South African Tobias Van Den Heever dug deep into his reserves to smash an unbeaten 131 off 78 balls to help Maitland to a six-wicket win against Singleton in the John Bull Shield on Sunday.
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Backing up after collapsing in the sheds after retiring from an equally belligerent 150 off 104 balls against Thornton on Saturday, Van Den Heever hit 15 fours and six sixes to score his third century since joining Tenambit Morpeth Bulls with English teammate Billy Amas at the start of the season.
Maitland had an early finish reaching 4/172 in the 24th over chasing Singleton's 169 off 37.4 overs.
Hayden Moorcroft gave Singleton the ideal start dismissing Kurri Weston Mulbring star Steve Abel for a duck and then capturing Abel's opening partner Karl Bowd for 13.
But such was No.3 Van Den Heever's assault that Maitland had raced to 57 when Bowd fell.
Cooper Bailey picked up the next two wickets capturing Ricky Dent lbw for four (3/89) and Shannon Threlfo caught behind for 13 (4/168).
Van Den Heever's great mate Amas completed proceedings hitting a four off Bailey.
Moorcroft finished with 2-53 off five overs and Bailey 2-49 off 6.5 overs. Wicketkeeper Jackson Cox took three wicket.
Earlier, Maitland pacemen Tim Burton (3-24) and Fletcher Cousins (3-18) picked up three wickets each and Jordan Callinan (2-32) and Steve Abel (2-7) as Singleton were dismissed for 169.
Daniel Storey top scored for Singleton with a swashbuckling 57 off 33 balls including four fours and six sixes.
Jack Turner scored 53 off 79 ball, however, Myles Cook with 14 and Shane Givney 10 were the only other batters to reach double figures.
In the other game, Cessnock had a 137-run win against Newcastle Suburban.
Cessnock was all out for 248 in the final over with Chris Murray top scoring with 60, Jason Orr 53, captain Joey Butler 35, Luke Jeans 33 and Zac Kronholm 26 not out.
Kayne Bradley took 3-28 (off three overs), Tyran Eveleigh 2-48 (off nine) and Mitchell Kroehnert 2-43 (off 6.5).
Newcastle Suburban were all out for 111 in the 21st over, with five ducks in their line up. Matthew Hopley took 3-11 and Luke Sweeney 3-31 for Cessnock.
Maitland and Cessnock sit on top of the John Bull Shield table on 15 points, with Newcastle Suburban third on 14, Singleton fourth on 12 points and Upper Hunter last.
In the final round on January 14, Maitland hosts Newcastle Suburban and Cessnock is away to Upper Hunter.
The final between the top-two ranked teams in scheduled for Sunday, January 28.
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.
