Gunnedah overcame a poor start to give South Tamworth a scare in last Saturday’s third grade cricket fixture at McAndrew Park.

Gunnedah struggled to a total of 104 before South Tamworth won by four wickets, having been made to work hard for its victory.

The outcome could just as easily have gone Gunnedah’s way, but a few crucial chances went begging in the latter part of the match.

The result was still creditable for Gunnedah considering the team had six players aged 16 or less, while most of the South Tamworth players were adults.

The hosts only scraped together a team of 11 following a few late arrivals and two additional late inclusions.

Gunnedah’s struggle for player numbers came after the club forfeited its fourth grade match against South Tamworth, after Gunnedah’s fourth graders began their season with a 25-run victory the previous Saturday.

Having put on a 59-run opening partnership in that triumph, Paddy Paul and his son Harry were promoted to open the batting in third grade.

Harry Paul top-scored for Gunnedah with a painstaking 25 off 114 balls before another teenager, Jonah Cameron, starred with the ball.

Gunnedah was in diabolical trouble at 3-8 in the 10th over after Chris Aslin took two wickets without conceding a run in his four overs.

The hosts were 6-53 in the 26th over, before late inclusion Michael Flannery struck three boundaries in a quickfire 18.

The other late inclusion, Matt Herring, also made some handy runs as he helped Harry Paul take the total beyond 100 before the final three wickets fell quickly.

Several South Tamworth players sportingly shook Harry Paul’s hand after he was the ninth wicket to fall.

Cameron bowled Mick Cullen without a run on the board in the first over of South Tamworth’s innings, before the second over featured four wides and two byes.

South Tamworth slipped from 1-37 to 4-40, as Jonah Cameron and Paddy Paul claimed an lbw each before Paul rattled the stumps.

A turning point came as Greg Lane was bowled from a no-ball, which came about due to a fielder illegally moving sideways.

With the batter having a free hit at the next ball, he added insult to injury as he hammered a boundary.

A catch by Bruce Hockings off Flannery’s bowling was followed by a catch to Harry Paul off his father’s bowling, as South Tamworth stuttered from 4-69 to 6-71.

The next two overs proved costly as a dropped catch was soon followed by a missed run-out chance.

Jon Dawe and his son Charlie produced an unbroken 36-run partnership to seal the result with 57 balls to spare, although another catch went begging when the visitors were 16 runs shy of their target.

Gunnedah’s third and fourth graders are scheduled to contest the Redbacks this Saturday, with the thirds at McAndrew Park and the fourths at Carroll Community Ground.

South Tamworth 6-107 (Kevin Attard 30; Paddy Paul 3-22, Jonah Cameron 2-17) defeated Gunnedah 104 (Harry Paul 25; Matt Coombes 3-15, Chris Aslin 2-0) by four wickets.

Late inclusion Matt Herring goes on the attack for Gunnedah in third grade cricket.

Jonah Cameron made a big impression as he opened the bowling for Gunnedah in third grade cricket.

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