsend made 9-348 from 90 overs against University at Wallsend Oval.

Batting at No.4 for the absent Brett Jackson, Scott Elkovich top-scored with 80 off 136 balls and Chad Sutton chipped in at No.8 with 63 off 40 balls, which included three sixes and seven fours.

In other games, Merewether rolled Waratah for 218 at No.1 Sportsground and were 0-30 at stumps, and Cardiff-Boolaroo crawled to 8-210 from 90 overs against Charlestown at Kahibah Oval.

© 2004 Newcastle Herald

Back to News Index | Back to Home