THE all-conquering Port Stephens Pythons have consolidated top spot in the 2023-24 Newcastle District Suburban Cricket Division One competition.

Resounding limited overs victories over Glendale Old Boys in the lead up to Christmas and third placed Warners Bay last weekend have stamped the premiers as a force to be reckoned with this summer.

Fresh from their Denis Broad OAM Cup trophy success, Josh Moxey’s talented charges chalked up their eighth win of the season after skittling Warners Bay at King Park to extend the team’s undefeated record.

After twelve rounds the Pythons are the Division One pacesetters on 32 points from rivals Waterboard Wests (30) – despite four of their fixtures being declared no results due to inclement weather.

Port Stephens remains the only unbeaten side following Waterboard’s shock loss to Cardiff-Boolaroo last Saturday at Jesmond Park.

Experienced Pythons skipper Josh Moxey told News Of The Area that “the boys have produced spirited performances to date in all formats but there is still a lot of cricket to be played”.

“As it stands we are in a strong position to qualify for the finals and push our claims for another title but we are not getting ahead of ourselves,” claimed the wily club stalwart.

“We need to focus on each game and execute our plans with both bat and ball,” he added.

The Pythons registered a 61-run triumph over Warners Bay with top individual performances from all rounder Lleyton Eveleigh and Shawn Davies.

Eveleigh clouted an unbeaten 64 off 88 balls with five boundaries and a six as Port Stephens posted 8-195 from their allotted 40 overs.

He shared a fifth wicket stand of 50 with the versatile Davies who cracked three sixes during a whirlwind knock of 31 off 22 balls while Leigh Williams hit 42 off 39 balls including six boundaries.

The prolific Williams also featured in an opening stand of 57 with team captain Moxey.

Davies (4-7 off eight overs) and Lleyton Eveleigh (2-23 off four) proved the chief destroyers with the ball as Warners Bay were rolled for 134 in the penultimate over.

Number six Daniel Byrnes top scored for the visitors with a power laden 65 off 72 balls that featured three sixes and six boundaries before he was stumped by Pythons keeper Grant Garland off the bowling of star spinner Jason Eveleigh.

Byrnes and skipper Steve Grimshaw (27 not out) rescued their side with a 56 run seventh wicket stand after the Bay X1 were tottering at 6-42.

Warners Bay quick Matthew White (3-37 off six) and Jesse Ballenden (2-23 off eight) impressed with the ball.

A feature of the Pythons’ emphatic 97 run victory over Glendale Old Boys at William Bower Oval were the batting performances from Jarrod Moxey (50), Williams (46), opener Jeremy Rushford (27) and Travis Ling (21) in a total of 215.

Glendale were bundled out for 118 with Blake Simpson snaring 5-17 off eight overs, Jason Eveleigh (2-18 off four) and Brock Hawley (2-19 off eight).

Talented all rounder Ray Steadman played a lone hand for the Old Boys – smashing 54 off 59 balls with seven boundaries and grabbing 4-42 off eight overs in a superb display.

Meanwhile Cardiff-Boolaroo snapped Waterboard’s unbeaten streak in Division One with a thrilling five run victory in a low scoring fixture.

Praveen Kumar Disari top scored with 21 as Cardiff-Boolaroo compiled a meagre total of 75 after Wests paceman Bradley Richardson snared the remarkable figures of 6-11 off thirty six deliveries.

In reply the Waterboard fell agonisingly short of their target when dismissed for 70 with fine bowling efforts from Shafiq Syed (4-20 off eight), Muhammad Umar (3-19 off seven) and Viral Mehta (2-17 off seven).

Wests duo Matt Hiriart (21) and Nick Dimmers (20) were the only batsmen to reach double figures and kept their side in the hunt with a fifth wicket stand of 41 after the Waterboard were reeling at 4-7.

By Chris KARAS