![Belvoir captain Drew Cameron. Picture by Ash Smith Belvoir captain Drew Cameron. Picture by Ash Smith](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/131362666/9fefb808-0c37-4fe7-b627-2e452b059879.jpg/r0_0_6476_4317_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Belvoir is on the board for 2023/24 following a thumping victory away to St Patrick's.
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The Eagles racked up 4/268 at Xavier and then dismissed their undermanned hosts for 156 to win by 112 runs.
St Patrick's were missing Dean Nicholson, Luke Evans, Neil Smith, Mitch O'Brien, Kori Stevenson and Sam Hollis from their round one side although Belvoir were also hit by the unavailability of Joe Cooke, Matt Jaensch and Ryan Withers.
However, the quality of Belvoir's top order shone through with Josh Staines (77), Kaiden Withers (65) and captain Drew Cameron (62 not out) all posting half-centuries.
Overseas star Hayatullah Niazi then blasted 23 from just 13 balls while Darcy Norman raced to an unbeaten 19 off 11.
Niazi, who was born in Afghanistan, has played international cricket for Norway and he caught the eye with bat and ball.
"When 'Stainesy' got out and Hayat came in, that was the crossroads," Cameron said.
"We were 2/129 and it was like 'are we going get 250 or are we going to limp to something much lower?' but Hayat hit a couple of massive sixes into a howling breeze.
"That set my mind at ease, that we made the right decision with him as an import!
"There's obviously a language barrier, because the ball before I said 'maybe don't try to hit sixes to that side because there's a massive breeze.'
"He nodded his head at me, walked down there and hit two massive ones.
"At the end of the over, I said 'don't listen to me ever again!'"
Angus Kilby, playing his 100th game for St Patrick's, took three catches on his return to the side but was then dismissed for a golden duck opening the batting, trapped in front by Niazi's first ball.
Ed Kreutzberger made 37 and coach Liam Scammell top-scored with 56 but the home side finished well in arrears.
Cameron used eight different bowlers, with six of them taking wickets.
"We had a pretty clear game plan," he said.
"It was about match-ups rather than just going with what you know.
"Hayat was always going to bowl up front because he can swing the new ball where 'Perko' (David Perkins) doesn't typically swing it much.
"I wanted to hold 'Perko' back for the match-up against Scammell and I wanted to keep as many overs as possible with Hayat bowling to 'Scam' because I knew him, Kilby and Nick Brown were going to be the three who could win it for them.
"To get Kilby first ball of the innings was super pleasing."
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