The Port City Leagues first grade side will play in their fifth consecutive May Kelly Cup 20/20 Cricket Grand Final on Australia Day.
This comes after a continued run as the only undefeated team in the competition following comprehensive victories over Wauchope and Bonny Hills last Saturday.
In the first game Wauchope elected to bat first but found themselves in big trouble early at 6 for 9 after Port City’s opening bowlers David Stone (3/10) and Ben Lawrie (2/6) demolished the top order with Nik James (2/18) and Ashley Anderson (1/0) chipping in to wrap up the tail.
In the field, Leagues were ruthless taking 6 catches and forcing 2 run outs from Andrew Glover and Kyle Bray that saw the opposition dismissed for a paltry total of 55. Although Port City lost 5 wickets in the run chase the result was never in doubt and the game completed in the 12th over with Mitchell Dick top scoring with 17 runs.
In the second game, Bonny Hills also elected to bat first and again the deadly duo of Stone (2/17) and Lawrie (3/16) struck early to have the visitors reeling. However a middle order fight back saw Hills finish on 100 in the 16th over. Dick (2/17), Glover (2/28) and James (1/0) also grabbed wickets with the fielding again sensational where 10 catches were taken including 6 for stand-in wicket keeper Josh Kew.
Glover opened the batting and finished with 63 (6 fours and 3 sixes) with Kyle Bray who made 19 for a partnership of 61 before Nick Maxwell, 7, joined the captain to complete the run chase and a 9 wicket win.
The Decider between Port City Leagues and Port Magpies will be played on Thursday, January 26, from 2.15pm at Oxley Oval.
The third grade Leagues side (who only had 10 players to call upon) were beaten by Comboyne and Beechwood respectively but featured some impressive individual highlights including Rohan Kew who smashed unbeaten scores of 31 and 37 along with Wil Edwards 48 (including 6 fours and a six). The pick of the bowlers were Paul Byrne (2/27) and Tony Glavurdic (2/29). The regular HRDCA season continues on Saturday with an eagerly anticipated return to Oxley Oval (pending Council approval) with a two day game in first grade between Port City and Magpies.
