Toronto With Final Say
Newcastle Herald
Monday February 18, 2008
TORONTO Workers skipper Paul Toole is confident his team can effectively end the race for the Newcastle District Cricket Association top four by dashing Hamilton-Wickham's semi-final hopes at Ron Hill Oval on Saturday.
Before the penultimate round of the season started, Toronto were on 26 competition points, clinging to fourth rung on the ladder with Hamwicks (25) and Charlestown (24) breathing down their necks.But after Charlestown surrendered first-innings points to competition leaders Wallsend at Kahibah Oval on Saturday, it appears Hamwicks are the only team outside the four whose play-off hopes are still flickering.Hamwicks' post-season prospects hinge on them compiling a further 232 runs when play resumes against the Kookaburras on Saturday.The home side racked up 259 after being sent in to bat, and Hamwicks negotiated their way to 0-28 by stumps.Toole admitted his team should have finished with a more formidable score but nonetheless believes they are in the box seat, providing they bowl with discipline and field with enthusiasm."It's obviously evenly balanced," he said."We were well on top at tea, but we lost six wickets for 40 runs and that brought them back into the game when we were in a position of real strength."But in saying that, we've got the runs on the board and they've got to score them . . . it's up to us to bowl good areas, take our catches and we should be hard to beat."Toronto owed much on Saturday to a fifth-wicket stand of 111 between Toole (60) and Chris Jardine (51), but Sam Webber (4-48) ensured Hamwicks have at least a fighting chance, especially after they kept all 10 wickets intact.At Kahibah, Wallsend reminded everyone of why they are red-hot title favourites by cruelling Charlestown's finals aspirations.After rolling the home side for 101, the Tigers raced to 5(dec)-106 in reply. Veteran spinner Steve Storey continued his impressive comeback by claiming 4-20 for Wallsend.Wallsend skipper Rhys Soper then hammered an unbeaten 81, to go with the 2-26 he took with the ball.In their second innings, Charlestown reached 26 without loss, but they will need a minor miracle on Saturday if they are any chance of claiming a remarkable comeback victory.The Tigers, who lead the table with 33 points, will be hungry for outright points to ensure they stay ahead of Stockton (32) and Merewether (29), who are engaged in an intriguing dogfight at Townson Oval.Stockton (8-104) limped to a first-innings win on Saturday after routing Merewether for 90.But the home side will no doubt throw everything at them on Saturday in an attempt to usurp the lion's share of the points on offer.The late movers towards the final four could be Cardiff-Boolaroo, who clinched first-innings points against Waratah-Mayfield on Saturday and will be eager to make it an outright result this weekend.Batting first, Waratah crumbled for 80. Cardiff then declared at 2-102 and reduced the home side to 1-10 in their second dig.Maximum points would lift Cardiff to 26 points, which might give them a mathematical chance of scraping into the finals.Trouble is, Cardiff's final game is against Wallsend, who will provide slightly stiffer opposition than last-placed and winless Waratah.At Harker Oval, Western Suburbs made 203 and University were 0-19 in response, while a fighting 113 from all-rounder Jace Lawson steered Belmont to 316 against Newcastle City (1-10) at No.1 Sportsground.
© 2008 Newcastle Herald