Cricket North wrap: Riverside's Stubbs shakes South on return from injury

He took 5-32 from 12 overs and later finished 23 not out after returning from a bicep tear which sidelined him from for about eight weeks.

The seamer prevented Knights captain Jeremy Jackson from adding to his overnight score of 49, trapping him adjacent.

He then bowled the dangerous Mitchell Cheesman (25) as well as James Marshall (24) and Ethan Arnott.

And he finished by having last weekend's bowling hero Graham Donaldson caught for a golden duck.

"I've been doing my rehab stuff and got some overs in playing in the twos the last couple of weeks so it probably set me up for being right to go today," he said.

Stubbs spoke of a great team bowling effort that was about hitting the right areas and applying pressure from both ends.

He said his focus was on hitting a good length and attacking off-stump.

"For me, it's always about challenging the batsman on a length," he said.

"If you get too full, the good players in this competition will have a field day and if you bowl too short as well, they can make you pay."

It was considered an important match in the context of finals given the Knights and Blues were close on points going into it.

Stubbs said Riverside, who have the luxury of depth this season with Aidan O'Connor and Greater Northern Raiders players, were determined to make the finals and be ready to go.

"It's about playing the (good) brand of cricket going into the finals, you don't want to limp in," he said.

"You don't want to have a really good one-day season and limp in with maybe one victory after Christmas or anything like that.

"In my experience, the team that gives themselves a shot, is the team that goes in with momentum and confidence and a real team-first attitude."

Riverside made 237 before the Knights started day two on 1-78.

South were steady at 4-190 but then suffered a 6-8 collapse after Nathan Philip, who made 48, was caught behind off Tom Lewis (4-37).

They had wanted to bat most of the day but finished on 198 from 69 overs.

Blues captain Peter New top-scored with 56 as Riverside made 8-224 in their second innings.

Invermay Park offered intrigue with Mowbray giving Launceston a shake after a disappointing day one.

The Lions, chasing the Eagles' 161, resumed on 5-147 and added 48 runs largely thanks to Archie Clayton who made 37 from 64 balls.

They finished on 195 and 34 runs ahead before Mowbray had a couple of players go whack.

Spencer Hayes (47 from 46) and Brock Whitchurch, who got his second half-century this month with 89 from 68 balls, pounded the ball around. Whitchurch's innings featured 13 boundaries with four over the rope.

Opener John Hayes was the anchor with 71 not out from 96 before the Eagles declared on 5-225.

Launceston stumbled to 8-108 in their second innings but had done enough to win. The work had been done the weekend before when Raiders pair Alistair Taylor and Charlie Eastoe made half-centuries.

"Last week was key for us, it wasn't our best day today, Archie Clayton was really good this morning with the bat as a young fella," captain Cam Lynch said.

"Ultimately how we bowled last week and then having AT (Taylor) and Charlie (Eastoe) make those quick runs really set the game up for us."

He credited Mowbray for taking the game on.

"They were really aggressive throughout the day, just played good cricket shots and hit boundaries which you can do on this ground," he said. As for the second batting innings, Lynch said they couldn't capitalise after a strong start (3-83). They lost 5-21 in the final overs.

Mowbray speedster Jimmy Storay was good on return with 3-25 and 3-51 while Sam Artis snagged early wickets for the second-consecutive week.

Launceston will look to chase third spot when they resume after their bye next weekend.

According to Play HQ, Riverside (63.9) have moved ahead of South Launceston (61.5) to second on the ladder.