Wallsend, City score bonus-point wins to top Tom Locker Cup pools

The Tigers needed the seven-point win at home, and for Charlestown to lose against Stockton at Kahibah Oval, to draw level on 22 points with the Magpies.

Wallsend did their part, racking up 7-242 against the winless Kookaburras then holding them to 8-128, while Stockton reached 5-156 in 38.1 overs in reply to Charlestown's 155. Wallsend then clinched the final spot with a quotient of 1.424 to Charlestown's 1.296.

Nathan Price (62 runs in 67 balls) and captain Jacob Montgomery (68 in 61) led the way for Wallsend after they were sent in, before off-spinner Will Parkinson (3-13) and seamer Lachlan Page (2-29) got among the wickets.

Montgomery said his side "did what they had to do" to book a first Cup final in more than a decade.

"It wasn't a complete performance," Montgomery said. "We could have got more runs, given the start we had, and our fielding wasn't as good as it could have been. We could have finished the job earlier, but all things considered, it was decent."

Josh Mctaggart starred for Stockton, taking 6-22 after Charlestown elected to bat first. Skipper Nick Foster took 2-27 then finished 43 not out. Logan Weston was the other main contributor, scoring 53.

In the other pool, City (26 points) took the overall ladder lead with a bonus-point, eight-wicket away win over University (16). Uni were the main dangers to City's place in the final but they were restricted to 123 all out in 37.2 overs after being sent in. Spinners Harry Campbell (3-20) and Cal Fowler (2-24), and paceman Freddie Freeman (3-29) did the damage. Skipper Oli Carter (63 in 56) and recent addition Nick Walker (47 in 28) then finished unbeaten as the visitors passed the target in just 17.3 overs.

Fowler said left-arm spinner Campbell played a key role opening for City, who are also eyeing a first Cup in more than a decade.

Elsewhere, Hamwicks (6-195) beat Merewether (164), Tom Thorpe made an amazing 143 not out in Wests' 3-209 against Waratah-Mayfield (9-177) and Cardiff-Boolaroo (8-155) got a bonus-point win over Belmont (79). Table: City 26, Wallsend, Charlestown 22, Stockton, CBs, Wests, Hamwicks 21, Uni 16, Merewether 15, Belmont 9, Toronto 1.