IN Hastings Cricket, the Port City Leagues Magpies Cricket Club is the HRDCA Club Champion for 2013/14 following the completion of the final round of games in all grades.
The Magpies have accumulated enough points to finish on top after all five teams qualified for the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, in first grade the Port City side has snuck into third spot after the second day of their two-day game against Wauchope was washed out. The ’Pies will now face Comboyne in an elimination game this weekend.
The second-grade team had a week off after Beechwood forfeited their match and they will go head-to-head with the defending champion Wauchope in the grand final qualifier on Saturday.
Not a great day for the third-grade sides in the opening weekend of the finals series with the top-of-the-table Swoopers losing to the fourth-placed Pirates Billhooks by 49 runs. Jamie Glason with 42 runs and bowling figures of 2/31 was the only Magpie to make an impression. As minor premier, the Swoopers will get a second bite of the cherry with another semi-final appearance this Saturday.
Meanwhile the Strikers appeared to have been eliminated after their defeat to the Pirates Mutineers by seven wickets. Clinton Cocking and Les Witts both top scored with 25 runs and Rob Mooney took 2/22 for the Port City side.
The fourth-grade Leagues ’Pies demolished Wauchope by 121 runs and cemented a top-two spot with Adam Gordon cracking 103, Mick Gordon retired on 63 runs and Mick Kennedy also grabbed a half century.
The wickets were evenly shared among the six bowlers with Paul Byrne taking three scalps.
They will face the Pirates Rum Runners in a qualifying final this weekend.
