Belmont won a thriller against Waratah-Mayfield, Cardiff-Boolaroo have now posted three straight wins and the minor premiership race draws even closer with three rounds remaining.
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It was an action-packed Saturday in Newcastle District Cricket Association's first-grade competition after two of the last three weekends had been affected by rain.
Belmont paceman Jamie Heath and Riley Urquhart took six wickets between them but it was the tailender's last-over partnership which helped the visitors sneak home on the second last ball.
Nine down, the No.10 and No.11 scrambled through for an overthrow during an unsuccessful LBW appeal when scores were tied at Waratah Oval.
"You can't really script that," Belmont captain Luke Muddle said.
"Sitting there watching from the stands - one minute it swung their way, one minute it swung our way, then it was even. Then we get home on an overthrow. We're all thinking what just happened?"
Belmont finished 9-178 off 44.5 overs in reply to Waratah-Mayfield's 9-177 from 45 overs. The round-10 match was played under two-day conditions following a day-one washout.
Joey Gillard (52) top scored for Belmont while Kyle Faber (73) and Josh McTaggart (3-34) were Waratah's best performers.
Waratah have yet to record a win this season and remain at the bottom of the ladder.
Cardiff-Boolaroo, however, have managed to turn their fortunes around in 2022-23 following a hat-trick of victories.
CBs opened their campaign 0-6 before knocking off Stockton, Hamwicks (last season's grand finalists) and, most recently, Charlestown (reigning T20 champions) in consecutive rounds.
Captain Jay Sneddon (5-62) claimed a couple of early wickets on day two as CBs dismissed Charlestown 33 runs short at Kahibah Oval.
CBs defended 191 after Charlestown resumed at 3-60, the Magpies all out for 158 with finals hopes beginning to fade.
Only four points separate the top-three sides with Wests (49) now second after prevailing against leaders Wallsend (51) while Stockton (47) lost to University.
Wests restricted Wallsend to 167 at Harker Oval after making 210 last weekend while at Lynn Oval fifties for Grant Stewart (57) and Simon Norvill (52) saw Uni chase Stockton's 165 just three down in the 31st over.
City (40) beat Hamwicks at Passmore Oval while Merewether (32) recorded an outright against Toronto at Ron Hill Oval.
LADDER: Wallsend 51, Wests 49, Stockton 47, City 40, Merewether 32, University 32, Belmont 27, Charlestown 27, Cardiff-Boolaroo 26, Hamwicks 23, Toronto 23, Waratah-Mayfield 12.
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Josh Callinan
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
