The Port Stephens Pythons have collected the Newcastle Suburban Cricket Division 1 minor premiership, but the hunt for titles begins in earnest on Saturday with all three Port teams in finals action.
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The Pythons Division 1 and Division 6 teams both have double chances and Division 2 are in an elimination final against The Gardens Falcons after missing out on fourth place to local derby rivals Nelson Bay.
It is the Pythons second minor premiership in Newcastle, but the club is chasing their third major premiership in a row.
"We're chasing the three-peat which is pretty cool, considering we are only in our fourth season of this competition," captain Josh Moxey said.
Any doubts the success they had in the Maitland one-day competition, 10 minor premierships and multiple major premierships across the grades, would follow them across to Newcastle have disappeared.
Moxey said the hallmark of the success had been as a club everyone enjoyed each other's company.
"It's beyond any of the individual teams, it's not all about first division. If we care about anything it is the club championship," he said.
"We all care about each others success and share team's losses across the club.
"It's club, then the team and individual last."
Moxey said the Division 1 team were really enjoying their cricket and had only had one or two off days this season and managed to get the win on one of those.
"If you look at it statistically it's probably been our most dominant year, but that means nothing now going into finals," he said.
"The way the competition is made up with an eight team finals, you sort of feel that anyone in the top five or six could go on a run and win the competition."
In Div1, Port Stephens host fourth-placed Warners Bay, in Div 2, Port plays The Gardens Falcons at Connolly Park and Div 6 host Hunters.
Michael Hartshorn
Since starting in 1985 at the then Melbourne Herald, journalism has taken me around Australia from Victoria, to the Northern Territory, Cairns in Queensland and now Port Stephens. After all those years there is still something special about informing and connecting with readers.
Since starting in 1985 at the then Melbourne Herald, journalism has taken me around Australia from Victoria, to the Northern Territory, Cairns in Queensland and now Port Stephens. After all those years there is still something special about informing and connecting with readers.
