PHC are known for their success on the football field, but the club’s cricket team are showing they can be competitive too.

The Warwick club are leading the One First Division with a perfect record from four games after a top-of-the-table win over previously unbeaten St George’s last weekend.

PHC are level on 48 points with St George’s but have a game in hand over the East Enders in the race for the automatic promotion spot.

That match will be made up next weekend when St George’s have their first-round bye.

Like St David’s, the Premier Division leaders, PHC capitalised on the rained-out matches on June 11, when they beat Warwick Workmen’s Club in the only First Division match to survive the weather.

Now PHC will go in search of their fifth win when they meet third-placed Flatts at Wellington Oval on Sunday, with First Division matches taking the spotlight as no Premier Division matches are scheduled for this weekend.

“The initial mindset was to be better than last year, so to be 4-0 is definitely a big improvement,” admitted coach Cal Waldron, a PHC man through and through as he is also the manager of the football team.

That win over St George’s was a big boost to the team, winning by 51 runs after only scoring 167 themselves.

Charles Trott, one of their key players, had a good performance with the bat and ball, scoring 29 and then claiming three wickets with the new ball as St George’s fell well short of their target.

“I did explain to the players initially that I thought the First Division would be very competitive this season, when I looked at the make-up of the teams,” Waldron said.

“And so far it has been, with just about each match, no matter who’s playing, having a funny result.”

Already PHC have beaten Devonshire Recreation Club by 59 runs, Warwick by seven wickets and Willow Cuts by 30 runs. A few more wins and they could be thinking about playing in the Premier Division next season. They and St George’s lead third-placed Flatts by 20 points.

“I keep mentioning to the players that, ‘We’re known for football, so what you guys have done in cricket has exceeded that of the more known cricket clubs’,” Waldron said.

“We just have to keep playing and hoping that each game we can improve on the things that we’re doing.

“The main thing is keeping them mentally challenged each week. In the last two games that we managed to win [Willow Cuts and St George’s] the result could have gone either way. We still have some improvement to do and I expect the other teams likewise.

“I expect a tougher match on Sunday and the main challenge for me is keeping my players level-headed. It’s a young team and we’re still growing in the sport.”

Waldron singled out Dean Richards, Romel McDonald and Colin Stewart in the batting department.

Last weekend Trott and Wendell Dottin led a middle-order recovery with a sixth-wicket stand of 53 to carry the team to their winning total.

“Now the bowlers are coming through and in the last couple of games Darren Anglin and spinner Dev Hanuman, from Trinidad, have been bowling exceptionally well,” Waldron said.

“On the day that it rained we were fortunate to get a win, those extra points made a difference in where we sit in the standings.”

St George’s travel to Southampton Oval to play Warwick while Somerset Bridge host bottom team Devonshire Rec at White Hill Field in the other matches.

The second round of the Western Counties will be played at White Hill on Saturday when holders Southampton Rangers take on Somerset Bridge.

Rangers, with captain Janeiro Tucker playing his first match of the season after shoulder surgery, beat Bridge by six wickets after dismissing them for just 111.

Vernon Eve claimed five for 17 and Kevin Tucker four for 13 for Rangers.

n St David’s lead the One Premier Division standings by 23 points over Southampton Rangers at the halfway stage of the league season.

St David’s picked up their fifth straight win last weekend with a victory over Bailey’s Bay, giving them 69 points.

Rangers have 46 points after three wins in five matches while Western Stars are third on 34 points and promoted Somerset Cricket Club fourth on 29 points. Bay, expected to challenge St David’s for the league, are second from bottom on 17 points after just one win. Cleveland are last, still without a win.