It's been a long time between drinks, but Helensburgh's first grade side recorded their first Cricket Illawarra victory in close to 10 months on Saturday.
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Helensburgh had finished their 2020/21 campaign by defeating Port Kembla last March at King George V Oval. The majority of games this season have then been washed out, but Shay Brady's men ended the drought with a seven-wicket win - again over Port at the same venue - on the weekend.
Port captain Steve Sunderland won the toss and elected to bat, with his team compiling 106 runs from 36.2 overs. Sunderland top-scored with 31, while Will Hoy was pick of the bowlers with 4/24 and Steven Blissenden took 3/19.
In reply, Helensburgh were in early trouble at 2/21, before Brady and Jack Collimore steaded the ship with a 21-run partnership.
Collimore (seven) was eventually dismissed, but Brady (49 not out) and Blissenden (27 not out) guided their team to victory after 37 overs. Ethan Prosser, Jack Yates and Sam Cameron took a wicket each for Port.
Elsewhere, a captain's ton from Nathan Loveday powered the Lighthouse Keepers to a bonus-point victory over Balgownie at North Dalton Park. The result keeps them in second spot on the ladder.
Loveday finished on 101, with highlights including him sharing a 117-run stand with Toby Dodd (71), as Wollongong compiled 8/241 from 50 overs. Dean Watson was the pick of the bowlers with 4/49 from 10 overs.
The hosts were then able to take regular wickets with the ball, restricting Balgownie to 178. Jason Bunyan top-scored with 48, while Stephen Buckley took 3/28.
"I'm just pumped to get the win. It's always nice to have personal success, but to get a win against 'Bally' - they're always a very tough side - is nice. To get the seven-point win, I'll take that," Loveday said.
"I think everyone was just happy to get on the field. The forecast last week was horrendous, but it kept changing every day to be what it was. Credit to the groundsmen all around the Illawarra, I think there were only two games between first and second grade called off on Saturday. And they got a lot of help from the council and clubs to get the games going.
"We're in late January and only played four or five games, so to get the seven points was gold. To just keep in that top four is good, any wins are handy at this stage."
In the other first grade games, Wests retained top spot with a bonus-point win over Corrimal at Figtree Oval and Keira defeated Northern Districts by four wickets at Hollymount-East Park.
Saturday was also a success for South Coast Cricket, with three first grade games getting off the ground.
Lake Illawarra strengthened their hold on top spot with a six-wicket victory over The Rail at Croome Oval. After restricting the hosts to 8/213, the Lakers claimed the win in the 44th over.
Elsewhere, Shellharbour recorded an emphatic nine-wicket victory over Albion Park at Scout Willoughby Oval while Oak Flats held on to beat Kiama by one wicket at Geoff Shaw Oval.
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Joshua Bartlett
A sporting fanatic who is keen to promote all codes in the Illawarra and abroad. Mercury's chief football reporter.
A sporting fanatic who is keen to promote all codes in the Illawarra and abroad. Mercury's chief football reporter.
