Western Suburbs gave a glimpse of their awesome potential with the bat without fully hitting their straps to compile 269 for a 113-run win against reigning premiers Northern Suburbs at Coronation Oval on Saturday.
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Aaron Mahony was seemingly racing towards a century before he was run out by a superb bit of fielding by Matt Sugden.
Mahony made 77 off just after 63 balls with nine fours and four sixes in his innings.
In a swashbuckling cameo, Michael Rees smashed two big sixes in a row and two fours in his 23 off 13 balls.
At the top of the order Tom Irwin and new opener Zac Gayfer gave the Plovers a strong start. Irwin was out one run short of his 50 when he miscued a shot and it lobbed into the hands of Ben Sugden off the bowling of Rodney Hines.
Gayfer played the anchor role and made 55 in an impressive debut which bode well particularly for the two-day games ahead.
Wests batting trailed away after the loss of Mahony and Rees in quick succession and they missed out on the chance to crack 300.
In reply with the bat Norths made a great start with Mills and Mike Wilson finding the boundary regularly, but when Wilson was out for 23 off 25 balls with the score on 49 and Mills (30 off 28) was caught lbw by Harry King with Norths on 57 they face an uphill battle.
Ben Sugden showed real fight with 39 but there wasn't enough support and Norths were all out for 156 in the 41st over.
Shaun Hill made up for a rare miss with the bat taking 4-18 off seven overs and Luke Kealy finished with a misery 2-21 off his 10.
It was a brave effort by Norths in the field with the loss of paceman Mitch Field on the eve of the match with swelling to his knee.
The bulk of the overs were left to the spinners with Sean Gibson opening the bowling at one end with skipper Lincoln Mills.
Gibson finished with 2-50 off his seven overs. Mills went wicketless but Wests deliberately put the flamboyant shots away against his bowling preferring to see him off and attacking the other bowlers.
Josh and Jordan Callinan showed their warrior instincts and never-say-die attitudes with 3-39 and 2-36 respectively.
Without the proven wicket taking of Field, Norths showed how much they will miss Cal Gabriel, Brad Jenkins and Denzel O'Brien as pace options.
Recovering from a leg injury Gabriel is hopeful of playing after Christmas but his efforts will most likely to be limited to the bat.
In other matches Eastern Suburbs had a 72-run win against Kurri Weston to start their season. In an even batting performance Trent Park made 56, Josh Hicks 47, Joe Hancock 42 and Tom Porter 39 to score 9/224.
Nic Neild took 4-47 and Ben Crebert 3-36 in his debut with the Warriors.
Hancock was superb in the field taking three catches including a diving outfield effort at the end of a sprint.
Skipper Jack Bennett picked up 4-20 and Brendan Allen 3-18 as Kurri Weston were all out for 152. Liam Neild top scored with 44 and Michael Gibson 29.
City United got the better of Thornton posting 9/180 and dismissing them for 124 with Nick Bower ripping through the Thunder line-up with 4-13 off 10 overs.
Josh Tuckwell picked up 3-21 in his first outing for Tenambit Morpeth helping them to a 13-run victory against Raymond Terrace.
Bulls skipper Adam Sidoti top scored with 41 as his side made 9/211 before dismissing Terrace for 198 in the 44th over.
