WINGHAM and Macquarie will play in the final of the Mid North Coast T20 cricket final on Saturday at Oxley Oval in Port Macquarie.
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The game will start at 2pm.
Wingham secured a berth in the decider after Taree West was forced to forfeit in last round clash on Saturday. The previous week Wingham beat United and Wauchope RSL. Macquarie is the leading team from the northern conference. The sides were also scheduled to meet in last season’s washed out Mid North Coast Premier League grand final. But while Wingham is enjoying a great season in 2018/19, Macquarie has struggled and currently sits in last player.
Going into last weekend’s matches Mid North Coast Cricket Council secretary Craig Lobegeier predicted Wingham would qualify for the decider.
“In my opinion Wingham has the two best batsmen in the competition, Michael Rees and Ben Cole,’’ he said.
Both were in strong form in the opening two matches. Cole and Rees put on 75 in seven overs in the clash against United, with Rees making 27 and Cole 44. They were in even better nick in the clash against Wauchope, smashing 114 in nine overs. Rees registered 68 in 31 balls while Cole made 53.
United finished the T20 competition with two wins and a loss. Skipper Ricky Campbell won the toss in the last round game against Wauchope at Chatham Park and sent the visitors into bat.
Wauchope managed 8/121 with Sam Whitbread leading the way for United with 3/62.
Campbell then ensured his side would get the points when he smashed 62.
The Mid North Coast Premier League competition-proper will resume on Saturday February 2.
Wingham are the unbeaten competition leaders.
Meanwhile a fine allround performance from former Wingham player Murray McCartney spearheaded Manning’s tense two wicket win over Gloucester in the Mid North Coast over 35 cricket clash at Chatham Park.
McCartney took 3/11 in Gloucester’s innings of 141 then scored an unbeaten 55 as Manning lost eight wickets in the run chase.
Manning won the toss and sent Gloucester into bat. The innings was over in 35.1 overs, with McCartney (3/11) and Ian Cameron with 4/21 the leading wicket takers.
Openers Cameron and Michael Clarke put on 29, however, there was a mini collapse as Manning crashed to 3/42. McCartney and Josh Ferris (21) took the score to 97 before Manning again hit trouble, losing wicket consistently.
McCartney and Danial Stone (6) took the score to 139 before Stone fell. Bevan Coleman (4) and McCartney then scored the required runs.
McCartney hit eight boundaries in his match defining innings.
Manning, the defending champions, will now play Hastings in the final on Sunday February 24 at a venue to be announced.