IN Hastings Cricket, the majority of matches were washed out last weekend including all first-grade games. However, two of the lower-grade clashes involving the Port City Leagues Magpies did go ahead after a slight delay.
The third-grade Strikers defeated the Pirates Buccaneers by eight wickets at Wood Street after they bundled out the visitors for just 101.
Magpies’ Clinton Cocking took 3/9 and Luke Morrison 3/11 before Cocking scored a quick-fire 37 runs and Scott Grant 32 to ensure a comfortable victory and consolidate their spot in the top eight.
The Strikers also upset Bonny Hills the previous week where Captain Rob Mooney smashed 59 not out while the experienced bowling pair of Dave Moore (4/28) and Adam Power (3/39) contained the Hills’ dangerous top order.
The fourth-grade Port City side scored a solid win over Wauchope at Landrigan Park by eight wickets on Saturday. Paul Byrne (3/16) and David Blanch (3/29) bamboozled the opposition with the ball before opening batsman Mick Gordon cracked 60 not out supported by Rohan Kew on 22 not out.
The Magpies bounced back after suffering a five-wicket loss to the Pirates Rum Runners at the same venue seven days earlier in a game that went right down to the wire.
Batting first, the ‘Pies scored 161 with John Stace (58 runs) and Ian Dickson (31) leading the way while recent addition to the line-up Kaleb Crowhurst picked up a brace of wickets but they couldn’t prevent the Pirates from reeling in the total.
In representative news, first-grade bowler Scott Dickson picked up 2/29 off seven overs as part of the three-time premiership winning Hastings under-19s side that defeated Macleay by 114 runs in the final played at Wayne Richards Oval on Sunday 9 February.
The club would also like to congratulate Kade Fens, Sam Frecklington and Kyle Blanch for their role in the Port Macquarie under-16s side that competed in the state final of the Twenty20 competition at the SCG recently.
