Magpies have secured Mackay Cricket Association first grade premiership honours

Magpies Cricket Club staved off a valiant Pioneer Valley to secure Mackay Cricket’s first grade one-day premiership.

Mackay Magpies took out the Mackay Cricket Association's first grade one-day premiership at Great Barrier Reef Arena on Saturday. Picture: Magpies Cricket Club Mackay Facebook.

Mackay Magpies has hoisted the Mackay Cricket first grade one-day premiership cup aloft after a thrilling battle against Pioneer Valley at Great Barrier Reef Arena.

The Magpies were set 157 runs for victory after the Panthers won the toss and elected to bat, with opener Mitch English’s 70 (101) being the defining feature of the Panthers innings.

Myles Cochrane’s 4/37 helped to keep Pioneer Valley in check, as they took regular wickets to keep the Panthers from building strong partnerships.

Conor Bryant was also key for the Magpies, picking up the key wickets of Mahesh Rajaratne and Dion Krisanksi-Kennedy for just 2 and 1 respectively.

In the Magpies reply it was Andrew Borg who stepped up early, steadying the ship as they lost some early wickets before a key partnership with Ben Zurvas (38 off 72).

But when Cody Filewood removed Borg for 45 it was left to Wesley Dyer to do the work down the order, notching up a clutch 41 not out to get his side over the line.

Read about North’s second grade victory here.