![Magpies opening bowler Daniel Bailey had match figures of 7-68. Picture by Jonathan Carroll Magpies opening bowler Daniel Bailey had match figures of 7-68. Picture by Jonathan Carroll](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/gNecaFSpqFSLkittedmeiY/6b0c68bd-33df-47f2-87d9-3c7135ece2ff.jpg/r0_276_5184_2960_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
CHARLESTOWN opening bowler Daniel Bailey "led the way" as the Magpies ground out maximum points and jumped top of the Newcastle District Cricket Association first-grade ladder.
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Bailey took 3-34 from 18 overs in Belmont's second dig to finish with match figures of 7-68 as Charlestown secured an outright result late on day two at Kahibah Oval.
The Magpies, now level with City on 38 points but slightly ahead on quotient, eventually defeated the visitors by an innings and one run on what was another rain-affected Saturday.
"It was a bit of a slog and a bit of a grind, but we got there in the end. It was a long, old day. We finished at 7:30 [pm] and there were still 15 overs to bowl in the day," Arms told the Newcastle Herald.
Charlestown, resuming 61 runs in front at 4-167, batted on for almost 10 overs and declared 9-238.
Bailey claimed the key wickets of Adrian Isherwood (58) and Luke Muddle (16), helping trigger collapses of 3-4 and 3-2 as Belmont (106, 131) fell just shy of making the Magpies bat again.
Left-arm seamer Ahmadullah Fazli (4-20) also featured on debut.
"Bails led the way and kept charging in," Arms said.
"Ahmadullah bowled with a bit of extra pace and gave us that point of difference we wanted and hoped for."
Charlestown's pursuit of extra points, having already collected a first-innings result on day one, came amid a backdrop of wet weather and looming bad light.
"We started half an hour late [no overs lost] and were on and off throughout the day," Arms said.
"The biggest downpours were at lunch and tea so we had extended breaks ... it was never dark enough to come off, but it wasn't far off."
Belmont, who won outright last round, slip back two spots to 10th.
A century to Wallsend opener Aidan Fulcher (103) against his former club wasn't enough to get the defending premiers across the line at No.1 Sportsground. The Tigers (244) ended up 58 short of City's 302 with Cal Fowler taking 6-58.
Stockton (4-163) leapfrogged Cardiff-Boolaroo (7-162) into the top four with Cameron Tanner (76) and Jeff Goninan (50) successfully chasing at Lynn Oval.
Toronto (264) and Wests (9-221) had a dramatic draw at Ron Hill Oval with the winless Kookaburras needing just one more wicket when play was abandoned.
Merewether (7-209) and Waratah-Mayfield (5-125) prevailed in the round-seven fixtures which started from scratch on Saturday, beating University (159) and Hamilton-Wickham (124) respectively.
LADDER: Charlestown, City 38; Wallsend 29; Stockton, Cardiff-Boolaroo 28; Wests 24; Merewether, Hamwicks 22; Waratah-Mayfield 21; Belmont 19; University 18; Toronto 4.