North Kal regain top spot with big win over Lake View

North Kalgoorlie reclaimed first position on the Eastern Goldfields Cricket Association ladder after toppling Lake View by 134 runs at Wallace Park on Saturday.

With victory, Norths laid the foundations for a mouth-watering match against Hannans at Ray Finlayson Sporting Complex on Saturday.

The winner of that game will be parachuted straight through to the A-grade grand final on March 14.

Norths started in positive fashion when Michael Noble (72) and Chris Johnston (28) put on 61 for the first wicket.

Noble was particularly punishing early, whacking seven fours and two sixes during the 85-ball knock and nudging his season average above 50 (552 runs at 50.18).

Matt Carter (62 from 43) also looked in destructive form, clearing the rope six times with ruthless efficiency.

Norths were 1-137 in the 27th over and threatening to post a monstrous score until Josh Sime (9-0-37-5) intervened.

Playing just his second top-tier fixture for the season, Sime ripped through North Kalgoorlie’s top and middle order.

Among his victims were a handful of Norths’ best players in Noble, Carter, Nick Willis (0), Blake Willis (8) and Trent Mais (6).

Viewers captain Josh Harper (9-2-25-3) was just as hard to get away, likewise opening bowler Shane Wood (10-1-26-0).

Lake View held a sliver of hope leading into the run chase but soon fell out of the reckoning after Blake Willis (8-2-28-2) and Burt Cluning (4-0-33-3) struck five times inside the first 15 overs.

The loss of Jack Dasborough (35), run out by Raath in the 18th, effectively extinguished the prospect of an upset.

Raath (4.2-1-11-2) and Jack Varian (3-0-13-2) bowled economically and maintained the pressure applied by Willis, Cluning and Carter (6-3-10-0).

North Kalgoorlie will enter Saturday’s blockbuster brimming with confidence, having won seven of their last eight games.

Lake View, meanwhile, face the task of quelling an in-form Two Blues outfit.