Gunnedah’s fourth grade cricketers kept their finals hopes alive in the Tamworth District Cricket Association (TDCA) competition with a three-wicket victory against South Tamworth in a high-scoring contest at Donnelly Fields last Saturday.
The visitors made a fine total of 7-227 in 40 overs, before the hosts passed it with 25 balls to spare.
Both teams used 12 players, with 11 Gunnedah players and eight Souths players having a bowl.
Jono Middlebrook was Gunnedah’s tidiest bowler with 0-9 from four overs before Zafar Mukhtar, Oscar Middlebrook and Ken Walters scored half-centuries in the run chase.
Gunnedah gave away 28 runs in wides and no-balls before Souths conceded 15 runs in illegal bowling.
There were numerous momentum changes, starting early on when the second over of the match cost 17 runs (including 10 from sundries) before the third over was a maiden.
Andrew McDonald struck three sixes in his 32, before he was run out from the first ball of the 15th over with the total on 73.
Michael Andrews hit successive fours in the 17th over, before Oscar Middlebrook sent his bails flying from the final ball of the over with the total on 89.
Only two more runs were added when Jono Middlebrook held a catch in Tyler Small’s opening over, before 51 runs were added for the fourth wicket.
Jackson McDonald scored a solid if slow 40 at the top of the order, before Rhyse Frost bowled him in the 27th over.
Hamish Blackman kept the runs flowing while Ethan Mills scored a patient 24.
A single to Blackman raised the 200 with three overs remaining, and then Mills exited two balls later.
Blackman found the boundary twice in the penultimate over which cost 12 runs, before he was one of two run-out victims in the final over.
Thomas Hall hit the final delivery to the boundary, after Blackman found it 10 times in his 74 from 67 balls.
Following an explosive start to the run chase, the hosts rode their luck as there were missed chances and plenty of edged shots which fell safely.
With Jono Middlebrook on strike, the first ball of Gunnedah’s innings yielded the same result as the final ball of the Souths innings before Mukhtar hit the fourth ball for six.
Mukhtar pounced on plenty of wayward deliveries, as he recorded four fours and five sixes on his way to 53 retired from 22 balls.
Jono Middlebrook was caught from the final ball of the third over with the total on 34, before Mukhtar struck the next two balls for six.
Mukhtar’s final scoring stroke was another six, which took the total to 1-80 in the eighth over.
The ensuing partnership involving Oscar Middlebrook and Shane Fleming featured plenty of singles, the occasional two and the occasional boundary before Fleming missed a full-toss and was somewhat dubiously adjudged lbw.
Gunnedah fell to 4-129 after 21 overs following the loss of 3-4, before Ken Walters and Oscar Middlebrook stabilised the innings. The young Middlebrook posted his maiden half-century at senior level, and was allowed to bat on due to his age.
Walters registered three fours in the 24th over and two fours in the 27th over, with the latter off a free hit following a no-ball.
The young Middlebrook’s knock ended at 58 when an edge lobbed to slip, and then a stumping two balls later left Gunnedah 6-183.
A turning point came in the 30th over when Walters scored two runs from a dropped catch, before Frost clubbed a few boundaries.
A no-ball in the 33rd over was also costly, as Walters hammered the ensuing free hit down the ground for another four.
Frost’s third four was followed by a dropped catch when two fielders collided, and then Walters pulled the next ball for six to pass the retirement score of 50.
Frost departed moments later as Gunnedah needed only five runs with three wickets in hand, while Mukhtar and Walters could return if necessary.
Small registered the winning runs, as he belted a four to deep mid-wicket.
The fifth-placed Gunnedah found itself one point behind the fourth-placed Quirindi, while Souths remained seventh out of eight teams.
Gunnedah faces the top-placed Old Boys at Donnelly Fields this Saturday.
Gunnedah 7-229 (Oscar Middlebrook 58, Zafar Mukhtar 53 retired, Ken Walters 51 retired; Zac Parkinson 3-33, Jackson McDonald 2-34) defeated South Tamworth 7-227 (Hamish Blackman 74, Jackson McDonald 40; Rhys Frost 1-20) by three wickets.