LAKE Mac Attack struck the first blow in this season's T20 Regional Big Bash but new lights at No.1 Sportsground were the shining feature according to Newcastle District Cricket Association chairman Paul Marjoribanks.
The Attack, striving for a fourth consecutive final appearance in the NSW Country competition, beat visiting Central Coast Rush by 29 runs at the city's freshly renovated venue on Tuesday night.
Conducted entirely under lights, fitted as part of City of Newcastle's recent $8 million works, play got underway just after the scheduled 6pm start time following a short burst of rain.
No.1 Sportsground, now reopened after almost three years out of action, had already been used for a few first-grade matches and an internal Newcastle City trial during 2022-23 but this marked the return of representative cricket and a maiden run for the lighting infrastructure.
Marjoribanks described the ground's latest addition as "brilliant".
"This opens up all sorts of opportunities for local cricket, it's fantastic," he said.
"Inside the fence is first-class level. The wicket plays beautifully and the condition of the outfield, now the lights add something else again."
Additional lighting would still be required for television broadcast at No.1 Sportsground while Cricket NSW has fallen short of allocating any Sheffield Shield, Big Bash League or other elite fixtures in Newcastle pending further upgrades, including the dressing sheds.
Lake Mac Attack, the T20 Regional Bash champions in 2019-20 before losing the last two deciders, were spearheaded by homegrown marquees Jack Hartigan, Dylan Hunter and Jeremy Nunan in the opening round.
Hartigan (40 runs off 30 balls), Hunter (35 off 30) and Nunan (2-27), all now based in Sydney, helped Attack post 6-151 and restrict Central Coast to 7-122 in reply.
Charlestown quartet Jed Dickson (31 off 20), Daniel Arms (20 off 24), Dan Bailey (2-31) and Daniel Chillingworth (1-12) also contributed for Lake Mac.
Central Coast were best served by Justin Avendano (55) and Chris Archer (2-18).
Attack will be without Hartigan, Hunter and Nunan when they back up against Hunter Thoroughbreds, led by Wests all-rounder Joseph Price, as part of a double header at Thornton this weekend.
They meet in Sunday's second game (2pm) after Newcastle Blasters open their campaign against Hunter earlier at the same venue (10am).
No.1 Sportsground is drawn to host another two midweek fixtures under lights - the Blasters and Rush on November 8 followed by a Newcastle-Lake Mac derby two days later.
Central Coast and Hunter round out the preliminary stages on November 13.
The top-ranked side progresses to the last four, held at the SCG.
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