Gunnedah’s second grade cricketers face an imposing task of trying to avoid outright defeat at Kitchener Park this Saturday, after City United gained control last Saturday on day one of the two-day fixture.

City United finished the day on 6-219 from 48 overs, after dismissing Gunnedah for 135 in 32.2 overs.

Gunnedah’s Trent Lumby opened his account with a four before opening partner Josh Langdon’s first scoring stroke was a rare five, courtesy of four runs from an errant throw.

Langdon hit four more boundaries but the hosts collapsed to 4-51, before Zafar Mukhtar struck six fours and a six in a lively innings of 33.

Another collapse left Gunnedah 8-105, before an aggressive and entertaining innings from Will Hicks ensured another 30 runs were added.

Hicks struck the first ball he faced for six to take the score beyond 100, before hammering an additional three sixes and two fours.

The first and third balls of City United’s innings went to the boundary for five wides, before the final two balls of the over contained a leg bye and two byes.

The first wicket fell to a run out before Henry O’Hehir and Lachlan Mason provided the platform for a strong total, after they earlier took two wickets each.

Mason scored a solid 45 from 95 balls at first drop, while O’Hehir hit 12 fours in his 93 from 104 balls at the top of the order.

Langdon picked up two wickets while Nick Herring, Lumby and Hicks claimed one apiece.

City United 6-219 (Henry O’Hehir 93, Lachlan Mason 45; Josh Langdon 2-20) leads Gunnedah 135 (Will Hicks 33 not out, Zafar Mukhtar 33; William Davis 3-17, Henry O’Hehir 2-22) by 84 runs on the first innings with one day remaining.

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