CRICKET: Northern Suburbs hold upper hand as debutants stand up against Eastern Suburbs

Parkinson, 16, made an immediate impact after being handed the keeper’s gloves against Eastern Suburbs at Lorn Park last Saturday in the absence of regular keeper Luke Stewart.

He took a stunning diving catch down the legside to dismiss another prodigiously talented teenager Lachlan Ballard for five off the bowling of Tim Field for the first wicket of the day with the score on 14.

Without addition to the score Parkinson caught Easts other opener Sean Gibson for six off the bowling of Mitch Field.

“Sam is just 16. He has come all the way through the juniors from Milo Cricket and he let no byes through on the day,” Norths captain Mike Wilson said.

“The first wicket of the day came from his diving one-handed catch down the legside. It was one of those moments that energised the whole team and turned the game in our favour.”

Sugden, selected as a batsman after averaging 25.7 last year in second grade, also chimed in with a fine catch to dismiss Lachlan Wishart for 22, one of spinner Jordan Callinan’s five wickets.

Norths hold the upper-hand going into day two of the match on Saturday after dismissing Easts for 138 and making 0-49 in reply from 19 overs before rain cut play short.

“To be honest with the first game of the year I’m not even thinking outright,” Wilson said.

“As cliched as it sounds our next priority is to get the next 90 runs we need and assess from there.

“We lost 20 overs so there will be 100 overs available on Saturday. There’s plenty of time left in the game for both sides to make an impact.”

Wilson said he was delighted with the first day of play by his team after round one was washed out.

“We were stoked, obviously with it being pretty warm the pitch was in good shape so it was a bit of a risk of bowling first,” Wilson said.

“But I thought if it was going to do anything it was going to be early in the day.

“We bowled really well. We were a little rusty at certain stages, but as a rule we bowled good line and length and made Easts play at most deliveries.

“All of our catching, perhaps bar one, all stuck so that was a good thing."

For the second year in a row Callinan opened the season with a five-wicket haul.

“I think he got a wicket with his first ball, which was probably the best ball he bowled,” Wilson said 

“He would probably admit he probably didn’t bowl his best  but because of the pressure he created some of his poorer balls picked up wickets.”

If day two of Western Suburbs and Kurri Weston’s encounter at Coronation Oval continues in the same vane as the first day then it will be an absolute cracker.

The game is evenly poised with Kurri Weston making 235 on day one and the Plovers at 2/42 in reply with 15 overs lost to rain.

Wests held the upper-hand early with Matt Shone dismissing three of the first four batsmen for a combined tally of 10.

But Warriors skipper Josh Tuckwell was proving a harder proposition and he dominated proceeding smashing 62, including eight fours and three sixes, from a total of 78 when he was fourth man out.

Debutant Isaac Barry was the mainstay of the remainder of the innings making 85 not out with Steve Abel contributing 64.

Shone finished with 6/46 and drew praise from Wests captain Tom Irwin for his consistency.

“Matt keeps on bowling a niggling line at the top of off stump and got the rewards for his consistency on Saturday.

“It was an exciting day of cricket. We’d get the upper hand for a while and then it was there turn.

“It’s evenly poised and I think we are a real chance of winning.”

Thornton are poised for a rare opening game win after dismissing reigning premiers Raymond Terrace for 152 on day one.

They had poor starts to the season the previous two years, but managed to make the finals with a superb finish last year.

While they will miss captain Jake Moore, at 1/9 they should get the job done and give themselves early momentum for the 2018/19 season.

City United will look keep the pressure on competition newcomers Port Stephen and bat out the eight overs loss from play last Saturday and add to their impressive total of 6/303.

Port’s bowlers proved a handful early but were unable to sustain the pressure in the extended format.

They will relish another shot and the batsmen will be keen to bat out 80 overs.