Fourth graders falter with away victory in sight

Gunnedah’s fourth graders had an eight-wicket loss and a six-run defeat in their T20 contests at Riverside last Saturday.

The North Tamworth Redbacks were too good on the first occasion, and then Gunnedah controlled most of the second match before snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

Gunnedah began soundly against the Redbacks as Paddy and Harry Paul put on a 40-run opening stand, but the remaining batters struggled.

Only 40 runs were scored in the 13 overs following the loss of the first wicket, with wickets falling in the 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th overs before two fell in the final over.

The first two balls of the run chase yielded a boundary and a wide, before a run-out left North Tamworth 1-14 after four overs.

Angus Davidson and Darcy Williams steered the Redbacks on track until Williams exited in the 10th over, and there were no further wickets as Davidson hit the winning boundary with 26 balls remaining.

In the afternoon contest, South Tamworth captain Chris Skilton hit the fourth and fifth deliveries to the boundary before he was bowled with the sixth delivery.

Andrew McDonald made 41 from 36 balls before he retired with three overs to spare. He lost two partners, with Elijah Skilton run out in the 13th over before the next wicket fell in the following over.

Remarkably no runs were scored in the 15th, 18th and 19th overs, while the 19th also contained two wickets as South Tamworth fell to 5-90.

The first five balls of the final over yielded a wicket and no runs, before a boundary from the last ball proved crucial.

The father-and-son combination of Paddy and Harry Paul produced another fine opening partnership, and victory appeared certain when Harry’s dismissal left the team needing 33 runs from 51 balls.

Paddy reached 42 with a four and then retired, as only 21 runs were needed from 41 balls.

Astonishingly the batters from three to seven could tally only 13 runs from 48 balls as they made two or three runs each.

There was some doubt surrounding captain Brad Gander’s dismissal, which left his team needing 19 runs from five overs.

The 18th over contained three singles, before the 19th featured a wicket and one run.

With 12 runs needed from the final over, a dot ball was followed by two runs from the second ball and a wicket from the third ball.

Ten runs were needed from three balls but only three singles ensued, including a leg bye.

North Tamworth Redbacks 2-84 (Angus Davidson 37 not out; Jack Canham 1-18) defeated Gunnedah 7-80 (Paddy Paul 27; Rory MacRae 2-9, Logan Chaffey 2-12) by eight wickets.

South Tamworth 6-94 (Andrew McDonald 41 retired; Riley Price 1-7) defeated Gunnedah 4-88 (Paddy Paul 42 retired) by six runs.