Jeff Goninan became the first player to score a T20 century for Newcastle but the visitors fell 17 short in a 417-run representative fixture against an ACT XI in Canberra on Thursday.
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Batting at No.3 and chasing the hosts' total of 4-217, Goninan reached 102 from 55 deliveries featuring six sixes and six fours.
Newcastle, playing under the Steel banner in the one-off encounter after being removed from the Sydney competition this season, eventually finished 9-200 in the Prime Minister's XI curtain-raiser at Manuka Oval.
Jed Dickson also made 38 in reply while ACT's Ethan Bartlett blasted 86 from 34 balls during the first innings.
Brad Aldous (1-20) and Adrian Chad (1-31) both picked up a wicket each for Newcastle.
Goninan, a former NSW Country representative and previous Stockton captain, returned to play in 2019-2020 after a summer off but will be heading interstate to Western Australia as of December.
He's been making the most of his time in the middle, coming off 89 in Saturday's club match with the Seagulls.
"It wasn't too bad," Goninan told the Newcastle Herald from the nation's capital post game.
"It [the pitch] was pretty flat so it was good to cash in."
Newcastle District Cricket Association chairman Paul Marjoribanks said the same showdown may happen again next season.
"The Canberra CEO came up afterwards and thanked us," Marjoribanks said.
"It could be the start of something more long term.
"And I think the crowd were very appreciative as well, being a hig quality fixture with over 400 runs."
Newcastle now move onto the NSW Country Championships, which start on the Central Coast next Friday (November 1).
