Illawarra couldn’t mark their historic home debut in the Sydney Twenty20 Cup with a victory, but there were many positives from tough losses to Eastern Suburbs and Randwick-Petersham at North Dalton Park.

 The second year of the Kingsgrove Cup T20 comp features all Sydney clubs, plus Illawarra, Newcastle, ACT and a Central Coast rep side.

 Illawarra won one of their three away games last year and earned two home games plus two away games in the new format for 2014.

 It is a new-look Illawarra squad this representative campaign, with long-time skipper Graeme Batty heading to Sydney and his NSW Country teammate Jono Cook still overseas before re-joining Keira. The harsh reality of facing the best players from Sydney Grade was immediately evident with former Sydney Sixers batsman Ian Moran the difference for Easts in a 36-run win over Illawarra in Sunday’s  first of a T20 triple header.

 Moran smashed 77 off 48 balls and with skipper Adam Ezekiel’s 43 off 23 balls, Easts posted 184 off their 20 overs.

 Youngster Jarrod Collis took 2-10 for Illawarra while Adam Berwick blasted 64 off 45 balls, including three sixes, with the home side finishing 7-148.

 Moran took 2-31, while Will Eaton had two catches and a run out for Easts.

  Illawarra played better in their second game against Randwick-Petersham, with just a couple of expensive overs at their end of the innings the difference in a 14-run defeat. Batting first Randwick made 6-175, with 64 runs off the last five overs.

 Jake Sciciuna (59) top scored with Illawarra bowling well until the late overs slog which  included 30 off the last two overs. 

Adam Berwick took 2-28 and Dale Scifleet 2-32.

 Illawarra were marginally behind the tough nine-an-over run chase for most of their innings but always in contention, with Olly Thompson (49) and Mitch Calder (41) in great touch.

 Randwick Petersham made it two wins for the day after beating Easts in their first match.

Illawarra complete their pool games this Sunday  with an away double header against  Sydney and Gordon at Chatswood Oval and must win both games for a chance to make the Cup’s post-sectional phase.