TORONTO skipper Joey Price blasted a spectacular century on Sunday to inspire his team to victory in their Newcastle District Cricket Association Twenty20 clash with Belmont at Ron Hill Oval.
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Opening the batting, Price hammered 104 from 58 balls, including 12 fours and four sixes, before he was dismissed in the 18th over.
He smashed 50 of the first 53 runs scored and helped the Kookaburras reach 7-154, to which Belmont replied with 8-130.
Price then chipped in with a wicket from two overs, but the best of Toronto’s bowlers was Ashley Weekes (3-28).
There was another impressive captain’s knock at Kahibah Oval, where Newcastle City’s Mitchell Claydon hit an unbeaten 62 from 27 balls to help his team chase down Charlestown’s 134 in 16.2 overs for the loss of four wickets.
Claydon added 99 runs with Jesse Major, who contributed 40 and also took 2-11.
At Passmore Oval, former Wests skipper Ben Woolmer played his first game of the season as the Rosellas (5-163) toppled Hamilton-Wickham (8-109).
Woolmer scored 31 and took 1-14 from four overs.
Paceman Bradley Aldous took 4-13 for Wests.
In other games, Merewether (172-5) posted the highest score of the round in beating Stockton (105) at Lynn Oval, Wallsend (7-147) brought Waratah-Mayfield (7-127) back to earth at Wallsend Oval, and University beat Cardiff (8-108) by six wickets at University Oval.
In Saturday’s two-day games, Waratah skipper Luke Blackaby scored 164 not out to inspire one of the club’s finest wins in years.
Waratah resumed at 1-54 at Learmonth Park, chasing Newcastle City’s 7-357 (dec), with Englishman Blackaby (22) and Ben Perren (21) at the crease.
Perren went for 42, but Blackaby carried on with the help of Dean Marjoribanks (43) to lift Waratah to 5-360 in 95 overs and a stunning victory.
Newcastle City had declared on day one with 18 overs to spare after Dutch international Alexei Kervezee blasted 221 off 165 balls on debut to help them set the big target.
City captain Claydon, who took 2-94 off 28 overs, said he regretted the decision to declare early but took his hat off to Blackaby and his team.
‘‘It was just one of those days,’’ Claydon said.
‘‘It was a good wicket, a hot day and they batted very well.
‘‘We could have fielded a bit better. We dropped a couple of catches and there were some half-chances, but we didn’t have a lot of luck either.
‘‘But Blackaby batted brilliantly. It was a great captain’s knock.’’
At Townson Oval, former Australia A quick Mark Cameron produced a spell of 8-14 off 14.4 overs to skittle Cardiff-Boolaroo for 89 in response to Merewether’s 7-386.
Cameron’s effort included taking 7-5 in 29 balls.
Cardiff stood firm in their second innings to avoid outright defeat, reaching 2-74 before stumps were drawn.
At Passmore Oval, Josh Trappel scored 109 off 87 balls to star as Hamilton-Wickham (287) enjoyed a comfortable win over Wallsend (161).
Toronto started well but were all out for 274 chasing Stockton-Raymond Terrace’s 9-370 at Lynn Oval.
Greg Hunt (79), Joey Price (48) and Jonty Durrheim (56) gave the visitors, who were 1-130, a chance.
Stockton skipper and off spinner Nick Foster proved the difference, taking 5-61 off 29 overs.
University (124 and 171) had to settle for first-innings points against Charlestown (77 and 7-137) at Uni Oval.
Uni skipper Luke Bird took 4-66 in the second innings to give him match figures of 9-88.
Wests were never in the hunt attempting to reach Belmont’s mammoth 9-412 at Harker Oval, falling for 172 in 61.3 overs.
They reached 2-91 in their second effort, denying Belmont maximum points.
