A three-way race for Newcastle District Cricket Association's minor premiership will continue into the last round.
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Only four points separate the top three - Wallsend (63), Wests (60) and Stockton (59) - with two Saturdays remaining in the regular season.
Wallsend host cellar dwellers Waratah-Mayfield, Wests travel to meet a-now-out-of-finals-contention University and Stockton are away to eighth-ranked Charlestown.
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The Tigers, Rosellas and Seagulls have each spent time in pole position at some stage during 2022-23.
Wallsend regained the competition lead by chasing down Toronto's 271 with two wickets and two overs to spare while Wests slipped back one rung on the ladder after being rolled for 82 against Merewether.
Nathan Price (96), Callum Gabriel (60) and Bert Ryan (48 not out) were the main contributors for Wallsend at Ron Hill Oval.
Wests were initially troubled by Lions paceman Michael Hogan (4-17) at Harker Oval, eventually finishing 1-38 off 43 overs in their second dig. Merewether made 8-247 last weekend.
Reigning premiers Stockton stay third after securing a first-innings result but falling short of an outright against Hamilton-Wickham at Passmore Oval.
Selman Hassan (18 off 135) provided a line of resistance for Hamwicks as the hosts ended up 9-100, having been all out for 106 on day one. Stockton (153) resumed at 5-87 and posted a 47-run lead.
The top four has now officially been locked in for this month's semis with City (52) unable to be caught by either Uni (39) or Merewether (39), alongside one another in fifth.
Fourth-placed City (2-99) and Uni (69) didn't take the field on Saturday, shaking hands last weekend.
Cardiff-Boolaroo continued their mid-season turnaround by clocking up a fifth-straight victory, successfully defending 199 with Daniel Williams' 6-23 helping dismiss Belmont for 115 at Cahill Oval. CBs, who opened their campaign with five losses and a tie, now sit seventh on the ladder.
Waratah-Mayfield remain winless after Charlestown bowlers Daniel Bailey (4-29), Daniel Chillingworth (3-32) and Daniel Standing (2-30) combined for nine wickets between them at Kahibah Oval. The visitors were all out for 124 in reply to 8(dec)-308.
Meanwhile, Newcastle (196) defeated Parramatta (82) by 114 runs at Pasterfield Sports Complex on Sunday to claim the under-16 State Challenge title.
LADDER: Wallsend 63, Wests 60, Stockton 59, City 52, Merewether 39, Uni 39, CBs 38, Charlestown 34, Belmont 29, Hamwicks 28, Toronto 24, WM 14.
To see more stories and read today's paper download the Newcastle Herald news app here.
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.
