Port Stephens Pythons Cricket Club celebrated their grand final victory in style at their major sponsors the Spinning Wheel Hotel after winning the NDCA Suburban Cricket Association's first division premiership last weekend, defeating the Maryellen Mudrats.
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The Pythons won the toss and sent Maryellen XI in who looked in trouble early on a dodgy wicket and were 3-28. With sustained effort by the bowlers, the Pythons had the Mudrats on the rack taking the last seven wickets for 31 all out for a total of 71.
In reply, Port Stephens lost their openers struggling at 2-4 before captain Josh Moxey steadied the ship with a well compiled 24 runs. Lleyton Everleigh produced a match winning innings of 30 runs not out and with the fine figures of 3-18 was a worthy NDCA player of the final.
The Pythons wrapped up the final in the 18 overs. Other wicket takers were Jason Everleigh 2-10, Brock Hawley 2-16, Matt Dean 1-3 and Blake Simpson 1-20. A strong season for the Raymond Terrace club with the second XI also making the semi finals.
Raymond Terrace Rugby League Club kick start their season with all four of its teams playing away.
The northern conference men's Magpies team coached by Craig Murray line up against the Stroud Raiders, as do the Ravens ladies league tag team in B-grade. The C-grade men's team, coached by Brooke Roach and Luke Handsaker, do battle with Wallsend-Maryland while the ladies Magpies tag team team play Shortland.
Handsaker recently took a strong squad of Terrace and Fingal Bay players, representing the Newcastle and Maitland Knights, to Grafton to play the Northern Rivers Titans. The Titans were too good on the day, however the Terrace's Kurt Langdon scored two tries and showed early pre-season form. Fullback Tom Reynolds scored one on the back of four tries in a recent trial.
Fingal Bay Rugby League Club will start their 2022 campaign with the tough road trip to Dora Creek.
The Bay's ladies league tag team, coached by Blain O'Flaherty, is confident they can handle the rise in class in A-grade this year. They will play the Maitland Pickers at Maitland. Assisting Blaine will be trainer Neil Parfitt and manager Leanne Blackwell.
Fingal men's coaches Dean Carney and John Gutherson go into their first competition game without pre-season trials but have plenty of players keen to wear the club colours. The experienced tackling tyro Ben Schneider will captain the team this year with vice captain Liam Dooley, who will control the on field plays this season, recently represented Newcastle and the Hunter in a representative fixture.
Among the new-look line up will be former team captain Bo Earl, Cameron Scully, Brad Upton and Isaac Kneipp.
