THE Port City Leagues Magpies Cricket Club managed four wins from their five games as the regular season of the Hastings Cricket Competition resumed following the Christmas break last Saturday.
The Port City first-grade side was on track for a comprehensive win against Wauchope but the tail collapsed and they went down by just three runs at Andrews Park. That’s despite the best efforts of Chris Cole with 75 runs and Luke Jephcott with 36 and a superb performance with the ball by Dylan Lewis, who snared an incredible 6/13 while Adam Eckermann grabbed 2/20.
The second-grade Magpies defeated Wauchope by 43 runs in a high-scoring encounter at Sancrox with B.J. Schneider walloping his way to 165 not out which included 16 boundaries and seven sixes. The bowling honours were shared with Sam Frecklington, Sam Connelly, Warren Preston and Brenden Cunningham each picking up two wickets.
The third-grade Swoopers made light work of Camden Haven Red at Stuarts Park with a 106-run win where Wayne Popplewell claimed impressive figures of five for 19, following on from Ray Atkins hitting 41 runs and Nik James 38 not out.
The third-grade Strikers annihilated the Macquarie Turtles by 161 runs courtesy of 144 not out from Scott Grant (20 fours and five sixes) while the bowling honours were shared with two scalps apiece for Jack Steinmetz, Sean Mooney, Rob Mooney and Luke Morrison.
The fourth-grade Leagues Magpies defeated Bonny Hills by 148 runs with the evergreen Mick Gordon standing tall with 114 not out while Scott Graham (4/19) and Jeff Kelsey (4/28) were the major wicket takers.
On Wednesday night 15 January, the Port City Leagues Magpies played their final May Kelly Twenty20 Cup match against Camden Haven under lights at Wayne Richards Oval. However, they went down by eight wickets.
Phil McVicar top scored with 23 not out but the top order failed to fire and Port City could only manage a total of 98 runs. The Redbacks reached the target in the 17th over.
The Magpies hold on to second spot on the table just behind Macquarie and – depending on the result of the Pirates-Comboyne match played last night – they are still a good chance of playing in this Sunday night’s decider.
