After no play was possible on day one at the Bernie Regan Sporting Complex, the match turned into a 45-over match.

After winning the toss, the hosts sent the visitors to the crease, with an obvious plan in mind.

Instead of Norths skipper Justin Weller, who is the leading wicket taker this season with 33 (13 more than his nearest opponent), opening with himself, he chose to start the match with spin from both ends.

Spinners Hugh Gillen and James Batson repaid this skipper’s faith by restricting the dangerous Ex-Servos opening partnership of Daniel Gleeson and Chris Bramley.

So much so that Batson had Gleeson caught by Graham Davidson from five.

Bramley and first-drop Sam Bagnall then steadied the ship, getting the score to 50 before the former was dismissed by Damian Spelta for 20.

This brought Blake Munilla to the crease, who scored 10 of the 36-run partnership with Bangall, before falling to Weller.

Sitting at 3/86, Ex-Servos were cruising towards a target of more than 200.

But sharp bowling by the hosts, led by Weller (3/15) and Luke Huard (3/31), saw the visitors lose their final seven wickets for just 37 runs – to be all out for 123 in the 34^th over.

The only batsmen to offer any sort of resistance to the Norths attack was Bagnall, who made 58 before being dismissed by Huard.

Other wicket takers for Norths were Spelta (1/12), Ben Seyffer (1/15) and Batson (1/20).

In reply, Norths started shockingly, as they fell to be 5/36 – as Jack Carter (14), Dean Tyson (nine), Samuel Lowcock (six), Luke Huard (two) and Nick McDonald (zero) were all dismissed cheaply.

Weller and Davidson then dug their heals in and combined to put 30 runs on, before the latter was stumped for 15 by Paul Maiolo, off the bowling of Nathan Austin.

Seyffer then joined his skipper at the crease and the pair combined for a 48-run partnership, to see Norths reach the target (6/124) in the 33^rd over.

Weller ended the match at 31 not out, while Seyffer finished at 30 not out, to seal the win which cements Norths’ position in the top four.

With the cherry, Nate Jones led the way with 3/24, while Trevor Thomason (2/34) and Nathan Austin (1/27) also bowled strongly.

This result sees Ex-Servos hang onto top spot, on 144 points – now just five points clear of second placed Berry-Shoalhaven Heads.

Norths are a further 23 points back on 116, while Ulladulla United are in fourth with 88 points – as Nowra (60) and (51) sit fifth and sixth respectively, with two rounds remaining.