Coalfields Cup cricketers turned up the heat, on and off the pitch, in sweltering conditions at the weekend.

Following the Christmas/New Year break, all players appeared refreshed, with Tier Two T20 batsmen Adam Kerry (Greta-Branxton) and Macauley Johnsson (Creeks) notching centuries.

They both achieved these milestones in the second round of the double-header.

Kerry came to the crease at Baddeley 1 at the fall of the second wicket and smashed an unbeaten 114 from just 48 balls.

His innings included 10 boundaries, along with clearing the pickets on eight occasions.

At Camichael Park No. 1, Johnsson took on the new ball and blasted 126 from just 55 balls.

His knock comprised eight boundaries and an incredible 13 maximums.

The fourth grade 40-over competition continued with its 12^th round, with Denman batsman Hunter Schmeirer smashing 143no from 134 balls at Denman’s Alan Mills Oval.

His innings included 17 boundaries and one six.

The Tier One T20 competition resumed with its third round of matches after the first two were completed under lights at Howe Park before Christmas.

Defending premiers PCH/Glendon stands alone at the top of the ladder after it recorded its third win of the season.

They accounted for winless Wine Country by seven wickets at Howe Park.

The Wood Ducks batted first and struggled for boundaries as they completed their 20 overs at 4-92.

Mick Mascord (56no) made an unbeaten half century, with Drew Olsen (11) the only other batsman in double figures.

Hayden Moorcroft spearheaded the Gleights attack with a tidy 2-10.

PCH/Glendon reeled in the modest target in 15.3 overs in reply, with Brad Cox (52) and Jack Turner (22) their best two.

Mitch Olsen took 2-18 off 2.3 in a cameo appearance for the Wood Ducks.

Creeks also remain undefeated but a washout before Christmas sees them three points in arrears of the competition leaders.

They defeated Greta-Branxton in a hard-fought 20-run win at Miller Park.

Creeks compiled 9-153 batting first, with skipper Nathan Hudson returning to form with 47 in what’s otherwise been a fairly lean year with the willow for him.

Owen Daley (31no), Chad Solman (25). Clint Harman (16) and Steve Abel (14) all contributed nicely.

Connor Thomson (2-25 off 4), Jamie Moore (2-27 off 4) and Reuben Andrews (2-17 off 3) picked up a brace of wickets for the home side.

The Blues finished their innings on 7-133 in reply, with Chris Murray their best with 35.

Thomson made 18, with Moore (25no) and Greg Andrews (19) giving them a glimmer of hope towards the end.

The Creeks spin trio of Abel (2-11 off 4), Hudson (2-22 off 4) and Daley (2-11 off 4) proved very difficult to get away.

Valley/JPC kept its season alive with its first win of the tournament.

They were able to chase down Piranhas/Bellbird’s healthy total of 5-180 at East End.

Rob Drage led the way for the Bellfish at the top of the order with 49, with Zac Kronholm (31no), Joey Barber (30), Joey Main (20) and Andrew Chalker (14no) combining well around him.

Spin appeared to be the order of the day in the barmy conditions, with English cult hero Ross Parker taking the new ball and bagging 3-34 off his three overs.

In an exciting finish, the visitors reached the target with just three balls remaining, with the middle order of Tristan Muir (52), Dan Storey (38) and Isaac Barry (29) getting the job done.

 Alex Thrift (16no) at the top of the order and Liam Storey (13no) played vital roles.

Bellfish skipper Luke Sweeney (3-20 off 4) was the pick of their attack, with Kronholm (2-22 off 4) and Barber (2-38 off 4) the other wicket-takers.  

This sets up an exciting final week of the regular T20 competition this Saturday, with the Tier One double-header scheduled for Carmichael Park and Allandale Oval.

The top four teams will then contest the semis and final to be played at Howe Park on the afternoon and evening of Saturday 31 January.

• Mark Bercini

TIER 2

Round one

• Creeks 6/175 (Ganesh Kumar 52no, Macauley Johnsson 42, Brendan Leach 38, Ash Borg 18, Adam Kerry 3-23 off 4, Jamie McNamara 2-23 off 3) defeated Greta-Branxton 5/174 (Nigel Charnock 48, Harry McNamara 27no, Jamie McNamara 27, Brady Wells 18, James Allerton 18 ret, Blayne Chandler 2-30 off 4, Chris Unicomb 2-24 off 4) at Carmichael 1
• Bellbird 5/109 (Will Burgess 32, Ben Priest 18no, Shaun Burgess 15no, Matt Pearce 2-28 off 4) defeated PCH 108 (Evan Moss 32, Luke Meyn 25, Matt Pearce 19, Pat Cagney 4-23 off 4, Jake Riley 3-21 off 3.4, Shaun Burgess 2-32 off 4) at Carmichael 2
• Piranhas 6/118 (Mike Gates 23, Brandon Zechel 22no, Matt Zechel 21no, Muhummad Abdullah Rafique 14, Kashintha Ambagahawatte 2-19 off 4) defeated Valley/JPC 5/115 (Dean Moore 26no, Daniel Thrift 21, Gregory Thrift 18, Mason Kelly 17no, Chris Howard 14, Aaron Zechel 2-29 off 4) at Baddeley 1

