A mixture of Gunnedah’s cricketing talent was invited to participate in the Indigenous Festival of Cricket, with matches played between the Sydney Thunder and Sydney Sixers respective men’s and women’s sides competing at a recent carnival in Shellharbour.

Co-hosted by the Shoalhaven Council and the Cricket NSW Foundation, the Indigenous Festival of Cricket is designed to enable cricketers from all across NSW – primarily in remote and country areas – to participate under the banner of the men’s and women’s Big Bash nationally recognised franchises of the Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder.

Featuring coloured clothing in a replica indigenous playing strip – which was used in the professional Big Bash men and women’s competitions – saw the women’s fixture a 1.30pm day T20 match.

That match consisted of Gunnedah representation through Sally Keller, as well as daughters and junior stars Mackenzie and Charlotte and also Marnee Walters – all four of whom represented the Sixers side against the Thunder.

Charlotte and Mackenzie both starred with the ball, taking a wicket each during their bowling innings, helping restrict the Thunder to 5/121 off their 20 overs. Their efforts weren’t enough though, as their side’s batting failed to chase down the target set by the Thunder falling short by 52 runs dismissed for 69.

At 5pm, following the completion of the women’s fixture, the men’s match featured Gunnedah cricketers in junior talent Keaton Walters who represented the Thunder, while Albion captain Ash White took the field for the Sixers.

Walters’ Thunder batted first, with key contributions to the top order enabling them to post a competitive total of 8/134 from 20 overs.

Walters had the bragging rights towards his Gunnedah contemporary, as White’s Sixers side fell 38 runs short of the required total at 9/96 by the completion of the match.

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