WALLENSD tailender Pat Magann went close to hitting a last-ball six that would have clinched a thrilling tie with Newcastle City in Saturday's district cricket one-dayer at Learmonth Park.
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Chasing City's impressive 40-over tally of 5-218, the Tigers were well and truly in the hunt thanks to a classic century from skipper Nathan Prince - the first "ton" scored by any player this season.
Magann found himself facing the final ball of the innings, delivered by paceman Aidan Cahill, with Wallsend needing a "maximum" to level the scores.
He made a clean strike, only for the ball to land in the safe hands of City skipper Jonty Major on the mid-wicket boundary, giving the home team victory by six runs.
"He got onto it, but it went really high and wasn't flat enough," Major recalled. "It had some hang time. I reckon I caught it about three metres away from the fence, tops."
Cahill (5-40) and youngster Andrew McTaggart (3-39) were the heroes with the ball for the Sabres.
McTaggart also scored a hard-hitting 65, while Major (32) and his brother Jesse (81) set the platform at the top of the innings.
"We blitzed it," Major said.
"It was a really good team effort. Everyone played their part.
"We've got a very young squad, but knocking off the top team from last season, that will give everyone a lot of belief and confidence that we can win our share of games this year."
Price's 104 came from only 92 balls and was his 11th century for the Tigers in Saturday first-grade matches, and 20th for the club overall.
Meanwhile, two of last season's top-four teams, University and Merewether, find themselves winless after two rounds.
University fell 11 runs shy of Hamwicks' 166 at Uni Oval, despite 83 from Indian import Varun Sharma. The Students also lost their season-opener against Belmont a week earlier.
At Ron Hill Oval, Toronto Workers made it two wins from as many starts after a comprehensive victory against Merewether.
After Merewether won the toss and elected to field, Toronto posted 8-164 and then skittled the visitors for 82, with opening bowler Brendon Charlton claiming 5-29 to go with his handy 25 at No.4.
At Cahill Oval, Belmont (1-164) remain unbeaten after their win against Waratah-Mayfield (130), as do Wests who chased down Cardiff-Boolaroo's 9-134 at Pasterfield Sports Complex in just 22.1 overs, with five wickets intact.
Stockton were celebrating their first win of the campaign after overhauling Charlestown's 7-187 with five balls to spare and two wickets still in hand.
