Pirates eliminate Macquarie from race

The Pirates, who slipped into the play-offs on the back of a last-round victory, eliminated the highly-fancied Macquarie Hotel from the premiership race.

The Paul Stait-captained outfit will now tackle Camden Haven in the grand final at the same venue in three days’ time.

The Pirates sent Macquarie into bat on a wet wicket – and the game was as good as over.

With just nine runs on the board, the side lost Michael Pelley (0), Derek Arnberger (2), Shayne Redden (0), Sam Ward (2), Warren Preston (0), Phil Arnell (0) and Sam Carlon (4) to be 7-9.

When play was called off at the end of day one, Macquarie was 8-28.

Sunday brought no relief to the batting line-up either.

Despite Jeremy Kirk’s 26 and Wayne Dunn’s 11, Macquarie could only muster 52.

Ken Bennett snared 5-22 off 11 overs while Glenn Kemp took 5-22 too.

The Pirates also started shakily, losing Stait (0) and Leon Clogg (0), to be 2-0.

However, a solid third wicket partnership of 40 between Ryan McMahon and Steve Ware (63) helped steady the ship.

Shane Williams (14) and Steve Lacey (11) also added valuable knocks.

“Our tail really frustrated the Macquarie bowlers, displaying patience and courage,” Pirates president David Fuller said.

“This was best exemplified by Glenn (Kemp), who was hit in the cheekbone.

“He retired hurt but came back out to bat at the fall of the next wicket.

“Those guys enabled us to reach 136 – a handy lead of 84.”

With time against them, and needing an outright to reclaim the advantage, the only way for Macquarie to have any chance was to be aggressive.

Redden began well by hitting Kemp for six.

Unfortunately, in the team’s quest for quick runs, Pelley (0), Arnberger (7), Ward (4), Carlon (4) and Redden (14) fell cheaply again.

A handy 36 from Preston lifted Macquarie to 9-103.

For the Pirates, Kemp capped off a great match by taking 4-52 for the overall figures of 9-74.

Second grade (semi-finals) –

Bonny Hills v Macquarie Hotel

(scorecard incomplete)

Wauchope RSL v Port Magpies

(washed out – Wauchope RSL progresses)

Third grade (semi-finals) –

Camden Haven v Comboyne

CAMDEN Haven proved too strong for Comboyne at Inmon Field, Laurieton, on Saturday.

The competition pacesetters amassed 6-204 with Bryan Yewdall and Andrew Howe posting half centuries.

Yewdall smashed 69 and Howe chipped in with 54 while Scott Selway remained unbeaten on 37.

Despite the hefty total, Steve Cutler captured 4-36.

Comboyne started solidly but fell 67 runs short of the target.

Ethan McKenna top scored with 42 and Rob Cutler slammed two sixes in his 27.

The damage was done by Nathan Slater, who bagged 6-41 from 6.3 overs.

Beechwood Warriors v Port Panthers Pirates Blue

(scorecard incomplete)

Fourth grade (semi-finals) –

Wauchope RSL v Bonny Hills

WAUCHOPE RSL ended Bonny Hills’ campaign at Fairmont Gardens, Wauchope, on Saturday.

Bonny Hills won the toss but sent their rivals into bat – a decision, which cost them dearly.

Wauchope RSL compiled a healthy 9-135, from 40 overs, with Danny Hobson (38) and Sean McKinnon (14) leading the charge.

David Hurst (2-18), Geoff George (2-23) and Brendan Dries (2-35) were the pick of the bowlers.

In reply, Bonny Hills was bundled out for 64.

Only George (13) troubled the scorers.

McKinnon picked up 3-14 and gained strong support from Alex Clarke (2-14).

Camden Haven v Beechwood Buffalos

(scorecard incomplete)

Under 16 (grand final – day one)

Wauchope Jung Concrete Constructions v Wesley Uniting Employment

WET weather overnight at Wauchope saw the local derby grand final moved from Andrews Park’s turf to Fairmont Gardens’ synthetic after water leaked under the covers, despite a Herculean effort by curator Rod Lyons to protect the pitch.

The ground change resulted in a one-hour delay.

Wesley Uniting won the toss and elected to bat on what was still a wet pitch and a very soft outfield.

Jung Concrete Constructions’ bowlers struggled with the slippery surface from the outset and gun paceman and captain Ben Cutler was forced to take himself off after only one over.

Luckily, Clayton Ostler, despite struggling somewhat with line, settled into a spell of threatening bowling that saw Wesley Uniting’s dangerous batsman Ethan McKenna out, caught behind by Thomas Rienstra, for three in only the third over.

Ostler followed this up by bowling Sam Corben (1) when the score was 19.

Opener Scott Mackedie and Darren Bourke then settled in for a 78-run partnership before Mackedie fell for 58 to a fantastic Campbell Barron catch on the boundary, off Rienstra’s medium pacers.

The loss of Mackedie saw the run rate drop dramatically with the pressure resulting in, firstly, Ostler claiming his third scalp, Bourke, for a well-taken 22 on 99, followed by Stephen Doyle (0) with the score on 101.

Late-order batsmen Brett Williams and Bruce managed to pick up the momentum in the last few overs to take the total to 5-117 after 35 overs at the close of play.

With 30 minutes of batting time remaining this weekend, Wesley Uniting will be pushing to lift the score as far as possible while Jung Concrete Constructions will look to end the innings quickly.

The game is evenly-placed with both teams in a good position to take the match in what is proving a very competitive grand final.