STOCKTON have given themselves a chance to defend their Newcastle District Cricket Association title after booking a grand-final clash with minor premiers Wallsend.
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The Seagulls, endeavouring to secure the club's first back-to-back crowns in more than four decades, produced a dominant display at No.1 Sportsground on the weekend and beat Wests by 234 runs.
A result was determined midway through Sunday's second day, with Wests dismissed for 132 after Logan Weston (114) scored a semi-final century on Saturday and Stockton posted an imposing 7-366.
The Seagulls joined Wallsend in the 2022-23 decider with the top-ranked Tigers having already taken care of business, thrashing City by eight wickets and shaking hands with 18 overs to spare on the opening day.
City were rolled for 91 at Wallsend Oval on Saturday, the Page brothers Jacob (4-27) and Lachlan (2-18) picking up six wickets between them, before the hosts cruised to a 27-run lead at 2-118 in just 25 overs.
"It was close to a perfect day, we were pretty faultless," Wallsend captain Jake Montgomery told the Newcastle Herald.
"We bowled really well, we caught pretty well and batted well. It was just an all-round performance, which was nice."
Wallsend, missing the chance to play finals in 2019-20 when COVID brought a premature end to the competition, last made a showdown in 2011-12 and last held the trophy in 2006-07.
Stockton won last year's decider, having prior success in 2004-05 but going down in both 2007-08 and 2014-15.
The clubs, who now meet at No.1 this weekend, have squad off previously in at least three NDCA grand finals - 1977-78, 1978-79 and 2004-05.
Stockton skipper Nick Foster said they simply "played good cricket across both days" and described Weston's innings as "impressive".
Wests, premiers in 2017-18 and 2020-21, have now been knocked out at the semi-final stage in two straight campaigns but leader Brad Aldous lamented on the nature of this loss.
"In some ways it probably doesn't do our season justice, but in other ways it probably does," Aldous said.
James King top scored for the Rosellas with an unbeaten 56. Stockton bowlers Adrian Chad and Dylan Robertson took three wickets each.
Meanwhile, Wests were named club champions.
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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.
