SALAMANDER Bay cricket hot shots Ed Williams and Lucas Vincent have helped the Stockton and Northern Districts club secure the Newcastle District first-grade minor premiership title.

The former Nelson Bay juniors played key roles as the Seagulls topped the Rippit first-grade premiership standings on 66 points after the regular season, with 10 wins and two losses, to set up a semi-final showdown with fourth-ranked Merewether at the Newcastle No. 1 Sports Ground.

In one of the tightest finishes in recent seasons, the Seagulls pipped second-ranked Wallsend (65 points) for the minor title with Cardiff-Boolaroo wrapping up third spot on 60 points.

Wallsend hosted Cardiff-Boolaroo in the other semi-final at George Farley Oval.

Both Stockton and Wallsend are the only two clubs to achieve 10 wins this summer, and registered final round victories over Charlestown and Newcastle City respectively to claim the top two spots.

Nineteen-year-old paceman Williams bagged 45 wickets this season at an average of 10.49, including a best haul of 6-39, to make his way into the Newcastle representative team for the NSW Country Championships.

Vincent, a NSW Combined High Schools representative, is regarded one of the brightest batting prospects in the Hunter region and has compiled 615 runs this summer in all formats.

The 17-year-old Tomaree High schoolboy hit a superb 172 for the Newcastle Under 19 Colts team against Southern Districts during the Country Colts carnival back in October, and has cemented a spot in the Seagulls’ middle order in his second season in the top grade.

By Chris KARAS