The Castlereagh Hornets leapfrogged Rugby Liberty OneSteelers into top spot on the McDonald’s Megahit ladder on Friday night.
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The top of the table clash was an entertaining one, as the Hornets made 161 and the OneSteelers gave it a good crack before ultimately falling 14 runs short of the target.
The match was the first in a No. 1 Oval doubleheader and the second match saw the Bob Berry Blasters consolidate their place in the top three with a strong win over the Amaroo Tigers.
In the first match, the Hornets won the toss and after opting to bat captain Mitch Bower and Henry Railz got off to a flyer.
The pair helped the defending premiers reach 0/76 inside 10 overs before Railz (28) was caught by Ben Taylor off the bowling of Adrian Carey.
Bower brought up his half century with a six before falling for 55 in the same fashion as Railz.
Will Wolter then controlled the rest of the innings and banged 50 not out to help the Hornets post 161.
Carey was the pick of the Rugby bowlers with 2/21 from four.
Rugby lost Jordan Moran (15) early in the chase and while Jacob Hill and Nathan Munro settled in, there was always scoreboard pressure.
Munro departed in the 17th over for 38 and while Hill made a well-complied 73 the task was too big and Rugby finished at 3/148.
Adam Wells claimed 0/23 from four while Bower (1/27 from four), Justin Knudsen (1/27) and Railz (1/28) were the wicket-takers.
In the second match, the Blasters’ middle order helped the total get to 144.
Dale O’Donnell (3/33) and Dwayne Kent (2/27) chipped away for the Tigers and while Greg Buckley made 34 there were few other runs at the top of the order.
It took Aaron Morris (44), batting at six, and Nathan Jones to help the total get close to 150.
That proved more than enough, as Darrell Williams (3/17 from four) put the Tigers lineup in a spin and helped the Blasters seal a 26-run win.
Jordan Peacock (26) top-scored for the Tigers while Ben Semmler (2/11) also bowled well for the Blasters.