6 days Ago By James Gardiner
WALLSEND captain Jacob Montgomery stressed to his players in the preseason the importance of marking the club's 100th year with something special. Login or signup to continue reading On Sunday, the Tigers produced a clinical display of one-day cricket to beat Stockton by eight wickets in the Tom Locker Cup final at No.1 Sportsground.
It was Wallsend's first one-day crown since 1997-98. The bowlers set up the win, restricting the powerful Seagulls to 164. Then it became the Aaron Wivell show.
Wivell blasted an unbeaten 87 from 82 balls and combined with Montgomery in a 135-run stand to pass the total in the 26th over. "It's our 100th year and I spoke to the players about the importance of having something to celebrate," said Montgomery, who took 1-14 with the ball and made an unbeaten 68 from 62 balls. "We lost the Tom Locker final last year, so it was important that we got it done this time.
It has been nearly 30 years since we last won it. The boys worked really hard to start the season and it paid off today. Hopefully it's a springboard for a really big year.
" The Newcastle T20 competition starts in January but the District two-day title, which Wallsend won two season ago, is the big focus. Wivell was at his dynamic best on Sunday. Nathan Price was out for one off the fourth ball of the innings but Wivell put the foot down.
He made the most of the power play, in which two fielders are allowed outside the circle in the opening 10 overs. His 50 came from just 37 balls, laden with 11 boundaries, as Wallsend raced to 2-61 from seven overs. "Wiv is so dangerous in the power play," Montgomery said.
"Our plan is for him to be positive. He does it really well. "We got off to such a good start, we had the right to knock it around in the middle of the innings.
It wasn't until the last 50 runs where we tried to take it on again" Stockton won the toss and batted but struggled for partnerships until late. There wasn't a lot of side ways movement in the wicket, but Page brothers Jake and Lachy struck early for Wallsend removing openers Jake Hainsworth (7) and Cameron Tanner (11) cheaply. Logan Weston steadied the ship with 36 but wickets continued to fall around him.
From 2-39 the Seagulls slumped to 8-96, before Nathan Hudson came to the rescue. The former NSW Country left-hander was cautious early before unleashing in the final four overs. Hudson fell on the second last ball of the 50 th over for 65 to propel Stockton to 164.
Teenage off-spinner Will Parkinson (3-23) notched the best figures for Wallsend. "The Page brothers opened the bowling and did really well," Montgomery said. "Jacob ended up bowling his 10 overs straight to start.
That wasn't the plan. The ball was still moving enough and he was still effective. "They bat really deep.
We knew there would be a partnership. There was a period there where Hudo played really well and started to take the game away. "Generally we bowled really well.
" Meanwhile, English seamer Joe Everett was the chief destroyer as Waratah Mayfield bundled out Belmont for a paltry 39 at Waratah Oval in the only game of district cricket to start on Saturday. Everett took 6-17 from 10 overs as the visitors were bowled out in just 20 overs. All-rounder Adrian Isherwood chimed in with 3-4 from five overs.
First drop Connor Gibson was the only Belmont player to post double figures with 19. Five players were out for the ducks and No.11 Jacob Curry was not out on nought.
Isherwood then put Waratah on the road to maximum points with a swashbuckling century as the home side finished the day at 0-140. Isherwood's unbeaten 102 came from 80 balls and featured 17 fours. Hamish Macqueen is not out on 28.
The remaining games were washed out. James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald. James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
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