Round two

• Creeks 1/175 (Macauley Johnsson 126, Chris Unicomb 42no, Rawson Drage 1-41 off 4) defeated Bellbird 8/173 (Josh Fuller 74, Pete Brennan 19, Joey Millington 14, Jack Rachel 14, Blayne Chandler 3-28 off 4) at Carmichael 1
• Greta-Branxton 6/192 (Adam Kerry 114no, Nigel Charnock 35no, Lewis Jacobs 16, Mason Kelly 3-12 off 4) defeated Valley/JPC 7/86 (Dean Moore 23, Chris Howard 13, Kenny Gorton 3-14 off 3, Ash Waters 2-4 off 2) at Baddeley 1
• PCH 3/172 (Matt Pearce 75no, Jackson Skinner 57no, Evan Moss 13, Ben Read 2-19 off 4) defeated Piranhas 4/169 (Daniel Russell 50, Gavin Knipe 48, Mike Gates 39no, Brock Hamson 2-39 off 4) at Carmichael 2

TIER 3

Round one

• Glendon 4/184 (Jack Land 59no, Taj Vesper 48, Jackson Maskey 24, Brock Jurkans 17, Jake Domek 1-15 off 2, Daniel Andrews 1-23 off 3, Steve Morris 1-24 off 3, Cody Rowe 1-29 off 2) defeated Valley/JPC 4/123 (Lachlan Anderson 31, Steve Morris 30, Jonah Andrews 27, Harry Land 2-19 off 3) at Cook 1
• Piranhas 4/150 (TJ Roe 60, Isaac Dever 20no, Tom Page 19, Harvey Neville 15no, Andrew Taylor 2-16 off 2) defeated Hotel Cessnock 97 (Andrew Taylor 23, Matt Cooper 20, Joel Butterfield 15, Ben Rowlands 13, TJ Roe 3-21 off 4, Tom Page 2-26 off 4, Byron Whyburn 2-4 off 2) at Miller 2

Fourth grade 

• Piranhas 9/273 (Adam Williams 83, Dean Campbell 51, Craig Beer 50 ret, Steve Burgess 17no, Harrison Slack 4-4 off 1.5, Max Wild 2-34 off 4) defeated Bellbird 102 (Shane Sheridan 43, Zaviar Fullbrook 20, Chris Sharpe 14, Steve Burgess 3-30 off 7.2, Logan Marino 3-17 off 5, Robert Horan 2-27 off 8) at Turner Park
• Hotel Cessnock 214 (Ben Smith 94no, Jamie Spence 35, Robert Bounds 22, Cameron Andrews 18, Alison Dempster 3-25 off 5, Brad Maher 2-28 off 7, Brad Driscoll 2-32 off 6) defeated Valley/JPC 171 (Michael Cole 50 ret, Brad Maher 32, Brad Driscoll 25, Jake Street 20, Trenten Mascord 6-43 off 8) at Cook 5
• Denman 2/265 (Hunter Schmeirer 143no, Timothy Hewitt 69no, Cameron Charnock 1-30 off 6, Lachlan Yule 1-14 off 3) defeated Greta-Branxton White 159 (Cobia Hampton 33, Andrew Wright 20no, Cameron Charnock 18, Blake Hampton 16, Mason Hewitt 3-22 off 8, Maclaine Spinks 2-15 off 3, Anthony Worth 2-23 off 8, Conner Hewitt 2-2 off 2) at Alan Mills Oval
• Wine Country defeated Greta-Branxton Blue by forfeit
• Bye: Supporters

Points Tables

• Tier 1: PCH/Glendon 18, Creeks 15, Piranhas/Bellbird 11, Greta-Branxton 10, Valley/JPC 10, Wine Country 6
• Tier 2: Creeks 12, Greta-Branxton 8, PCH 8, Bellbird 8, Piranhas 6, Valley/JPC 4
• Tier 3: Glendon 6, Piranhas 6, Hotel Cessnock 2, Valley/JPC 2
• Fourth grade: Hotel Cessnock 55*, Denman 46**, Piranhas 45*, Valley/JPC 42*, Supporters 41**, Wine Country 35*, Bellbird 34*, Greta-Branxton White 31*, Greta-Branxton Blue 27**

* bye received, no points awarded

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