Round four of Gunnedah Premier League T20 action saw a five-wicket win for Carter’s Pharmacy against Croplands, while Rhazzad Concreting defeated McDonalds by nine wickets.
In both matches the team batting second successfully chased down its set totals to win their respective matches.
McDonalds batted first in their fixture, with steady contributions throughout the innings enabling them to reach 7/112 off their 20 overs, served best by opener Tim Kelly who top scored for McDonald’s with 17, as Steve Keeler and Ash White contributed the same score of 14 to the McDonald’s final total.
Four batsmen reached double figures for McDonald’s but couldn’t capitalise on their starts as Rhazzad’s bowling attack was able to restrict McDonald’s throughout the innings.
Although only dismissing seven batsmen, Rhazzad took their wickets at crucial times which included a run out.
Carter McIlveen and Mitch Swain both snared 2/19 off their four over spells, putting the screws on the McDonald’s batting while Will Ford took 1/3 and Braithen Winsor 1/17 to limit Rhazzad’s run chase to less than a run a ball.
Rhazzad was ruthless in the run chase and although Ash White took an early wicket for McDonald’s to leave them 1/12 after the second over, Rhazzad took complete control of the run chase and match after the early set back.
Opener Andrew Osmond was particularly savage, as he and number three Mitchell Swain were ultra-aggressive towards the McDonald’s bowling attack during their rapid partnership.
Osmond brought up his half century, proceeding to finish 63 not out with partner Swain 33 not out as their 102-run partnership squashed the hopes of McDonald’s, completing the nine-wicket victory for Rhazzad Concreting.
In the other match, Croplands batted first and were put under immediate pressure by Carter’s Pharmacy opening bowler Peter McCormack.
McCormack reduced Croplands to 3/30 inside the first six overs, which soon became 4/57 by the eighth over when he claimed his fourth.
At 6/73, Croplands batsmen Oscar King found an ally in Ken Walters, putting together a 33-run partnership to resurrect the Croplands innings.
King departed for a well-compiled 39 while Walters remained 21 not out in the closing stages and register ed7/113 off their 20 overs.
McCormack was the best of the Carter’s Pharmacy bowlers taking 4/19 off his four-over spell.
Opener Justin Carter laid the foundation for Carter’s Pharmacy in their run chase, but Croplands kept themselves in the match by taking two wickets and upon Carter’s dismissal for 32, the match was evenly poised at 3/79.
Blake Small took over from Carter in anchoring his side home as he and Daniel Head put the game to bed with a crucial fourth-wicket partnership of 26.
Small was dismissed for 25 with the end in sight and Carter’s Pharmacy needing four runs to win, as Jacob Price and Will Ford scored the remaining four runs required to complete the five-wicket victory.
