Kookaburras Complete Revival To Snatch Play-off Spot

Newcastle Herald

Monday March 12, 2007

By NEIL GOFFET

TORONTO Workers completed an amazing renaissance when they defeated Newcastle City at No.1 Sportsground on Saturday to secure a place in the Newcastle district cricket semi-finals.

Wooden spooners last year as Southern Lakes, Toronto changed their name and their attitude this season to make one of the biggest turnarounds in recent district cricket history.

Locked in a four-way battle for fourth place heading into the last game of the regular season, Toronto had to win and rely on other results going their way.

Minor premiers Merewether defeated Belmont and defending champions Charlestown fended off their other threat, Stockton, to give the Kookaburras a shot at premiership glory for the first time for more than a decade a period in which they have finished last more than any other team.

"We didn't know until about 15 minutes after the game. Everyone was still in the sheds when Chaddy's [Adrian Chad] dad came in and told us Charlestown had won," Toronto skipper Matthew Hancock said.

"Everyone was pretty stoked and it was fairly noisy in there for a while.

"It's a massive thing for the club and a massive turnaround from where we were last year.

"It has been an unprecedented season for us to come from last and make the semis, and it's a good thing for the area and all the people at the club who have turned it around."

Newcastle City bowler Rhys Gallen took career-best figures of 5-31 off 10 overs to try to ruin Toronto's day when they were all out for 198 in 49.2 overs.

But Kookaburras skipper Matt Hancock (3-31) took the first three wickets to fall, and new recruit Paul Toole (5-29) made sure City were never a chance and were all out for 131.

Stockton were in the best position of the four teams tied for fourth place. They had the best quotient and only needed to win.

Andrew Williams (35) and Hassan Khan (31) helped the visitors to 153 at Kahibah Oval as Chris Connors (3-29), Ben Woolmer (2-26) and Anthony Hobson (2-28) did the damage for Charlestown.

Opener Dane Macourt scored a polished 85 not out to end Stockton's season when he steered Charlestown to 3-156.

Macourt's effort also helped win his team a place in the Tom Locker Cup final against Wallsend.

Belmont were also in contention to make the finals and posted 148 against competition leaders Merewether at Cahill Oval after Ryan Mannix (48) top-scored and Duncan McIlveen took 4-31.

Jamie Brazier was a late addition to the Merewether side after he was registered on the morning of the match.

In Newcastle for a week awaiting a new work visa before returning to his native Papua New Guinea, Brazier took 3-17 and scored 34 as Merewether scrambled from 4-40 to reach 7-152 with four balls to spare.

Skipper Rhys Soper scored 71 to guide Wallsend to 9-170 at Passmore Oval, and Newcastle quick Matt Baker took 5-12 to rip Hamilton-Wickham out for 137 after they were 5-7 off five overs.

The Tigers take the upper hand heading into the semi-finals where the two teams will meet again.

In Saturday's other matches, University (190) defeated Cardiff-Boolaroo (90) at University Oval and Western Suburbs (3-119) finished the season with a win over Waratah-Mayfield (116) at Harker Oval.

© 2007 Newcastle Herald

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