Raymond Terrace all-rounder Jaymes Thomas collected his second Hunter Valley Cup man of the final trophy as he smashed the Lions to back-to-back Twenty20 crowns.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Thomas finished on 79 not out in a masterful innings at Lorn Park which included five sixes and seven fours.
The highlight was three successive sixes and a four in a punishing 24-run over off the bowling of spinner Glyn Hayes.
But Hayes wasn’t the only victim of Raymond Terrace’s big-hitting with Luke Kealy conceding 16 and 14 off two of his overs and Mitch Fisher was hit for 12 off another.
Wests were their own worst enemies in the field dropping at least three comfortable catches including Thomas early in his innings and fellow opener Leigh Osmond.
The Plovers were not made to pay for the Osmond lapse with a superb run out catching him short of his crease on 25.
But it was one of few highlights in the field for Wests who would have been confident after making 5-146 led by 62 from Tom Irwin who was also dropped early in his innings.
Shannon Threlfo made an important 35 and 18 not out by Twenty20 captain Riley Harrison.
Osmond finished with the best figures for the Lions taking 2-28 from his four overs.
Terrace captain Steve Smith paid tribute to his entire team for turning round recent poor form in the first grade competition.
“Hopefully this performance will turn things around in first grade as our form has been poor,” he said.
The Lions qualified for the final by defeating Northern Suburbs in the first semi-final at Robins Oval.
Cameron Bates (3-18) and Osmond (3-21) gave the Norths batsman all sorts of trouble and they were restricted to 3/109 with Caleb Daskalovski top scoring with 30.
Jordan Callinan almost bowled Norths to victory taking 4-15 from four overs as the Lions reached their target with two wickets and an over to spare.
Daniel Upward top scored with 26 and Smith was 22 not out.
Rex Greaves finished with 2-25 and Tim Field took 2-34.
Wests made the final by defeating tournament favourites Kurri Weston by 17 runs.
First grade captains Tom Irwin (28) and Mitchell Fisher (35) were the mainstays of the Plovers innings as they made 8/136 after losing early wickets.
Teenage all-rounder Isaac Barry finished with 4-21 and Alex Seamer took 2-25.
The Warriors were all out of 119 in reply with Sam Dalibozek top scoring with 31 and Casey Capper making 16. In an even bowling performance Kealy took three wickets and Hayes two.
