With four matches washed out, many could be forgiven expecting low totals in first-grade matches that went ahead in Newcastle on Saturday.
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However, both captains of teams batting first were left disappointed when dismissed for less than 200 runs and inside 90 overs.
Belmont skipper Marcus Hainsworth, who won the toss at Waratah Oval, and newly appointed City leader Mitchell Nesbitt felt like they'd missed a trick when competition resumed after the Christmas break.
Hainsworth's men were all out for 183 after being 0-88 earlier that same innings with Waratah-Mayfield reaching 3-68 in reply while Nesbitt's XI fell at 164 at Learmonth Park after being asked to bat by Wallsend, who finished 1-46.
"We should have batted 90 overs," Hainsworth said.
"It was flatter than some of the wickets we've had at Cahill Oval [home ground] this season and for us to only bat 60-odd overs was really disappointing.
"I let our blokes know that in the sheds afterwards."
Richard Moolman (53) and Dominic Symonds (35) produced a half-century stand at the top of the order, but Belmont suffered mini collapses of 3-7 and 3-2 during day one of the two-day encounter with only Hainsworth (34), Ray Cooper (28) and Jamie Heath (12) reaching double figures.
Waratah-Mayfield captain Nathan Hudson (4-26) and Alex Taylor (3-16) did most of the damage for the hosts. Jonty Durrheim is 21 not out with a further 116 runs required and seven wickets in hand.
Nesbitt shared similar sentiments with City unable to build partnerships.
"We didn't get enough runs," Nesbitt said.
"The pitch was actually pretty good and a few of us got starts, one of us had to go on with it."
Wayne Dunlop (40), Jonty Major (33) and Nesbitt (31) were the main contributors for the Sabres.
Wallsend trio Pat Magann (3-49), Ryan Van Kemenade (2-33) and Joe Clarke (2-17) were best with the ball for the visitors.
Cooper Lennox (32) and Magann (1) are the Tigers' unbeaten batsmen.
Leading wicket taker Aidan Cahill, who helped Newcastle's colts side remain at the under-18 NSW Country Championships in Tamworth last week, was unavailable for City.
In terms of the ladder, sixth-placed City (28) are just one shy of Wallsend (29) while third-placed Belmont (34) sit 14 points clear of Waratah-Mayfield (20).
No play went ahead at Harker (Wests v Cardiff), Passmore (Hamwicks v Uni), Lynn (Stockton v Charlestown) and Ron Hill (Toronto v Merewether) ovals.
Those round-nine fixtures are now set to start this Saturday, but still under two-day laws with a maximum of 45 overs per side.
Meanwhile, NSW Country and ACT start a six-game representative series in Canberra on Monday with a 50-over showdown at EPC Solar Park.
Newcastle have six players in the Bush Blues squad - skipper Nick Foster, Hudson, Van Kemenade, Adrian Chad, Daniel Arms and Dan Bailey.
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