Second graders feel the Redbacks’ bite

BY Liam Hauser.

A fine innings from Keaton Walters wasn’t enough for Gunnedah in the Tamworth District Cricket Association (TDCA) second grade match at Kitchener Park last Saturday, as the North Tamworth Redbacks cantered to an eight-wicket victory.

Walters’s unbeaten 82 stood out in the home side’s 161, which never looked a winning total as the visiting team took just 29.2 overs to reach the target.

Asked to bat first after losing the toss, the hosts fell to 4-19 before an 80-run partnership gave the innings a much-needed boost.

The first wicket was an lbw, and the second was a run-out before Ryan Cooper momentarily broke the shackles.

Cooper struck two fours in three balls during the fifth over, but they were his only scoring shots before he and Ken Walters departed without the addition of a run.

Ken Walters was caught by the wicketkeeper in the sixth over which was a wicket-maiden, as was the seventh over which contained the wicket of Cooper who was bowled.

Gunnedah skipper Braithen Winsor registered four boundaries as he scored 25 during the productive fifth wicket stand while Keaton Walters played an array of fluent, confident and attractive shots.

The hosts suffered another collapse as they slid from 4-99 to 7-101, with Winsor departing in the 27th over before Ryan Stewart nabbed two scalps in the next over.

Darrin Cameron and Nick Herring scored several runs each while Keaton Walters dominated the remainder of Gunnedah’s innings.

One delivery featured a comedy of errors, as a catch was dropped before a certain run-out was bungled.

Keaton Walters lifted a half-volley into the John “Dallas” Donnelly Stand, before clouting another six over the same stand.

The number five batter finished with eight fours and three sixes, and Gunnedah was 15 balls shy of batting out its allotted 40 overs when the final wicket fell.

Stewart was the pick of North Tamworth’s bowlers with four wickets while Bradley Redshaw and Mitchell Beaumont captured two each, with Beaumont claiming the final two.

The Redbacks gave away 25 runs in wides, before Gunnedah’s bowlers conceded 10 runs in the same fashion.

Tim Swan hammered four fours and two sixes in the first four overs of the run chase, before William Hicks dismissed him in the sixth over.

Despite some tidy bowling from Winsor and teammate James McGowan, Gunnedah’s bowlers were unable to gain any assistance from the pitch while the second wicket partnership set up North Tamworth’s victory.

Beaumont hit five fours in his 37 while Chris Dobson clubbed 10 fours and three sixes as he sped to 85 not out.

After Beaumont was caught off the bowling of Trent Lumby, Hamish Batley remained scoreless while Dobson quickly polished off the remaining runs.

The opener cleared the boundary from the first ball of the 30th over, before hitting the next ball for four to end proceedings.

Gunnedah has the bye for round two this Saturday, after original opponent South Tamworth withdrew from the competition.

North Tamworth Redbacks 2-164 (Chris Dobson 85 not out, Mitchell Beaumont 37; Trent Lumby 1-15) defeated Gunnedah 161 (Keaton Walters 82 not out; Ryan Stewart 4-30) by eight wickets.