The SES came to the rescue of a NSW Hunter region cricket team which was looking to miss its semi-final berth due to flooding.
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But thanks to some quick thinking team mates, the SES ferried members of the Eastern Suburbs Cricket Club's fifth grade father and son team, and their cricket kits, from Hinton to Morpeth so they could play in their semi-final against Raymond Terrace on Saturday.
Nine members of the Griffins team live in Hinton and were flooded in so their teammates organised for the SES to pick them up.
Port Stephens SES Unit has been operating a flood boat between the Hinton Bridge and Morpeth to transport essential workers as well as food, medicine and other goods and had an opening in their schedule for the stranded cricketers.
Safe, sound and with not an item of kit wet, the players were met by a guard of honour of their Griffins teammates from first grade through to the remainder of fifth grade.
It was worth the effort with Easts making 189 and defeating Raymond Terrace who were restricted to 7/140.
They won their way through to the grand final where they will face either Thornton Park or Western Suburbs who play at Cricketers Park on Sunday after their venue was too wet on Saturday.
Play was not possible on any turf wickets on Saturday, with the first grade semi-final between City United and Thornton and the second grade semi-final between Kurri Weston and Northern Suburbs cancelled outright.
The first grade semi-final between Western Suburbs and Kurri Weston was called off on Sunday morning, meaning their will be a Western Suburbs and City United first grade grand final.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Kurri Weston will advance to the second grade grand final. The second grade semi between Wests and Easts was being played at Thornton.
All lower grade games and one day comp fixtures which could not proceed on Saturday have been resheduled to Sunday.
