Newcastle's Title Defence Falls At First Hurdle

Newcastle Herald

Saturday November 17, 2007

By ROBERT DILLON

NEWCASTLE'S reign as NSW Country cricket champions is over after suffering an upset loss to North Coast yesterday in the opening round of the annual knockout carnival in Dubbo.

After winning the toss, Newcastle's new-look team were dismissed nine balls short of their allotted 60 overs for a disappointing 185.

North Coast had six wickets intact, and 10.3 overs up their sleeve, when they passed Newcastle's total.

The three-time defending champions will battle it out today and tomorrow for the minor placings and for places in the NSW Country team.

Their opponents today are Wollongong, who were thrashed yesterday by Southern Zone.

Newcastle made a solid start yesterday and after 34 overs were 3-119, thanks to contributions from opener Robert Faraday-Bensley (40), skipper Simon Moore (20), Troy Goodwin (37) and Mark Dries (27).

But the innings ground to a halt as veteran North Coast spinner Bill Newell (4-23 from 18.3 overs) applied the handbrake.

Newcastle's chances of defending their score were not helped when North Coast No.3 Sam Irvine survived a confident caught-behind appeal off Charlestown bowler Steve Threadgold.

Irvine, who was 26 at the time, went on to score 70 and shared a matchwinning 95-run fourth-wicket partnership with Sam Detrich (44 not out).

The pick of Newcastle's bowlers was off spinner Nick Foster (1-36 from 11 overs), while all-rounder Nathan Price grabbed 2-51.

The Novocastrians will be boosted today by the return of NSW under-19 paceman Daniel Magin, who missed yesterday's match because of a university exam.

Meanwhile, the return of former club captain Jody Whitehead in Stockton's clash with Cardiff-Boolaroo at Lynn Oval shapes as a highlight in round four of the district cricket season. Whitehead previously played for the Seagulls two seasons ago, before moving to Sydney after starting a sales job at Kingsgrove Sports Centre.

The 35-year-old left-hander spent last season playing second grade for Randwick Petersham, and his experience will be welcomed by Stockton after the off-season departure of players such as Joey Price, Hassan Khan and Shaun Hassall.

At Townson Oval, Toronto Workers will be keen to capitalise on the absence of Merewether's representative stars, Moore, Goodwin and paceman Michael Hogan.

Waratah-Mayfield will be similarly optimistic about their chances at home to a University side missing Faraday-Bensley, in what shapes as a possible battle for the wooden spoon.

In today's other matches, Wallsend meet Hamilton-Wickham at No.1 Sportsground, Charlestown host Newcastle City and Belmont are at home to Western Suburbs.

© 2007 Newcastle Herald

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