The undefeated competition leaders and Kurri Weston are both in position to pounce after dominant displays on the opening day’s play last weekend.

City find themselves seven wickets away from securing first innings points against Thornton at Tenambit Oval with a lead of 311. Kurri Weston have already tasted success and hold a 192-run advantage over the Griffins at East Maitland Park. 

City left Thornton reeling at 3-10 after declaring at 8-321 with six overs left to stumps and Kurri Weston reached 4-299 in 41 overs after bundling out Eastern Suburbs for just 107.

Thornton have skipper Ricky Dent and key batsman Peter Gabriel still to come and City will be down skipper Matthew Trappel, who will be at the Northern NSW Country Championships in Ballina, but the central Maitland club look likely to make it two outright results in a row.

To make it happen, City need 17 wickets from the day coming off a second innings triumph against winless Raymond Terrace last round.

Across town and Kurri Weston may even consider declaring overnight and using the full complement of overs to dismiss the Griffins once more.

Fortunately for Eastern Suburbs they won’t see anymore of all-rounder Kerryn Ball, who is unavailable after scoring a swashbuckling 128 not out late on day one, but the hots will still need to see out first innings destroyer Hayden Fox (7-27).

In the remaining fixture Western Suburbs will be chasing 295 for victory against title holders Northern Suburbs at Lorn Park on Saturday afternoon.

The visitors will be bolstered by the return of Michael Rees, who scored a century in his last first grade dig.

The host will be without strike bowler Lincoln Mills, who has representative duties with Central North.

Play starts at 12.30pm.

Raymond Terrace has the bye.