Minor premiers Valley/JPC booked their place in the Coalfields Cup first grade cricket decider at the weekend.

The Singleton outfit overcame Greta-Branxton by seven wickets at Howe Park in the major semi-final on Saturday 7 March.

Greta-Branxton was sent into bat on a lively wicket and the Blues crumbled to be all out before the drinks’ interval for 63.

Patrick Andrews was the only batsman to show any sort of resistance with 26, while for the home side their wickets were shared between Chris Bradford (4-18 off 4.3), Brandon Carman (3-8 off 5) and Archit Bele (3-26 off 6).

Valley/JPC made light work of the small target, achieving it in the 12^th over after losing three scalps.

Ross Parker blasted 37 at the top of the order, with skipper Alex Stafa (14no) and Isaac Barry (10no) cutting the ribbon.

Andrews backed up his batting effort to be the pick of the Blues’ attack.

The minor semi-final at Cook Park No. 1 was a heated affair, with Creeks reversing their recent form slump to overcome Piranhas/Bellbird by five wickets.

The Bellfish were also sent into bat first and they managed a modest 146 from 38 overs.

Joey Main led the way at the top of the order with 45, with Rob Drage (33), Jason Orr (17) and skipper Luke Sweeney (12no) also contributing.

Wickets were fairly evenly-distributed, with the spin quartet of Steve Abel (2-13 off 8), Owen Daley (2-25 off 8), Nathan Hudson (2-10 off 7) and Chad Solman (2-30 off 6) taking a brace of scalps each.

Creeks was 2-0 in reply, but recovered on the back of a steady 70-run third wicket stand between Hudson (63) and Solman (25).

The hosts reached the target in the 21st over.

Jake Gordon timed the ball crisply with 35, with Bayden Mulholland (16no) finding the boundary to end the match.

Zac Kronholm was the pick of the Piranhas/Bellbird attack with an expensive 3-46.

This ended the three-year era of the Bellfish as they became affectionately known, with the two clubs announcing last week that they would be back as their own identities next season.

Valley/JPC will now enjoy the weekend off before hosting the grand final at Howe Park, while Greta-Branxton and Creeks face off in the preliminary final at Miller Park.

• Mark Bercini

Second grade

Major semi-final

• Bellbird 7/180 (Shannon Attewell 64, Bret Pitkin 41no, Matt Fairlie 29, Scott Miller 17no, Tanveer Singh 3-36 off 8, James Halpin 2-10 off 5) defeated Greta-Branxton 179 (Nigel Charnock 53, James Allerton 29, Jamie Moore 22, Ash Waters 19, Fazel Khan 18, Pat Cagney 2-24 off 4, Shannon Attewell 2-37 off 8, Daniel Burford 2-17 off 4) at Carmichael 1

Minor semi-final

• Piranhas 8/193 (Mark White 43, Hayden Farrell 36, Aaron Zechel 31, Muhammad Abdullah Rafique 23, Matt Zechel 19, Andrew Beer 13no, Chris Unicomb 2-25 off 7, Mark Unicomb 2-29 off 8, Mitch Bourke 2-40 off 8, Blayne Chandler 2-23 off 3) defeated Creeks 166 (Steve Unicomb 56no, Hayden Bourke 20, Ben Thomas 20, Aaron Zechel 2-28 off 5, Scott Burgess 2-43 off 8, Mark White 2-30 off 6) at Cook 2.

Third grade

Major semi-final

• Bellbird 4/187 (Ty Cowley 66, Andrew Chalker 36no, Jon Schatz 33no, Jack Rachel 26, Noah Cooper 3-41 off 8) defeated Hotel Cessnock 185 (Andrew Taylor 39, Jordan Field 28, Matt Cooper 25, Ethan Gunther 23, Liam Beckett 15, Ty Cowley 3-30 off 8, Jack Rachel 3-16 off 3.5, Andrew Chalker 2-41 off 8) at Drain Oval

Minor semi-final

• Wine Country 8/209 (Jason Gregory 68, Brodey Saunders 37, Kane Hurst 35, Riley Sutton 27, Tom Page 4-27 off 8, Sam Apthorpe 3-18 off 8) defeated Piranhas White 150 (Sam Apthorpe 75, Byron Whyburn 31, Isaac Dever 14no, Peter Davis 4-19 off 6, Matt Hollis 3-33 off 6, Darren Sutton 2-15 off 5) at East End

Fourth grade

Major semi-final

• Hotel Cessnock 5/83 (Jamie Spence 27, Matt Blake 25no, Steve Burgess 3-17 off 8, Kaiden Howson 2-22 off 8) defeated Piranhas 119 (Glenn Kemp 23no, Dean Campbell 17, Jim McNeill 17, Adam Williams 16, Dan Field 3-23 off 5, Jamie Spence 2-7 off 3) via DLS (revised par score of 80) at Miller 1

Minor semi-final

• Denman 131 (Adam Whitten, Neville Givney 18, Timothy Hewitt 16, Keith Ghent 16, Allan Murphy 15, Brad Maher 3-12 off 7.5, Riley Mundie 2-19 off 4) defeated Valley/JPC 120 (Brennan Whittington 50 ret, Matt Maher 23, Brad Maher 20, Keith Ghent 2-13 off 5.2, Mason Hewitt 2-22 off 8, Anthony Worth 2-13 off 5) at Alan Mills Oval

COALFIELDS CUP WEEK 2 DRAW

(1pm, Saturday 14 March)

First grade

• Preliminary final: Greta-Branxton (2nd) v Creeks (3rd) at Miller 1

(Loser eliminated, winner to take on Valley/JPC in grand final)

Second grade

• Preliminary final: Greta-Branxton (2nd) v Piranhas (3rd) at Miller 2

(Loser eliminated, winner to take on Bellbird in grand final)

Third grade

• Preliminary final: Hotel Cessnock (1st) v Wine Country (4th) at Drain Oval

(Loser eliminated, winner to take on Bellbird in grand final)

Fourth grade

• Preliminary final: Piranhas (2nd) v Denman (3rd) at Turner Park

(Loser eliminated, winner to take on Hotel Cessnock in grand final)

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