The Rosellas are powering to the minor premiership, sitting 15 points clear with four two-day rounds left. They are away to Waratah-Mayfield this Saturday and King said competition for spots was heating up.

"We're back to full strength this week, which I think is the first time all year," King said. "Tommy Allen played the last game but he's been in and out with work. Edan Brichta was out last game and he's back, so we're starting to put our team together before the semis. We've been playing pretty well with the 12 or 13, so we'll have to have a hard look at selections.

"The minor premiership is great but in cricket you always want to win the final, so that's what we're focused on, working hard to get there."

King agreed the success came from the club's depth but also "probably just shows how good Joe [Price] is".

Price has scored 457 runs at an average of 65.29 and taken 18 wickets at 12.11.

** Former Hamwicks quick Andrew Maher was among five Newcastle players picked in the NSW Country team of the decade.

Maher was not in initial social media posts about the side but he was in the 13-man line-up along with Simon Moore, Pat Darwen, Joey Price and Nick Foster. Kaine Harmsworth and Jeff Cook, who had stints in Newcastle, were also picked.

** Darwen starred in the T20 Summer Bash on Wednesday, taking 2-9 in four overs and top-scoring with 24 as the Lions (5-94) beat the Kookaburras (8-92).

City (9-140) won with a wicket and an over to spare against the Whips (9-136).

Toby Gray hit 65 off 41 balls for the Whips, but Dylan Hunter set up the victory for the Sabres.

Hunter took 2-17 off four overs then blazed 63 off 29 balls, hitting five fours and five sixes.