Eastern Suburbs and Northern Suburbs were both out cheaply after being sent into bat on day one of a rain-affected round seven in Maitland first grade cricket.
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It was a case of too much and too little for the Griffins and Norths as the rain hampered their innings but wasn't enough to force play to be abandoned.
Only the efforts of Easts skipper Riley Horrocks with a defiant 81 and 43 not out by tail ender Doug Louth kept Easts in the match with the pair making 124 of the Griffins' total of 148 against City United at Robins Oval.
City paceman Tim Burton tore through the Easts line-up finishing with 5-42 as he and Jordan Murphy (2-13) knocked over the Griffins top five for a combined 14 of which Tom Porter made 11.
Todd Francis, who took seven wickets in his return from injury two weeks ago, took the vital wicket of Horrocks and Sam Jordan kept the pressure on picking up 2-25.
City were 1/8 when rain halted play for the last time with one ball to go in their second over.
At Kurri Central, Norths were dismissed for 111 in the 46th over and Kurri Weston Mulbring were 2/13 after 10 overs in reply.
Norths opener Ben Clouten made an outstanding 62, defying the conditions and denying a red-hot Warriors attack.
Vice-captain Luke Farthing said Clouten played through a particularly menacing spell by Warriors paceman Jacob Simmons and was able to cash in on any loose deliveries.
"While everyone else was struggling, Ben was just playing his shots and keeping out anything dangerous. It was a really top innings," Farthing said.
Josh Callinan with 15 and Fletcher Cousins 12 not out were the only other Norths players to reach double figures as Tom Callan 4-36, Elliot Maher 3-12 and Simmons 3-27 shared the wickets.
Simmons has had a tremendous debut season with the Warriors and with 21 wickets to date, including two hat-tricks against Raymond Terrace, is the competition's leading wicket taker
Norths all-rounder David Hancock struck back late dismissing Saml Dalibozek and Greg Sheehan to leave the Warriors at 2/13.
Raymond Terrace will resume on 0/18 after facing just 10.5 overs on day one against Western Suburbs at Jack Collins Oval.
Tenambit Morpeth openers Adam Sidoti (20 not out) and Lochie Heit (17 not out) made a bright start against Thornton taking the Bulls to 0/39 before play was suspended in the 12th over.
Kurri Weston, coming off a seven-wicket win against Raymond Terrace, lead the competition on 32 points, four ahead of City (28), with Wests (37) and Thornton (19) making up the top four. Norths are fifth equal on 18 points with Tenambit Morpeth, while Easts are seventh of 16 and Raymond Terrace are bottom without a win.
In other news:
Michael Hartshorn
Since starting in 1985 at the then Melbourne Herald, journalism has taken me around Australia from Victoria, to the Northern Territory, Cairns in Queensland and now Port Stephens. After all those years there is still something special about informing and connecting with readers.
Since starting in 1985 at the then Melbourne Herald, journalism has taken me around Australia from Victoria, to the Northern Territory, Cairns in Queensland and now Port Stephens. After all those years there is still something special about informing and connecting with readers.
