By Elliot Stevenson
It might have taken four rounds but the Northern Magpies are finally on the board in the CTPL, defeating reigning T20 premier University by nine wickets at Ferguson Park on Saturday.
The win marked the Magpies first in the premier grade of the competition since its rebrand in the off-season, and their first over Uni since January.
Coach Nathan Matthews was full of pride in his young team, despite a challenging start to 2026-27.
“It was nice to get the first win for the season,” he said. “Obviously a bit disappointed with the first few weeks, but to get on the board with a nice win was pretty pleasing.
“We do have a really young list with some quite good depth now building in the twos. It's putting some pressure on guys in the first grade group.
“To see them develop over the pre-season, obviously the results are going to be a little bit up and down with such a young group, but there's definitely progress throughout all the grades.
“We're starting to see that the last few weeks in the lower grades as well. It's nice and we're building quite well.”
University took command of the game early at 0-51, before Trent Le Rossignol dismissed his captaincy counterpart Tom Chapman for 28 and invited the rest of his bowling attack to follow.
The Magpies proceeded to bowl Uni out for 118, with Le Rossignol ending up with 3-27 off seven overs, and Brandon Kopper and Jack Crane each taking a pair of wickets.
Matthews commended his bowling attack for their best performance of the season.
“The skipper [Le Rossignol] always leads the way,” he said. “He's been doing it throughout his whole career.
“The additions this year of Kasey Barton and Jack Crane have really added a nice balance to our attack, they performed really well on the weekend, which was good to see.”
With a gettable target on the board, openers Ryan Graham-Daft (41 not out off 72 balls) and Mansukh Singh (57 off 45 balls) made short work of it.
The Magpies won by nine wickets with just under 30 overs remaining, a comprehensive maiden victory of the season.
“They [Graham-Daft and Singh] complement each other quite well,” Matthews said.
“Both have struggled a little bit for form, but it was nice to see them back amongst the runs and get us over the line in a good way.”
Elsewhere, New Town made a statement with a seven-wicket win over reigning two-day premier Clarence at New Town Oval.
Clarence batted first and posted 233, with half-centuries to experienced pair Michael Jones (50 off 50 balls) and Lawrence Neil-Smith (62 off 43 balls).
Spinner Jayden Vince took 4-31 for the Bucks, his best return with the ball for Peter Di Venuto’s side.
With 233 to chase, New Town were led by off-season recruit Jai Lemire (89 off 105 balls) and Josh Hartill (108 not out off 138 balls).
The pair put on a 201-run partnership, 25 runs short of the record 2nd wicket partnership for New Town, set by Lemire and Hartill just earlier this month against the Greater Northern Raiders.
Hartill is now averaging a whopping 287 this season, having only been dismissed once.
North Hobart off-spinner Joe Graham took 5-24 off 10 overs in a nine-wicket win over South Hobart-Sandy Bay at Queenborough.
Graham’s first five-wicket haul for the Demons included the key wickets of Caelan Maladay and Sharks’ skipper Sam Voss.
Chasing 152, North Hobart were led by Sanjay Anandarajah’s unbeaten 78 off 74 balls and playing-coach Sam Truloff’s 54 not out off 34 balls.
The Demons secured the win in dominant fashion with 26.1 overs remaining, their second of the campaign.
The match between the Greater Northern Raiders and Lindisfarne at Invermay Park on Sunday was abandoned without a ball bowled due to weather.
In the women’s competition, reigning premier North Hobart flexed its muscles with a pair of T20 victories over the Greater Northern Raiders at UCI Oval in Ulverstone on Sunday.
The Demons won the morning game after it was shortened to seven overs a side following rain interruptions, with Mackenzie Stewart taking 3-9 off two overs.
The competition powerhouse chased down 39 in 5.1 overs, winning by eight wickets.
The afternoon game proved more of a challenge, with Raiders’ skipper Ava Curtis hitting an unbeaten 46 off 41 balls to power her side to 4-127 off 20 overs.
In response, Caitlin Mair belted 60 not out off 47 balls for the Demons, securing a second eight-wicket victory of the day with three overs remaining.
Both games at New Town Oval between the Bucks and their opponents Kingborough and Clarence were abandoned due to inclement weather.