SPORTS NEWS Cessnock joins T20 craze and his team mates Rob Flanagan, invited along to play.” tion,” he said. “There is not too much benefit Josh Callinan Steve Abel, Jack Bennett and Daniel The players have already been “I think they have gone about it the because it is a different format,” he Chapple will be embracing the allocated to each of the four franchises right way and have the right idea about said. Less than three weeks out from form in a short, sharp four- following a recent auction night. making cricket fun again. “But all in all it does provide guys the start of the revamped Australian team competition run in the four weeks The model is most famously “I can’t remember the last time with another hit out in the middle and Twenty20 Big Bash competition some leading to Christmas. attached to the Indian Premier League there was a change in the Maitland bowlers have the chance to perform in of Maitland’s own will have a crack at “It is a pretty exciting prospect,” and has been successfully adopted competition and instead of clubs pressure situations. the cricketing format sweeping the Meehan said. closer to home in Tamworth. struggling to find numbers this mixes it “Hopefully this will pay off for us in world. “Twenty20 is obviously the buzz Meehan said he endorsed the up, provides something a bit different the second half of the year.” Six players from Kurri Weston’s word in world cricket at the moment model, which mixes up the teams that and helps to make cricket more inter- There will be $2000 prize money on first grade squad will take part in the and it will be good to see it being normally play against each other on a esting.” offer for the winning franchise. inaugural Cessnock District Premier played closer to home. weekend. Meehan said there would be a flow Matches will be played at League, which launches on “It is a credit to Cessnock for “It mixes up the teams a bit and on effect for his players in terms of the Cessnock’s Baddeley Park each Wednesday. making this happen and fortunately for helps strengthen the relationship first grade competition in the Maitland Wednesday in the lead up to Christmas Kurri Weston skipper Rick Meehan us [Kurri Weston] we had a few guys throughout the Cessnock competi- and District Cricket Association. from 4.30pm. Pythons push for 10th one-day title Patterson CRICKET scores ton Josh Callinan The Port Stephens Pythons are pushing on debut for their tenth one day club championship in the Maitland and District Cricket Association and they have started season 2011-2012 on the right foot. for Blues The Pythons lead the official standings CRICKET by 90 points after eight rounds of the com- Sheffield Shield petition have been completed. A club championships crown this season NSW’s Kurtis Patterson became would notch up the double figures for the the youngest player to score a Pythons after claiming their first in 1998- century on debut in Australian first- 1999. class cricket to put the Blues in Club president Jarrod Moxey said his control of their clash with Western club’s success so far this season had been Australia at the SCG. boosted by the performance of the Pythons Patterson made 157, including a C-grade outfit. belligerent display of 55 runs off just “In A-grade and B-grade we have been 25 balls after tea on Sunday, to lift the going along quite well the last few years but Blues to 6(dec)-441– a first innings the big thing for us this season has been the lead of 291 runs. form of our C-grade side,” he said. Cheered by a small but vocal band “They lost the first few and after a tie of supporters in the Monty Noble against Caledonian, who have been taking Stand, Patterson reached the mile- bonus points off everyone, they have had stone shortly before tea on day three, back to back wins. bringing up his ton with the 16th “They only won one game last year and boundary of his innings. none the year before, so after staring At 18 years and 206 days, the left- through a pretty dark tunnel it has been hander eclipsed the mark set by former great for those blokes and the club to do Test player , who well.” made a century on debut for WA aged The defending one day club champions 18 years and 241 days in 1955-56. are on 324 points while Tenambit Morpeth Patterson made his runs alongside are next best on 234. former Test opener Simon Katich, as In district cricket, Northern Suburbs (247 the pair shared 221 for the fifth points) are also vying for back-to-back club wicket, with Katich making 125 championships and they hold a 47-point before being the last man out. lead from nearest rivals Western Suburbs The teenager came to the crease (200). following the departure of Blues Eastern Suburbs (198) narrowly trail the skipper Ben Rohrer (12) with Katich Plovers while City United (153) round out on 38 and survived two close calls the top four. before getting off the mark, barely All matches in the Maitland and District looking back after that point. Cricket Association were washed out on He posted his 50 shortly after the Saturday. lunch interval and, by the time he’d ❑ See sport details on page 18 for club SUCCESS: Jarrod Moxey takes a big swing for the Port Stephens Pythons. He says the club’s success has reached 60, he’d passed his more championships ladders. been strengthened by the C-grade side’s strong performance. senior partner despite the significant head start. Rain halts Maitland’s golden run Transform your HARNESS RACING Pike’s win denied Maitland entire program, for a podium finish. deck for summer Frances Sacco driver Darren Elder, who drove the In the feature race, Victorian outside chance Satin Ball into warhorse Smoken Up won his Wattyl have built a reputation of making Maitland trainers were on a second place. second Miracle Mile to give trainer consistently high quality products golden run at Newcastle harness Hey Rock took out race three for driver Lance Justice his fourth win in specifically designed for Australian races on Friday night until rain East Maitland trainer Robin the race. timbers and harsh weather conditions. intervened after race four. Hosking, with Sawyers Gully driver Smoken Up had been favourite The first three winners were Cameron Davies at the reins. since betting opened early in the Maitland trained. Kid Tycon won the The Bay Gelding poked his nose week and was sent out at $2. opening race in the program, with ahead of the pack to win the race by a Justice, who also won two Weston trainer/driver Jason Proctor short half head, edging out New Miracle Miles with Sokyola when Wattyl Weathergard holding the reins. Zealand contender Auchenflower the group 1 race was held at Harold Decking Oil 4L Expected to be an also-ran, the Rose and Rollon Gidget. Park, said the more spacious bay gelding put 1.2 metres between Meanwhile Elder continued his Menangle circuit suited Smoken Up. $ 95* Advanced UV protection and himself and Zena Zara, driven by habit of getting good performances A week of rain meant there were water repellent properties to 49 reduce discolouration and Weston’s Joshua Osborn. out of unflavoured horses when he no records to be broken and the race deterioration of the timber. Next, it was Sawyers Gully trainer picked up a third place in race three was run in a slow 1min51.8sec. Available in assorted colours. Rodney Pike’s turn to steer his at Menangle on Saturday night “The wide open circuit at charge to a victory when Railemup which shared the program with the Menangle suits Smoken Up,” Justice *See in-store for full terms and conditions. Offer ends 30/11/2011 or while stocks last. took the honours in race two. $500,000 Miracle Mile. said. This time the win was expected, Elder acted as driver and trainer to Justice’s four Miracle Mile wins Inspirations East Maitland with the four-year-old showing the Tidy Module, which proved punters put him just one behind legendary crowd why he was the favourite with wrong when the Gelding bucked New Zealand horseman Barry 140 Melbourne St, Ph: 4934 5511 an eight metre victory. odds of $94.90, the worst across the Purdon. InspirationsPaint.com.au

www.maitlandmercury.com.au THE MAITLAND MERCURY v Monday, November 28, 2011 15