A sparkling century from 13-year-old Bective East player Cooper Jones set up a 77-run victory against Gunnedah in last Saturday’s fourth grade cricket contest at Carroll Community Ground.

Jones’s 116 at number three helped the Tamworth team to 4-265 in 40 overs, before Gunnedah lost eight wickets while batting out its overs.

A youthful Gunnedah line-up had some good moments in the run chase, although nobody could produce a big score while the target was elusive.

Bective East opener Dan Moxon raced to 53 retired in the 11th over, having found the boundary 11 times as he punished anything loose.

A disastrous run out produced the first wicket in the 13th over, as Jones and opener Levi Morgan were stranded at the same end.

Bective East was 2-116 when Jonah Cameron took a well-judged catch, but John Clery was dropped just two balls later before another run was added.

Clery survived a couple more chances as he scored 43, and Jones continued to play a fine array of strokes before he holed out to deep mid-on in the final over.

For the record, Jones began the season with two successive ducks and back-to-back centuries, as his 143 off 130 balls in round three was followed by last Saturday’s 96-ball knock which included 17 fours.

Jack Canham, Noah Kelly and Jack Duncan captured a wicket each for Gunnedah.

Gunnedah opener Ryan Cooper hammered 35 off 18 balls before he exited with the total on 52,

and another wicket fell quickly before 49 runs were added for the third wicket.

Gunnedah went from 3-124 to 5-126 with the dismissals of Jonah Cameron and Harry Paul, who played his usual stonewalling style as he ground out 32 runs off 91 balls.

Kelly scored 35 off 24 balls, while Toby Blinman made 22 off 29.

Kelly and Blinman added 59 runs before three late wickets to Hugo Clery enabled him to bag a five-wicket haul.

Following his batting heroics, Jones had tidy figures of 1-12 from six overs.

Bective East 4-265 (Cooper Jones 116, Dan Moxon 53 retired; Jack Duncan 1-5) defeated Gunnedah 8-188 (Ryan Cooper 35, Noah Kelly 35; Hugo Clery 5-37) by 77 runs.

 

Cooper Jones exits the arena after scoring a great ton.

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