Port impress in upset of Souths

Port Hedland CC defeated an undermanned top-of-the-table South Hedland CC in the Friday night fixture for the Ray Stoddart Shield competition in the Norwest Crane Hire Port Hedland Cricket Association.

Batting first, the Porters rattled off an impressive 183 runs for the loss of six wickets from their 20 overs, based around a century-stand for the third wicket by Nathan Smith (72 runs from 36 deliveries) and Travis Dent (46 from 30).

A late flurry from Jarrad O’Dea (28 no) and Jarred Ams (11) kept the scoring rate at nine an over. Jamie O’Hara (3/27) and Julian Wilmott (2/36) were the best of the bowlers for the Southerners.

O’Hara (16) and Wilmott (48) also shone with the bat in the run chase but the Port bowlers kept taking wickets on a regular basis, stifling the top side’s quest for victory.

In the end, the result belied the standings of the two teams with Port achieving a valuable 60-run victory.

In the Saturday match, Miners CC needed to upset the Wanderers CC to remain in contention for a finals spot — a feat they could not manage.

Without inspirational skipper Lee Irwin (injured) the defending champions, Wanderers, batting first, made 148 runs for the loss of five wickets off their 20 overs.

Matt Bloxsidge topped the scoring list with 62 runs, with support from Nicholas Sleep (32).

For Miners, regular keeper Wayne Stokes took 3/26 from four overs giving him his best bowling figures in the PHCA.

Miners response never really got going, falling 60-runs short in the chase, all out for 88. Stokes, once again, led from the front with the bat, top-scoring with 32, but with his dismissal the rest of the team misfired. Josh Standen’s left-arm spin netted 4/16 and man-of-the-match Sleep snared 3/15 in a rare appearance at the bowling crease.

Miners will host Port this Friday, with Wanderers and South facing off on Saturday in a likely rehearsal for the Twenty20 title.

Both games start at 6:30pm at Kevin Scott Oval in South Hedland.