BERRY-SHOALHAVEN Heads have claimed their 12th Shoalhaven District Cricket Association second grade premiership after defeating Sussex Inlet by four wickets at the weekend.
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At the Berry Sports Complex, the visitors won the toss and elected the bat.
This decision proved costly, as Sussex struggled from the outset, in windy conditions.
Paul Kezik (one) was the first to fall, being quickly followed by Jon Kingston (one), Pat Matson (three), Daniel Lea (six) and Callum Franchi (two), to leave Sussex reeling at 5/21.
Christian Sargood and Shane Bate temporarily steadied the ship, combing to score 14 runs before the former was dismissed by Nathan Thorn for six.
Bate would be the next to fall, being caught leg before wicket by Thorn for 16.
Lachlan Adlington (zero) and Riley Jarrett (three) all came and went quickly before skipper Jake Westley (22) was the last wicket to fall, top scoring with 22, as his side was all out for 74 in the 40th over.
Thorn was the pick of the Magpies bowlers with 4/23, while Tom Dougall (3/15) and Daniel Watson (2/28) also bowled sharply.
In reply, the Magpies also stumbled out of the blocks.
Aaron Coutts-Smith was the first to fall for two, before Kane Armstrong (one), John Ulrick (two), Callum Crapp (four), Daniel Watson (zero) and Dylan Cosgrove (eight) fell in quick succession - to leave the Magpies in trouble at 5/26.
But a gritty 43-run partnership by Thorn (25) and Dougall (13) helped the Magpies reach 84 in their first innings, despite Jarrett (3/17), Bate (3/21) and Troy Gillespie (3/26) taking three wickets each for Sussex.
In their second innings, Sussex fared much better, posting 150 form their 37 overs - led by Kezik (32), Matson (27) and Kingston (26).
With the ball, Duggan (3/5) and Dougall (3/29) both took three wickets each for the hosts, as Crapp (2/17) and Watson (2/44) also bowled well.
This set Berry a total of 141 for victory in their second innings.
Coutts-Smith (26) got the Magpies off to a solid start before a courageous 35 from Cosgrove and 20 from Jarrod Mitchell steered the hosts to 6/141 in the 39th over.
Other to reach double figures for Berry were Crapp (19) and Ulricck (13).
Franchi (1/10), Kingston (1/13), Jarrett (1/16), Adlington (1/18), Bate (1/33) and Kingston (1/35) did all they could with the ball, but it was to no avail, as the Magpies won their second premiership in four years in this grade.
Cosgrove was named man of the match for his second innings performance.