The 2022/23 Coalfields Cup cricket competition is alive and well, with weekend upsets ensuring a close finish over the remaining four rounds.

Singleton’s new-look Howe Park saw PCH defeat frontrunners Valley/PCH by seven wickets on Saturday.

The latter batted first and made 8-163 from its 40 overs.

Mewa Jeetarwal continued his great season with the bat by notching 58.

Tate Edwards (29), Brandon Carman (20no), Shane Givney (13) and Matthew Maher (12no) all kept things ticking along.

Abe Jones (2-31 off 8) and Luke Knight (2-17 off 8) were PCH’s best with the ball.

Brad Cox returned to form in reply with a well-made 63, as they reached the target in the 36th over after losing just the three wickets.

Cox was well-supported by Hugh Smith, who remained unbeaten on 62, with Jones (17no) also at the crease for the winning runs.

Carman was Valley/JPC’s best with the four-piece, taking 2-23 off 7.5.

Glendon recorded its first triumph of the tournament by ousting the hot and cold Piranhas by 52 runs at East End.

It had been 749 days since the club’s last Coalfields Cup victory – and they did it in style after winning the toss and posting 145 from the 36 overs they occupied the middle.

Wicket-keeper Jack Turner led the way with 47, with Pat Fitzgerald (21), Drew Nelson (20) and Cooper Bailey (14) offering support.

Aaron Sweeney was the pick of the opposition attack with 4-18 off 8, with Ben Read collecting 3-45.

Cooper Bailey ripped through the Piranhas’ top order in reply, taking 5-17 in a fine all-round display.

The home side was all out inside 26 overs for 93.

Bailey was well-supported by Clancy Cameron (2-12 off 4) and Fitzgerald (2-15 off 4.5) who also completed a fine individual effort.

Aaron Sweeney (19no), Luke Sweeney (16) and Read (14) were the only Piranhas batsmen in double figures.

After four consecutive losses, Wine Country got its premiership aspirations back on track by upsetting an out-of-sorts Bellbird by 81 runs at Carmichael Park.

The visitors posted 137 batting first, with Drew Olsen (51) returning to form with a fine half century.

Luke Jeans (29), Andrew Fensom (18) and Matt Lightfoot (15) were the others to make an impression, while for Bellbird Zac Kronholm (3-22 off 6), Nic Siers (3-12 off 6) and Scott Miller (2-30 off 5.3) shared the majority of the wickets.

The Tigers crumbled in reply to be all out inside 13 overs for 56.

Shannon Attewell (12) and Rob Drage (10) were the only batsman to provide some resistance.

In a fine team bowling performance for the Wood Ducks, Wayne Harris (3-9 off 2), Allan Heath (2-18 off 4), James Field (2-24 off 4) and Jeans (2-5 off 2.4) shared the scalps.

In the final game of the round, Creeks and Greta/Branxton finally met for the first time after three years of washouts in the competition.

On this occasion, it was the visitors who recorded their fifth win on the trot by seven wickets at Cook Park No. 1.

Creeks batted first and were all out for 116 with three overs to spare, with skipper Steve Unicomb timing the ball nicely in his team’s high score of 44.

Bayden Mullholland (15) and Jarrod Campbell (13) were the next best two, while for Greta/Branxton the afternoon belonged to Alex Walkling who took 5-10 off 6.1.

New-baller Mitch Casey (3-33 off 8) also kept a lid on things in the top order.

The Blues lost a couple of early wickets in reply but recovered on the back of their run-scoring machine Josh Dagg (40no) who added a fifth straight not out to his stellar season with the bat.

They reached the target in the 29th over with seven wickets in hand.

Eddie Fisher (22no) and skipper Joey Butler (20) were the other main contributors.

Mullholland (1-22 off 3.3), Nathan Stapleford (1-19 off 8) and Clinton Harman (1-21 off 8) took a wicket each for the hosts.

• Mark Bercini

• Coalfields Cup (points table): Valley/JPC 42 (NRR 1.57), Greta/Branxton 39 (1.06), Bellbird 36 (0.18), PCH 33 (0.21), Creeks 30 (-0.26), Wine Country 27 (-0.43), Piranhas 21 (-1.01), Glendon 12 (-1.21)

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